Agronomy

Agronomy

The Agronomy New Student Learning Community was established in 1998, providing both freshman and off-campus transfer students in Agronomy an easy assimilation into the Department and the University, which will increase retention and student satisfaction. We seek to improve academic achievement and enhance career understanding by increasing the relevance of course work and improving professional skills. We hope to increase collaborative interactions among students, faculty, and staff. Activities include a two-day field trip before classes start in the fall, which allows the new freshmen to meet one another and to meet practicing agronomists. Many students have commented that the field trip helped them further clarify their career goals and made the transition to Iowa State much easier. An afternoon field trip is organized for the new transfer students, allowing them to have an opportunity to interact with one another outside the classroom and to introduce them to research faculty in the Department. We also meet weekly to continue to discuss information that would improve the students’ learning and career goals. We have established a successful link with English 1500 and English 2500. The topics in the classes center around agronomic issues, i.e. food production and water. During the semester the peer mentors provide social activities and organize a service project.

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Students enroll during summer orientation.