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

Money, money, money, money...You get the point: Working on Campus

Let’s face it; it’s not easy to pay for that college degree. As a Biosystems Engineering major, I don’t have time to have a job off campus. Between working with algae in the department, studying for my big calculus exam, or working on my physics lab report, it’s a difficult balancing act. Then you have advisor meetings, extracurricular activities, and some people even say they have a social life in college. So if you’re too busy to go off campus searching for a job, where can you find the money to finance your degree?

No one enjoys those calls home asking for money from parents. Luckily, the University of Kentucky has a wealth of jobs available for students just like you. Whether it is working in the Dean’s Office, being a campus tour guide, or serving food at one of the residential dining facilities, there’s a job that fits you on campus. To make it even better: UK understands that you’re here for an education and is willing to work around your schedule, not vice versa. They understand that you have tests, homework, and projects that require a lot of time. Many of them will even allow you to study while you’re working. All you have to do is go online and apply for the right one.

I found my campus job right in my residence hall. In January 2011, I was hired as a Resident Advisor (RA) in Kirwan Tower. Being an RA is a great job. You get to host programs to get residents involved on campus, get to know some very interesting people, and you get free room and board on top of paid desk hours. And as an added bonus, you’ll get to know UKPD on a first name basis!

I’ll admit some nights are much crazier than others. Take, for example, my last night on call. Below are the highlights:
6:15pm: Call UKPD
6:30pm: Entertain the girl in the unicorn costume
7:30pm: Fire alarm
9:15pm:  Host a voter registration program
10:00pm: A resident complains of loud noises on the 23rd floor
10:15pm: Break up large “gathering” on 23rd floor
11:25pm: Our friends at UKPD come back
2:00am: Woken up by a resident to discuss differential calculus
        Again, not every night is this wild. There are always perks/curses to any job. For more information about student jobs on campus go to UK Jobs. Applications for Spring 2012 positions are already being accepted and applications for Fall 2012 go live soon!

-Zeb, Biosystems Engineering