October 2015

Dan's Observations

Welcome to our new and returning students

Student success is a top priority at the College of Agricultural Sciences. This year, we’re ushering in several new opportunities to expand our students’ learning experiences and increase their success toward graduation and into rewarding careers.

Learning happens every day for our students, from informal conversations with faculty to career-building experiences in the field. Recently completed renovations to our venerable Strand Agriculture Hall have added seismic strength to the building and created safe, new spaces for student interaction, with light, airy classrooms and informal gathering places with writable glass walls where small groups of students and faculty can come together to learn and share ideas.

In addition, OSU’s new Learning Innovation Center (LInC) is a showcase for new directions in teaching and learning, as we move beyond passive memorization to active thinking, ana­lyzing, critiquing, and creating. As part of the initial planning team for the LInC, I was able to visit some of the most advanced learning centers in the nation, and this new building at OSU represents the best ideas in successful student learning.

There are more than 500 gathering spaces in the LInC, accommodating groups as small as 3 or 4 in windowed nooks, or as many as 600 in an arena-style classroom where no student is more than 8 rows from the teacher. Classrooms of various designs fill the heart of each floor of the LInC, leaving passageways and study areas on the outside, where large windows offer natural light and leafy views.

As innovative as these learning spaces are, there’s sometimes no substitute for getting out to the real world. The College of Agricultural Sciences offers students the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and experience education through hands-on-practice in experiment stations, research greenhouses, and living laboratories across the state. We offer college credit for off-campus internships, service learning, and study abroad. Our goal is to offer experiential learning opportunities to all our students, to develop their communication, teamwork, and analytical skills that will help them succeed as leaders in their fields.

There will be jobs available to these successful students upon graduation. A recent study produced for the USDA concludes that during the next five years, there will be more jobs than college graduates in the fields of food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, and the environment. With programs as diverse as applied economics, molecular toxicology, and animal sciences, the College of Agricultural Sciences is prepared to help fill that national need with successful, engaged, career-ready graduates.

As we return to our newly renovated offices in Strand Agriculture Hall, we welcome everyone to get to know agricultural sciences. You’ll be surprised what you find here.

Sincerely,

Dan

Daniel J. Arp
Reub Long Professor and Dean
College of Agricultural Sciences
Director, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station

Recent News

OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences receives $49.4 million in research grants

The College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University received  $49.4 million in research grants during the 2014-15 fiscal year. More than 500 separate awards reflect the broad diversity of expertise across the College of Agricultural Sciences, its departments, centers, and research stations. Each contributes meaningful new knowledge toward improved human and environmental health and innovative support for industries in rural and urban Oregon.  The College of Agricultural Sciences serves Oregon, a state with remarkable diversity in agriculture, natural resources, ecosystems, and communities. With faculty stationed across the state and working around the world, the college is well positioned to address local and global challenges through the following areas of excellence: Sustainable food and agricultural systems; water quality, quantity, and marine resources; wnvironmental and human well-being; integrated systems biology, and natural resource stewardship. (Read more...)

Oregon State research reaches record, exceeds $308 million

Oregon State University research funding reached $308.9 million, its highest level ever, in the fiscal year that ended on June 30. A near doubling of revenues from licensing patented technologies and an 8.5 percent increase in competitive federal funding fueled OSU research on a range of projects including advanced ocean-going research vessels, the health impacts of pollution and sustainable materials for high-speed computing. (Read more...)

OSU poised to expand research, Extension

(Mateusz Perkowski, Capital Press) Oregon State University is poised to hire new agricultural research and Extension employees with a $14 million funding increase recently passed by the Oregon legislature.

The hike is part of broader higher education legislation, House Bill 5024, that won approval in the House and Senate by strong margins but still awaits Gov. Kate Brown’s signature.

Dan Arp, dean of OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences, said it’s premature to discuss the experiment station positions that would be filled due to the funding increase. However, the university does plan to hire field and laboratory technicians dedicated to pollinator research if HB 5024 becomes law, he said.  (Read more...)

OSU ranked third nationally in best places to study natural resources

Oregon State University is ranked third by College Factual in its ranking of “Best Places to Study Natural Resources and Conservation.”

OSU is the only Northwest school on the list. Virginia Tech is ranked No. 1 nationally, followed by the University of Florida at No. 2. Fellow Pacific-12 Conference institution University of California is ranked seventh, while nearby University of California-Davis is eighth. (Read more...)

Meet the Academic Programs Office team

Penny

I joined the Corvallis campus in September of 2010 after 15 years of working for OSU in the OSU Agriculture Program at EOU in La Grande, OR.  I became Assistant Dean of Academic Programs for the College of Agricultural Sciences in April of 2013. I have had a strong commitment to students and teaching and have served as advisor and mentor for many students and student clubs, and received several teaching awards.  My research program includes studies on biofuels, no-till/direct seed adoption and assessment of agribusiness student learning outcomes.

I was born in central Kansas but was raised in Colorado. I worked for the U.S. Forest Service and the Colorado Parks and Recreation Department after high school and during my early collegiate years. I studied at Colorado State University, receiving a B.S. in Outdoor Recreation Management and later a M.S. in Agricultural and Resource Economics.  My husband and I moved to Virginia to attend Virginia Tech, where I received my PhD in Agricultural Economics. (Read more...)

Nick

I grew up in the rural Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  After undergraduate studies in Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Michigan and the University of Melbourne, Australia, I served as a Math/Science teacher in the Peace Corps for four years in Cameroon and Tanzania.  After short stints back in Michigan and Alaska, I moved to Pendleton in Eastern Oregon working on economic and downtown development projects for the city.  I completed two masters at the University of Oregon in Public Administration and Community & Regional Planning, and also worked for International Affairs and the Sustainable Cities Initiative.  Then I served on the state commission for volunteerism for five years and chaired the state AmeriCorps program for two years.  For four years, I served as the Head Advisor for the International Degree at Oregon State University and am now the new Head Advisor for the College of Agricultural Sciences. (Read more...)

Paul

I was raised on both sides of the rural urban divide - born and spent my early years in Portland - then moved to Estacada, LaGrande, Cove, and finally graduated from high school in Baker City. I went to school at EOU to study business for a year and a half, then decided to move back to the Willamette Valley to work for four years before returning to WOU to complete a BA degree in the Humanities.  My first job after graduation was for Upward Bound serving as Activities Coordinator for a summer program at Pacific University. Then I worked for the Registrar’s Office at WOU for two years as Transcript Clerk.  In 2004, I got married, got accepted to a graduate program at OSU, and got a job at OSU serving as Student Services Coordinator in what was previously called the CAS Student Advancement Office.  In 2008, my daughter was born, I completed an Ed.M. in College Student Services Administration, and I became Director of Student Services for the retitled CAS Academic Programs Office. (Read more...)

Katie

Because my dad was in the Coast Guard, I grew up seeing and appreciating the beauty of the natural environment in many different parts of America (including Puerto Rico, California, and the Midwest). My background in international education (I’ve visited more than 14 countries and have also taught and conducted research abroad) has led me to understand the importance of connecting our educational institutions to the communities in which they’re located – this is something the College of Agricultural Sciences does so well! I received my BA in Psychology and German from Saint Mary’s College and my MA and PhD in Educational Policy and Leadership from The Ohio State University. Before coming to Corvallis in 2014, I was an assistant professor of education in Iowa, where I taught socio-cultural foundations of education and multicultural education. As a professor, I became passionate about experiential education, and implemented numerous opportunities, including short-term experiences in Puerto Rico and a grant-funded internship project for Burmese refugee youth in Des Moines. I moved to Oregon in August 2014 and have taken every opportunity to explore the agricultural and natural wonders of the state. In my free time, I enjoy hiking with my husband and two dogs. (Read more...)

How we do advising in CAS

Developing a Working Relationship with your Academic Advisor

Academic advisors within the College of Agricultural Sciences take on a myriad of roles.  While they are the main point of contact for students through their academic progress, advisors also serve as counselors, mentors, instructors, administrators and advocates.  According to a recent OSU survey of undergraduates, one of the strongest predictors of student retention and persistence is developing a strong relationship with an OSU faculty member. (Read more...)

Enhancing your education

There's a time for PowerPoints and pencils and then there's a time to apply the theories and processes you've worked hard to learn into a real-world application. In the College of Agricultural Sciences, you'll be asked to roll up your sleeves and experience your education through hands-on-practice in our research fields, greenhouses, and laboratories. Then you can take your education one step farther and participate in an internship program for college credit.

Our goal is to offer all students in the College of Agricultural Sciences experiential learning opportunities. Students here have the chance to gain on-the-ground skills in the form of internships, externships, service learning, research, study abroad and our new Leadership Academy. Whether they’re working internationally or at home, our students are developing the communication, analytical and teamwork skills that will make them the future leaders in their fields.

There are numerous ways to enhance your educational experience.  Experiential Learning as part of your curriculum in the College of Agricultural Sciences is just one of them.

Global Experience Fund

A fund has been established in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University to provide resources in support of students and faculty gaining global experiences related to food and agriculture. Hiram Larew, who earned a masters degree in botany and plant pathology and a doctorate in entomology at Oregon State University, said he seeks to increase international opportunities for students and faculty. To help encourage their interest and participation in global agriculture, Larew has committed to provide five years of funding for the College of Agricultural Sciences Global Experiences Fund.  (Read more about the Global Experience Fund)

Students who have traveled the world to have global experiences write about their adventures in blogs.  Read the stories in their own words.
2014 Sea Turtle Monitoring, Kyparissiakos Bay, Greece
2014 Sun Bear Research, Borneo blog
2014 Puerto Rico & Panama Adventure blog

Internships: Gaining Real-World Experience with Internships

While many students have heard that attending class and keeping up their grades is important for academic success, future employers are actually more interested in what students do outside the classroom to apply their knowledge. Internships, where students have direct experience in a work setting but are provided with mentoring, supervision, and a chance to reflect, is a resume builder most employers now look for. For a company, this experience tells them that a student has been able to take their academic knowledge and apply it to a real-world setting.. (Read more...)

Campus Involvement

Now that you’re here on campus, it might be tempting to stay in your dorm room catching up on the latest Netflix shows or studying in private. Often much of the learning on a college campus actually takes place outside of a formal classroom, which is why engaging in campus activities, whether through organizations or clubs, finding a job, or volunteering, can actually make your academic life more successful.  (Read more...)

Study Abroad:  Lincoln University, New Zealand

Samuel Field is currently in New Zealand at Lincoln University.  He observes, "New Zealand has renewed my perceptions on the world. I feel that I have escaped the comfort of routine norms, and have been offered many opportunities to indulge in new experiences, places, and people. American writer Henry David Thoreau once said, “Do not lose hold of your dreams or aspirations. For if you do, you may still exist but you have ceased to live." Well, it was once a dream of mine to come to New Zealand, and I cherish this opportunity. Being in New Zealand has given me time to assess my goals, and prepared me chase my ambitions for the future". (Read more...)

Student entrepreneurs create artisan foods and gain job skills

(By Gail Wells, Oregon's Agricultural Progress)  OSU’s food science students are an economic force unto themselves. Student entrepreneurs are designing and crafting artisan-style, commercial-quality meats, cheese, and beer in OSU’s labs and serving them up with a heaping helping of enthusiasm. In the process, they’re making themselves extremely employable.

(Photo by Karl Maasdam)

Student Brews Make World News
Students Lead the Whey
Students Bring Home the Bacon  (Read more...)

Career Development

Carolyn Killefer

Carolyn Killefer, Assistant Director at the Oregon State University Career Development Center, has been supporting our students and alumni in career readiness since starting at OSU in 2011.  She double-majored in Biology and Psychology in her undergraduate work and received a Master’s Degree in Counseling.  Her focus has been in student counseling and career development, education, program development, assessment, and promoting experiential learning opportunities.  Before joining OSU, her background included counseling and working in community and university settings in mental health treatment and prevention, often collaborating with schools, mental Health boards, hospitals, state and community agencies. (Read more...)

Preparing for Your Future

Some may ask, “So how will what I do on campus prepare me for a job?”  Certainly, studying and learning the material in class will help, but is there anything else I need to do?  Career development encompasses much of what you do on campus.  It is connecting with others, learning about them and what they do, what you have in common, and connecting with who they know.  It’s about joining a group, taking a leadership role on a project, you don’t have to be an officer. It’s about trying new experiences, learning more about what you are passionate about and finding new passions.  It’s a time to explore and learn more about yourself.  Sometimes this means exploring different types of classes to see what you enjoy learning about. (Read more...)

The Value of Soft Skills

Career development happens everywhere you go!  It’s the conversation with your advisor, it’s that conversation with your friend when you learn what their cousin does and you connect with her.  Career readiness combines what you learn in class (technical skills) with your soft skills that you learn everywhere.

So, what are soft skills and why are they important?  Soft skills or transferrable skills are skills that you take with you wherever you go.  They become a part of you and they are what employers are looking for.  NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) surveys employers every year.  Here are some of the skills/qualities employers look for that you may develop in and outside of class (NACE, Job Outlook 2015). (Read more...)

Agricultural Executive Council

Introduction to Ag Exec

The Agricultural Executive Council is the College of Agricultural Sciences student government, of which the majority of student clubs and organizations within CAS are members. The council is chosen by their peers and serves as a governing and promotional body for students and clubs within CAS. Ag Exec acts in cooperation with the College of Agricultural Sciences to advance public relations and improvements for the College. (Read more...)

Agricultural Executive Council

Student Clubs

Student clubs are a great way to make good friends, do fun activities, and hone your teamwork and leadership skills.

There are more than 30 clubs to choose from and you can choose more than one.  Take a look at the options and contact the club advisor to find out when and where they meet. 

(Read more...)

For Parents and Family

For Families

Our office is here to assist both students and families. We are always excited to meet families when visiting campus at any time during your student’s time at OSU. Once your student has enrolled in the College of Agricultural Sciences we want you to know that we are looking out for them but you will still play a critical role. There are a variety of excellent resources available for parents from both Oregon State University and other sources (see a few links below) that offer advice to parents of college students.  As the parent of a college student, I know that it is sometimes hard to know when and how much support to provide. Below are some suggestions how you can stay engaged.

You are Still Their Parent. You have done a great job parenting and helping your children get to this point in their life, and for that you should be applauded. This is not the time to withdraw from your child’s life but it is a time to take on a less prominent role and (Read more...)

Welcome to the OSU Parents & Family Website!

We are pleased to offer this website as one way of informing and involving you as partners in the education of your student. The OSU Parents & Family Website connects you to the departments and people that play an active role in the lives of our students. As a parent, guardian or family member of OSU student, you become an important part of the greater OSU community. We believe the more informed you are about OSU, the better resource you can be for your son, daughter, grandchild, spouse, loved one, etc.. Thank you for all that you do to support your students and helping us to carry on our mission of student success at Oregon State University. (Read more...)

Links for Parents and Family

There are a multitude of ways you can keep up with what is going on in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Oregon State University. 

Follow the links to these resources: 

• The Source - College of Agricultural Sciences eNewsletter
• College Calendar - College of Agricultural Sciences calendar
• Daily Barometer - daily newspaper
• OSU Today - daily updates for faculty and staff
• OSU Web cams - numerous sites have webcams
• OSU Foundation - Raising funds for Oregon State University
• OSU Alumni Association - Stay informed and involved after graduating
• OSU Athletics - Go Beavers!!
• OSU Bookstore - Where Beavers get their supplies and Beaver apparel
• Oregon's Agricultural Progress Magazine - The research magazine of the College of Agricultural Sciences
• Social and Multimedia Resources - Facebook, Blogs, YouTube

Subscribe to the Source

The Source is the quarterly paperless e-newsletter of the College of Agricultural Sciences. There is always a broad array of interesting stories about the work our students, faculty, staff and stakeholders are doing.  (Subscribe here...)

Multimedia Connections

Facebook Pages

• College of Agricultural Sciences 
• Agricultural Education and Agricultural Sciences
• Biological and Ecological Engineering
• Fisheries and Wildlife
• Food Science and Technology
• Horticulture
• OSU Extension