CFAES STUDY ABROAD PROVIDES UNIQUE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES – Today, the world is more globalized and interconnected than ever before. For students, college administrators say, this means that no education is complete without a healthy dose of international experiences to help them explore and understand the culture, history, nature and business practices of other countries.
That’s what Dana Sorter experienced when she traveled to South Africa last summer as part of the Exotic Animal Behavior and Welfare Study abroad program sponsored by the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.
“I chose this program to round out my animal science education. CFAES does a great job of providing opportunities to learn about food and companion animals, but I still wanted to learn more about exotic species and thought this would be a good way to do so,” said Sorter, a native of Loveland, Ohio, who started veterinary school at Ohio State this fall. “Observing animals in their natural habitat in game reserves and national parks is something that you just can’t duplicate in a lecture or lab on campus.”
In addition to expanding her professional training, the South Africa program gave Sorter the opportunity to broaden her understanding of the world and gain valuable personal skills.
“Studying abroad can enrich anyone’s education by giving them a global perspective. It is truly an invaluable opportunity to experience the world from a different cultural perspective than your own,” she said. “I also think that being able to say that you visited another country during an educational program is great for your professional outlook because any employer would love to see that you are willing to try new things and take a step outside of your comfort zone.”
Sorter’s experience is exactly what the college strives to offer students, said Kelly Newlon, CFAES study abroad specialist.
“When our students participate in a study abroad program, they do much more than travel to another country,” Newlon said. “They gain access to opportunities for tangible academic achievement and to tools that are crucial for their professional development in today’s globalized economy. At the same time, studying abroad gives them an invaluable opportunity for personal growth.”
CFAES is already a leader at Ohio State in providing meaningful study abroad programs and in the number of students taking part in them. On average, more than 40 percent of CFAES students participate in study abroad programs, compared to the university’s overall rate of approximately 20 percent.
During the 2014-15 academic year, 219 CFAES students took part in 34 university-sponsored study abroad programs, traveling to a total of 26 countries. The college itself sponsored 12 of those programs during the past year, which were attended by both CFAES students and others from Ohio State.
SEPT. 3 CORN FIELD DAY TO FOCUS ON NEW TECHNOLOGY – With more growers looking to incorporate the use of technology in their fields to produce crops and increase yields, experts from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University will offer a free workshop that focuses on technology and allows growers to ask questions about its use in agriculture.
The Central Ohio Corn Field Day is Sept. 3 from 5-7 p.m. at Ohio Foundation Seeds, 11491 Foundation Road in Hartford, Ohio. The event will also offer farmers and crop consultants a chance to learn more about corn fertility and nitrogen placement, said Ted Wiseman, an Ohio State University Extension educator. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the college.
“With the extreme weather that we’ve had this season, for many farmers it’s been the year of the good, the bad and the really ugly,” Wiseman said. “So in this hands-on field day, farmers will be able to talk with OSU Extension educators about the challenges they’ve faced with this year’s growing season.”
OHIO STATE ATI EXPANDS INTO ONLINE EDUCATION, COLLEGE PARTNERSHIPS – The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI) is adding online teaching to its educational repertoire, beginning this autumn semester with a unique partnership with a northwest Ohio community college.
The two-year degree-granting institution of the university’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, Ohio State ATI is ranked No. 1 in the nation in the awarding of associate degrees in agriculture and related sciences.
Now, the institute is developing an online education program that seeks to expand Ohio State’s land-grant mission by engaging students where they are, beyond the traditional classroom and breaking down barriers between institutions.
“This is a way to expand the reach and mission of Ohio State ATI and the college, meeting the needs of students who are space and time bound, increasing enrollment off-site without the need to accommodate more students on campus and build new facilities, and addressing the needs of non-credit education through OSU Extension,” said Deana Namuth-Covert, who was hired last year as professor and director of online education and outreach for Ohio State ATI and the college.
