Fun, familiarity and a little formality greeted new agriculture and horticulture students at Northeast Community College during the annual Ag Orientation Day on Sunday, August 17.
The sixth annual event took place at the Chuck Pohlman Ag Complex.
The fun -- A “Meet the Faculty Gameshow” in which students answered serious and trivial questions about faculty to help them get to know the faculty and put names with the faces.
Familiarity – Small group break-out sessions took place, each lasting 12 minutes. The topics included career services, advising and academic support services available, students representing Northeast in the community, internships and co-ops and the ag career fair, work study, advocating for students and leadership. Students rotated until they completed all the sessions, with some sophomores attending to help provide insight to new students.
Formality -- President Leah Barrett and several administrators gave brief remarks, welcoming students and helping them to learn about their roles and to make students feel more comfortable interacting with them if they need them.
A total of 125 packets were distributed to students at the event, but the incoming class is closer to 140 students.
“This would be one of the larger, incoming ag classes we’ve had in quite a few years,” said Jill Heemstra, director of the Northeast Ag Program. “It’s been really great.”
During many of the breakout sessions, students learned about the importance of agriculture and the demand for various majors. The sessions included topics beyond the ag pieces, including academics and leadership in the community.
Students were offered opportunities to get to know more about their intended majors to make sure they have a clear understanding of what their major has to offer them.
Among the majors discussed with instructors were agronomy, agribusiness, animal science, precision agriculture, diversified agriculture, mechanized agriculture, urban agriculture, ag transfer, natural resources and horticulture and golf course management.
“We do catch students who thought their major meant one thing and it meant something else, so we can get them switched on the right pathway,” Heemstra said.
The U.S. Department of Education studied first-time associate's and bachelor's degree students. It was found that within three years of initial enrollment, about 30 percent of undergraduates in associate's and bachelor's degree programs who had declared a major had changed their major at least once. Additionally, about one-third of students enrolled in bachelor's degree programs changed majors, compared with 28 percent of those enrolled in associate's degree programs.
“We want students to be more familiar with everyone and see they are not scary people. They are people who are invested in their success. They are resources for them. Then, we also try to show them the support services that are available. The more students learn about it, the more likely they are to reach out,” Heemstra said.
Another topic was the Northeast working farm, and students learned about how they can take part with the daily chores and seasonal operations.
“This is a good group,” Heemstra said. “They showed up. They asked questions. I’m just really excited to see where this group goes.”
Ag Orientation
Tee Bush, who holds a doctorate degree in Education Studies and instructs students in agriculture and horticulture, helps students to get into the right places before the Agriculture Freshman Class photo is taken on Sunday, Aug. 17, at the Chuck Pohlman Ag Complex. (Northeast Community College)
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