This article was originally published on the website of Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
August 29, 2014
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences is one of the largest and most interconnected colleges at one of the biggest universities in the U.S.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. CFAES offers students unique tools to build successful careers working in fields and tackling issues that are among the most recognized and meaningful in today’s world: affordable and safe food production, clean water, alternative energy, environmental restoration, disease prevention, health, and many more.
Despite its scope, CFAES also provides students the advantages of a small-college experience: small classes, many opportunities for interaction with faculty, substantial student support, meaningful undergraduate research, and diverse options for study abroad and service projects. Students also take part in valuable internships and have a high rate of job placement after graduation.
As the new academic year begins with classes that started Aug. 27 at Ohio State, here’s a sampling of what makes CFAES an outstanding place for college experience and career prospects:
- Find your fit: CFAES offers 22 majors and 31 minors in fields ranging from animal sciences to construction management and from turfgrass science to business.
- Two locations for your convenience: Take classes on the Columbus campus or on the Wooster campus of Ohio State’s Agricultural Technical Institute, which offers two-year technical degrees and the opportunity to transfer to Columbus.
- Go big by going small: The college’s student-to-faculty ratio is 10:1, which allows for small classes and more interaction with professors.
- Your professors know their stuff: The college’s faculty is comprised of national and international experts in their fields. And they know how to teach: 37 of them have received the university’s Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching.
- You will never be alone: CFAES has 40 student organizations, 15 academic teams, four fraternities and two sororities.
- Financials made simple: In-state tuition costs $10,037, but CFAES awards $1.96 million in scholarships every year.
- Job-ready: 92 percent of CFAES undergrads get a job after college, and their average starting salary is $41,356.
- Become a global citizen: More than 40 percent of CFAES students study abroad each year, and all eligible students receive grants to help pay for their programs. During the 2014-15 academic year, the college will offer 19 study abroad programs in 17 countries on six continents — with a first-ever trip to Antarctica slated for December 2015 as well.
This year, CFAES faculty and staff will teach and help shape a total of 2,464 undergraduate students taking classes on the Columbus campus, based on preliminary enrollment data as of Aug. 19. Of those, 138 are new first-year students, with most of them (111) coming from throughout Ohio.
Because knowledge, the job market and the world are constantly changing, CFAES is always looking for new qualified professors who can teach the most relevant courses for today and tomorrow. Examples of new faculty and courses this school year include:
- Monique Pairis-Garcia, Department of Animal Sciences, an expert on animal behavior and well-being.
- Carol Anelli, associate chair of the Department of Entomology, who will teach a new honors course called Scientific Literacy in Contemporary Society.
- Plant pathologists Francesca Peduto Hand and Jason Slot, who specialize in turf/ornamental crops and fungal evolutionary genomics, respectively.
- Agribusiness Project Experience, a course offered by the Department of Agricultural, Environment and Development Economics, in which students develop an innovative solution to a problem faced by a participating company.
- Equine Assisted Therapy, a new animal sciences course focused on the use of horses for human therapy.
For more information about CFAES academics and careers, go to http://cfaes.osu.edu/students.
Writer:
Mauricio Espinoza
espinoza.15@osu.edu
330-202-3550