Agricultural education to help grow Indiana's agribusiness industry now is offered at college campuses across the state, thanks to an agreement among Ivy Tech Community College, Vincennes University, Purdue Agriculture and Purdue Extension.

Ivy Tech is offering associate's degrees in business administration with an agribusiness concentration, starting at some locations this fall. Graduates could pursue jobs in agriculture-related fields in the areas of sales and manufacturing.

"This partnership will help provide access to agricultural education in areas of the state that may need additional learning opportunities," says Dale Whittaker, associate dean and director of academic programs for Purdue Agriculture.

"By partnering with Ivy Tech and Vincennes, we've found a way to supply the agricultural industry with additional resources and help keep some of our youth in Indiana who might otherwise pursue similar programs out of state."

The content for the agricultural courses at Ivy Tech will be designed in consultation with Purdue faculty and will be taught by approved instructors accredited in those fields. College credit for approved agriculture courses also will transfer to Purdue for students who decide to pursue additional studies. Ivy Tech worked with an advisory board and sought advice from Purdue Agriculture to help develop its program.

"Purdue is the leader in agriculture in our state, and this partnership can only benefit all of us," says Mary Ostrye, dean of academic affairs at Ivy Tech in Lafayette.

"We plan to bring some students into the system to study agriculture who may not be ready for a university setting. We want to get them excited about education and hope that many of our students will eventually go on to Purdue to earn bachelor's degrees."

In addition to the agribusiness degree, Ivy Tech also plans to develop a more technically focused agriculture degree program that would include curriculum in animal, crop and horticultural production.

"In investigating the need for these programs, we talked to many people in the industry who mentioned the desire to see instruction offered that would prepare individuals to work in agricultural production jobs, with some basic knowledge of animal care and pesticide application, for example," Ostrye says.

Vincennes has a long-standing partnership in agriculture education with Purdue Agriculture through the VU/Purdue Cooperative Agriculture Transfer Program, celebrating its 50th anniversary. The VU agriculture major will transfer into more than 40 Purdue majors. Purdue maintains a faculty member on site at VU for program coordination, student advising and teaching. In addition, VU offers associate's of science programs in agribusiness, horticulture technology and John Deere equipment service.

Under the new agreement, VU plans to expand agricultural opportunities for students in the areas of biochemistry, biotechnology and agricultural engineering, as well as develop new dual-credit programs with high schools.

Purdue Extension, which has offices in all 92 Indiana counties, will provide support for the new academic programs. "We will help identify instructors in some areas and may contribute program ideas that enhance the educational offerings," says David Petritz, associate dean and director of Purdue Extension.

Purdue Agriculture consists of the College of Agriculture, Purdue Extension, Agricultural Research Programs and state services, such as the Office of the Indiana State Chemist and the Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory.

Ivy Tech is the state's second-largest public post-secondary institution, with 23 campuses throughout Indiana and more than 73,000 students enrolled in the 2006 spring semester.

VU is a public, comprehensive community college that provides associate's degrees and certificate programs in academic and occupational majors that lead to transfer to four-year universities or to entry into the workforce. In addition, in 2004 VU was authorized to offer selected baccalaureate programs.

Contact Whittaker at dwhittak@purdue.edu