Student Ambassadors a source for college knowledge
For animal sciences major Renee Starkey, there's nothing more rewarding than getting potential students or incoming freshmen excited about the college experience.
"I wanted to tell the story of Ohio State and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences the way that it had been told to me," said the graduating senior from Spokane, Washington. "I wanted to help students find a passion and get excited about what the college has to offer."
Starkey is a CFAES Ambassador, part of a small group of undergraduates whose efforts teach others what the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences is all about.
Students chosen for the Ambassador team each year represent the college for recruitment and industry relations purposes. Since 1999, Ambassadors have worked with college faculty and staff, represented the college at national conferences, met prospective students, and provided tours of the college campus to incoming freshmen and transfer students.
Jill Tyson, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences coordinator of prospective student services and Ambassador team advisor, said that being an Ambassador helps students gain leadership, team building, communication, and networking skills; develop friendships; and be a point of contact for those not familiar with the campus.
"For potential Ohio State University students or incoming freshmen, Ambassadors are their first contact," said Tyson. "They represent the image and the reputation of our college. An Ambassador is the source for learning what our college is all about."
About two dozen new Ambassadors are selected each year, and come from a variety of majors including animal sciences; agricultural communication; food, agricultural, and biological engineering; food science; and agricultural education. Ambassadors generally serve for one year, although they can reapply once their term is up.
Tyson said that the work Ambassadors conduct is strictly on a volunteer basis, and the application process to become an Ambassador is very competitive. However, those who are selected as Ambassadors find the experience quite rewarding.
"Being a part of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Ambassador team has been one of the most rewarding and influential experiences I have had in my college career," said Lynn Wischmeyer, a food science and technology major who is in her second year on the Ambassador team. "I have gained more confidence in myself, worked with and met amazing people, gained knowledge about the world we live in and the goals we need to achieve, and developed a passion for agriculture."
The efforts of the CFAES Ambassadors, giving to the college while learning more about themselves, is gaining national recognition. Over the past two years, Ambassadors have received awards during the National Agricultural Ambassador Conference in both recruitment and retention and excellence in service--the first time the program has been recognized nationally.
This year, the experiences of the CFAES Ambassadors will expand to college alumni through a mentoring program between Ambassadors and alumni board members.
"For me, becoming an Ambassador was about reaching out. I saw it as an opportunity to share the great experiences I have had at Ohio State and help prospective students make the right choice for their future while allowing myself to grow as a leader," said Kayla Weaver, a junior in agricultural communication and a newly selected Ambassador. "Being an Ambassador gives me a chance to give back to the college and have an impact on its future."
To learn more about the college's Ambassador program, see its web site at http://cfaes.osu.edu/ambassadors.
--By Candace Pollock
College dominates TELR's distance-education fund competition
The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences obtained both
of the grants awarded by Ohio State University's Office of Technology Enhanced Learning and Research (TELR) in March for developing e-learning degree
programs.
The departments of Human and Community Resource Development and Plant Pathology submitted successful proposals to the Distance and Open Education Innovation Funds, which TELR provides each year with the goal of nurturing degree programs "that enable any place/any time learning through innovative uses of technology."
One of the grants ($12,369) will be used to determine the need and support for the development of an online master's degree in agricultural and Extension education (AEE), said Emily Rhoades, an assistant professor of agricultural communications and leader of the proposal.
The proposed program would be designed to target part-time, nontraditional students with full-time employment as practitioners in the AEE field--such as secondary agricultural teachers, Extension educators, and agricultural communicators. Because it would rely on distance-education technology for its delivery, the program would also be available to students beyond Ohio and traditional AEE graduate students who prefer an online format.
The second grant ($15,000) will help cover the costs of planning a master's degree in plant protection, said Mike Boehm, professor and chair of the Department of Plant Pathology. The 18-month, non-thesis, executive MBA-style degree will cover a variety of topics, including basic and applied science, management, and communications.
"This program will be designed for busy professionals such as certified crop advisors, Extension-type specialists, and others in private companies that deal with crop production," Boehm explained. "It will take advantage of e-learning and offer weekend courses."
For more information about TELR services and funding opportunities, visit http://telr.osu.edu.
--By Mauricio Espinoza
More CFAES students studying abroad
More undergraduate students in Ohio State University's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences are seeking an educational experience beyond U.S. borders.
Participation in study abroad programs is increasing, with nearly 20 percent more college students enrolling in college-based and university-wide programs this year than in 2008. The growth is due largely to the creation of short-term programs that allow students to earn academic credits but require less time away from home, said Kelly Koren, the college's study abroad director.
"The traditional study abroad programs last six weeks and students receive a quarter's worth of credits. The short-term programs usually take place between quarters--10 days give or take," said Koren. "The short-term programs make it more feasible from a time and money perspective, still giving students the self-confidence to travel while not requiring them to be away from home for very long."
Four new short-term study abroad programs are being offered to students this year: CFAES Freshmen Experience in Mexico, which gives freshmen a first-hand experience with Mexican culture, the global economy, and labor issues; Chile Agro-Ecosystems, which introduces students to the many facets of the agricultural phenomena that has transformed Chile's place in the global market; Iceland Environment and Natural Resources Scholars, which exposes students to the country's unique and diverse environmental advantages, as well as problems; and Ireland Human and Animal Interactions, which focuses on the role of animals in society.
The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Study Abroad office offers 16 different programs, both short-term and long-term, to such locations as Australia, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, South Africa, England, Ghana, Costa Rica, and Netherlands.
The goal of the academic opportunities is to fulfill the college's strategic plan of having at least 50 percent of the undergraduate student body come away with some type of international experience, whether it's through internships, research, volunteerism, or academics.
For more information on the study abroad programs, log on to http://cfaes.osu.edu/studyabroad.
--By Candace Pollock
Did you know?
The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences had 134 students study abroad in 23 different countries this year.
