CBC’s Agricultural Program Wins Top Award From the National Association of Agricultural Educators
Posted Date: August 26, 2020
CBC
By: Jay Frank
“There are a lot of colleges that offer ag, but most don’t offer the space and the experiences we do,” says Sandya Kesoju, Director for Agriculture Education, Research & Development at CBC. Kesoju believes the NAAE evaluators recognized the depth of the program’s degree options, its eight-acre research farm and internship model, and the program’s engagement with the community. Outside of the classroom, students gain hands-on experience in the greenhouse and at the farm. Also, a new Career Launch Endorsement and Equipment grant exposes students to the latest equipment and ag technology.
CBC’s Agricultural Program offers five degree options, including a Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management with a concentration in Agriculture. All ag students are eligible to apply for CBC Foundation scholarships. Many student choose to pursue a Direct Transfer Agreement, which allows them to complete two years of study and then transfer as juniors into the ag programs at Washington State four-year colleges.
Kesoju encourages more students to consider the benefits and career opportunities available with an agriculture degree. “The Mid-Columbia Basin is highly dominated by agriculture,” she says. “Industry keeps calling me looking for student to hire. It’s more than picking apples. There is STEM involved in ag. It’s about using your knowledge to make local industry more productive.”
For more information about CBC’s Agriculture Program, call 509-542-4873, or email schoolofmseFREECOLUMBIA_BASIN.
About the NAAE: The National Association of Agricultural Educators is a federation of state agricultural educators associations with more than 9,000 members. (More info at www.naae.org).
