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Chad
Beanblossom
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Edison State Community College
Edison to
Launch Agribusiness Program in Darke County
To meet the growing demand of the local agricultural industry in Darke
County, Edison State Community College is preparing to launch a new
agribusiness program in the fall of 2016.
Students enrolled in the program will take courses in agribusiness,
agricultural finance, international business, animal science, and
agronomy, with internship and industry observations required for
successful completion.
The program has made strides since talk began early last year. “We have
conducted a feasibility study, analyzed the data, developed program
outlines, and started individual course development,” said Chad
Beanblossom, Dean of the Darke County campus at Edison State. “We are
currently undergoing curriculum and program review from our internal
committees, and the state approval process will be underway in the near
future.”
The program will reside at the college’s Darke County campus while also
serving residents of Miami, Shelby, and surrounding counties. “All
residents of this region are connected to agriculture in some way, and
the overall goal of this program is to provide students with an option
to gain knowledge in a field of study they have been so deeply
connected to their entire lives,” added Beanblossom.
The Agribusiness program will prepare students to pursue various career
opportunities upon completion. “The program will provide students with
skills they can take back to their family farms, knowledge to work
directly in the agriculture industry, or prepare students for a career
in one of the many agricultural related career fields.”
“It is exciting to work with Edison State to develop an agriculture
major so close to home,” said Carmen Hartzell, Program Consultant and
Ag Teacher/FFA Advisor at Mississinawa Valley–MVCTC. “Students in
classrooms like mine will have the option to stay close to home and
earn certificates, an associate degree or start the path to a
bachelor’s degree in agriculture.”
Darke County Commissioner Diane Delaplane supports the initiative.
“Agriculture in various forms affects many businesses in Darke County
and Ohio. I am pleased and applaud Edison State Community College,
Darke County Campus, for being active in offering agriculture programs
for our citizens. We advocate to live, educate, work and socialize
right here in our own great Darke County, the bright spot in Ohio.”
“I wish to thank President Doreen Larson and Chad Beanblossom for
recognizing the importance of agriculture in Darke County,” added
Commissioner Delaplane.
“The number one industry in Darke County is Agriculture,” added Darke
County Commissioner Mike Rhoades. “We need to support all agriculture
in every fashion. If it wasn’t for hard working farmers, we wouldn’t
have the luxury of eating high quality and plentiful amounts of foods.”
For more information or to enroll, contact an advisor at the Darke
County Campus by calling 937-778-7890.
Now in its fifth decade of service, Edison State Community College is
committed to providing higher education and advanced training
opportunities for the people of the greater Miami Valley. Edison State
is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is recognized with
the highest order attainable by the Ohio Board of Regents. With
campuses in Piqua and Greenville, Edison State provides a Personal
Experience and Rewarding Education. Visit us online at
www.edisonohio.edu.
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