PIQUA — To meet the growing demand of the local agricultural industry, Edison State Community College is preparing to launch a new agribusiness program in the fall of 2016.
Students enrolled in the program will take courses in agribusiness, agricultural finance, international business, animal science, and agronomy, with internship and industry observations required for successful completion.
To provide students with hands-on education, courses relating to the major of the program will be held at the college’s Darke County campus in Greenville where agriculture is deeply rooted.
“All residents of this region are connected to agriculture in some way, and the overall goal of this program is to provide students with an option to gain knowledge in a field of study they have been so deeply connected to their entire lives,” said Chad Beanblossom, Dean of the Darke County campus at Edison State.
The program has made strides since talk began early last year. “We have conducted a feasibility study, analyzed the data, developed program outlines, and started individual course development,” said Beanblossom. “We are currently undergoing curriculum and program review from our internal committees, and the state approval process will be underway in the near future.”
The agribusiness program will prepare students to pursue various career opportunities and educational pathways upon completion.
“The program will provide students with skills they can take back to their family farms, knowledge to work directly in the agriculture industry, or prepare students for a career in one of the many agricultural related career fields,” added Beanblossom.
“It is exciting to work with Edison State to develop an agriculture major so close to home,” said Carmen Hartzell, Program Consultant and Ag Teacher/FFA Advisor at Mississinawa Valley–MVCTC. “Students in classrooms like mine will have the option to stay close to home and earn certificates, an associate degree or start the path to a bachelor’s degree in agriculture.”
For more information or to enroll, contact an advisor at the Darke County campus by calling 937-778-7890.
