Where has the time gone?

As many other students are experiencing right now, this is my last semester as an undergraduate student!  I have been at the University of Kentucky for four years now, and I have loved every minute of it.  I have made many wonderful, lifelong friends and had experiences that I’ll never forget.  While being in college I had the experience to travel to Florida with the College of Agriculture Ambassadors for a leadership summit, I traveled to Wisconsin and Illinois with my Sustainable Agriculture capstone class, and with the Women’s Choir I sang in England, Wales and Ireland.  

Marissa in Ireland with UK Women's Choir.

As this semester is already half way over, I keep thinking that all of my fellow graduating seniors each have to make a choice about what they are going to do after commencement on May 5.  Some, like me, are going to graduate school.  Some may go straight into the work force and already have jobs lined up.  And some have no idea what they want to do.  Whatever we all decide to do, we know that we have had the best time and met the best people.

I have decided to go to the University of Kentucky for graduate school to pursue a master’s degree in Human Nutrition.  I am very excited about this opportunity and to learn about how what we eat affects our health.  I would love to pair my undergraduate degree of Sustainable Agriculture with a nutrition degree so that I can help educate people not only on how their food is grown but how their food can affect different aspects of their bodies.  I decided to go to graduate school to pursue this dream, as well as to give myself more opportunities in the job field.  The two degrees that I will have will not only complement each other, but diversify my areas of knowledge.

Students who are just starting out their college experience are thinking that they have forever in college to take advantage of opportunities and figure out what they are going to do.  My advice is that you don’t have forever.  These four years go faster than you can even imagine, so you need to start now!  

- Marissa is a senior from Morrow, Ohio.  She is graduating in May with a individualized bachelors of science curriculum in Sustainable Agriculture.  

A different kind of classroom

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to attend class absent of other students and a lecturing professor? Take away tests, papers and homework assignments that not only stress you out, but can destroy your sleep schedule. Internships give you the opportunity to learn in a different type of classroom setting. While the work element will never be eliminated from earning credits to complete graduation requirements, there is a way to switch up your traditional classroom.

This fall semester, I have been given the opportunity to gain experience in the field of public relations by completing an internship at the University of Kentucky Agricultural Communications Services. I’m constantly on my toes with different assignments that I am responsible for.  I still have deadlines, responsibilities and expectations from my supervisors, but they are right there to guide me every step of the way. I have great role models who help me any way that they can, whether they help answer questions that I have or take the time of their day to teach me a new skill. Every single day is a brand new experience.

I have been able to step out of my comfort zone and do things that I never imagined would be possible as a student. So far I have been given the opportunity to write news stories, edit radio recordings and I even experienced getting to interview individuals at the Career Fair for a video production. Along with the other intern, Breanna, we will work on editing the video production and watch the project transform from start to finish. It’s a type of curriculum that helps me practice all of the skills that I learned in required courses that I once thought I would never use again.

Interning in an area of your interest is the key to getting the most out of an internship. Just like any future career, if you don’t enjoy it today, you will most likely not enjoy that career many years down the road. Getting to walk into the office and take on different daily tasks at Ag Communications keeps everyday interesting. No filling up empty mugs with dark coffee, running errands or copying large amounts of material are considered as my daily tasks. I’m getting real hands on experience.  

I enjoy being able to get a feel for the light at the end of the tunnel after enduring a lot of courses during the past three years. Don’t take for granted any opportunity to learn. This internship has proven to me that you will never stop learning, even after you graduate.

Keep in mind that you will be graduating with many individuals who will be going after the same goals as you. What will you do to set yourself apart? Internships provide you the skills that many of your fellow peers may not have. They are work, but internships are the key to the door of opportunity that you have been working so hard for. I’m glad I took this great opportunity, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the semester has in store for me! 

 Amber is a senior from Springfield, Kentucky.  She is a Community Leadership & Development major and is involved in Alpha Zeta.  She will graduate in May 2013.

Behind the Scenes of the UK Ag Advising Resource Center

Last week, I was in my office when a student comes in needing assistance completing some paperwork.  While I was completing the paperwork, we were making small talk about her summer plans.  During the conversation, she asks if those of us in the Advising Resource Center are here all summer to which I responded “yes.”  Then she questions, “So what do you do all summer?” ,or as I heard it, “What could you possibly have to do during the summer?  After all, no students are around.”   

This is a common question I get from students and it makes me chuckle every time.  My initial reaction is to say “we just sit around with our feet on the desk, eating bonbons and reading magazines.”  Thankfully, I catch myself (most of the time) and respond with a vague description of what we do.  In reality, we stay pretty busy over the summer.  Granted, we don’t have as much student traffic as when classes are in session but we have many other tasks to keep us busy.  So, for those who have always wondered, here is a little insight into what we do during the summer in the Advising Resource Center.

After the spring semester finishes, we spend the next few weeks wrapping up the semester by reviewing and processing A LOT of student records.   Our office is responsible for verifying that students have completed their degree requirements as well as reviewing students’ academic standing.  So, at the end of each semester, the record of every student who has applied for a degree is evaluated and verified to make sure degree requirements have been completed and the records of students whose academic standing has changed are reviewed and processed.  Additionally, we have new student registration for both summer sessions, which occurs on the Monday after graduation in May and during the first week of June.    

By the second week of June, we are in full planning mode for the summer advising conferences which run from the third week of June through the second week of July.  The summer advising conferences consist of twelve freshmen, three transfer, and two readmission conferences.  The summer advising conferences provide students the opportunity to meet faculty and staff, register for classes, get any questions answered about UK and college life, and start to learn their way around campus.  Freshmen attend two-day conferences while transfer and readmission students attend one day conferences.   On day one for freshmen, students are on main campus participating in various presentations and interest sessions.  Students receive information on residence life, housing, dining, parking, financial aid, student employment, Greek life, and much more.  On day two, students meet with representatives from their academic college for advising and registration.  During this time, advisors work closely with students to help them prepare a schedule of classes and ensure that they are taking the appropriate courses.  While the students are with the academic colleges, parents are participating in a parent program which highlights topics of interest for them.  After students complete the registration process, they meet back up with their parents for the conclusion of the conference.  Over the course of four weeks, we will work with approximately 400 new students!

Once the summer advising conferences are completed, we spend the next few weeks wrapping up the summer sessions, which includes processing more student records, and preparing for the fall semester.  We also begin work on creating the schedule of classes for the upcoming spring semester.  Our student traffic increases during this time as our new students have questions and concerns in addition to our returning students.   

So, as I mentioned previously, we have plenty to keep us busy over the summer which leaves very little time for eating bonbons…or at least eating them at work.

 Jamie Dunn is the Director of First-Year Success at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Advising Resource Center.  She is a UK graduate and coordinates the Agriculture Residential College in Baldwin Hall. 

Sweet Summertime

Once again the school year has come to an end for UK students. Finally, it’s summertime. Bags have been packed, dorm rooms cleaned out and the journey home completed. The next twelve weeks until the fall semester begins are to be relished upon, soaking up every last drop of freedom and sunshine for most students.

Then there are the recent graduates of our prestigious university. A portion is headed back to school in the fall to pursue masters and doctoral degrees, others are starting “big kid” jobs and some are still determining just what their future might hold. 

I fall into this last group, 2012 alumnus of the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Bachelors of Science degree in Agricultural Economics. In the days since I made the walk across the stage and received my diploma and a handshake from President Capilouto.  

COA ambassadors at Disney

I have been asked countless times “How does it feel to be a graduate?” And to that I answer this, it’s bittersweet. I have grown to love this place, but more importantly the people here. For the past week, I have been in denial that it would all end so soon, that my time here at UK was over. But then I remembered one very important thing- while the places and people surrounding me may change, the memories in my heart will always remain. I will always BLEED BLUE no matter where life may take me. 

Jennifer and her graduation gift- a metal chicken.

As I look back on my four years here, I can’t help but smile. They have been the best years of my life, filled with countless lessons, amazing friends, epic adventures and the best of times. The big blue nation has given so much to each and every one of us, students and alumni alike.   While each of us will be spending our summers’ differently, one thing will always remain the same: we will all BLEED BLUE!  

 

Jennifer is a 2012 graduate of the University of Kentucky, majoring in Agricultural Economics.  She is from Coatesville, Indiana.  Jennifer was a member of  UK Block and Bridle, Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow (STAT), Agriculture Student Council, and was COA Agricultural Ambassador for three years. Jennifer has accepted a full-time position with Dow AgroSciences.

The Value of an Agricultural Degree

There has been much discussion the past few days about the value and worth of a degree in agriculture.  A popular website ran a piece in its Education section detailing a listing of “useless college degrees.”  Many of our alumni, faculty, staff and students responded with their views on the true worth of a degree in agriculture.  We applaud the agriculture community for coming to the defense of the sector.

Agriculture careers make up one in four jobs in the United States.  As many know, the agriculture industry is as widely diverse as the people in this country.  Nearly every aspect of daily life has a connection to agriculture and it is one of the career tracks where there is always opportunity to adapt.  Reports  like the “Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Food, Renewable Energy, and the Environment, United States, 2010-2015” (http://www.ag.purdue.edu/usda/employment/pages/default.aspx), put out by the United States Department of Agriculture, paint a different picture than the article in question did yesterday.  At the UK College of Agriculture, 90 percent of our graduates reported they had a full time job, part-time job or were pursuing an advanced degree in the 2010-2011 exit survey.

The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture supports students going to college and earning their degree, whether that be in agriculture, human environmental sciences, or any program in the country.  There has never been a better time for students to step up to the challenges of an increasing world population, economic recovery, or simply to make a difference in their community than now.  Agriculture needs students who can rise to these challenges and commit to making a difference.  Colleges of agriculture around the country are the perfect places for young minds and young leaders to enroll and begin making the difference today.  The jobs are there, as are the opportunities. 

Dr. Scott Smith                                                          Jason Headrick

Dean                                                                          Director of Student Relations

University of Kentucky                                               University of Kentucky

College of Agriculture                                                College of Agriculture