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Agronomy degree sprouts in southern Minnesota

South Central College and Minnesota State University, Mankato, partner to offer new program in the MSUM School of Applied Ag.

Kevin Schulz, Editor

October 23, 2024

4 Min Read
Kaden Ernst (left) and Brian Larsen of Minnesota
NEW OPPORTUNITY: Kaden Ernst (left) and Brian Larsen are two of the first South Central College students to take advantage of the 2+2 program, which lets SCC students complete an agronomy degree through Minnesota State University, Mankato. Photos by Kevin Schulz

A collaboration between South Central College in North Mankato and Minnesota State University, Mankato, aims to keep the next generation studying agriculture in southern Minnesota.

In early October, the two institutions announced an agreement called 2+2 that will allow SCC students to take courses on the North Mankato campus for up to three years while working toward a bachelor’s degree to be completed at MSUM, in the newly formed School of Applied Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. It is unique in that it also provides for MSUM students to take courses at SCC.

That new development suits Kaden Ernst and Brian Larsen just fine, they say. Both are in their third year at SCC, and are two of the first students to take advantage of the 2+2 program. If not for this bachelor’s degree opportunity, their academic career may have been over, they say.

Ernst of Northfield, Minn., started growing sweet corn and pumpkins as a freshman in high school, and enrolled at SCC in fall 2022 for an agribusiness production degree. SCC offers Associates of Applied Science degrees and prior to the 2+2 program, Ernst and like-minded students would have to transfer to a college out of the area to complete an agronomy bachelor’s degree.

“About a year ago our teacher [T.J. Brown at SCC] came to a couple students and said that the 2+2 program was going to happen over at MSU,” Ernst says.

Kevin Schulz - Annette Parker, president of South Central College, and Edward Inch, president of Minnesota State University-Mankato sign an agreement

Though he would like to expand his sweet corn and pumpkin business — selling over 2,000 pumpkins and 6,000 dozen ears of sweet corn a year — Ernst also sees potential of working in industry, “being an agronomist or working somewhere in the ag field.”

Larsen stayed close to home in North Mankato, but his grandfather had a farm in the East Chain area that his father now runs. Admitting he came to SCC with limited ag knowledge, he knew enough about the industry that he wanted to find a home in it.

“I went the route of working with an industry partner, which revolves into the 2+2 program. Then, I’ll have that bachelor’s degree under my belt for my resume,” Larsen says.

He plans to work in industry, with an eye on acquiring a piece of land to call his own in the future — “which I know is really hard,” he says, “but I hope to work toward that.”

Rooted in southern Minnesota

Before the SCC-MSUM agronomy degree partnership, SCC students would have to transfer to another university, taking them outside of the southern Minnesota area. In state, an agronomy degree is achievable at the University of Minnesota campuses in St. Paul and Crookston, or a lot of southern Minnesota students are lured to South Dakota State University, University of Wisconsin-River Falls or Iowa State University.

Kevin Schulz - Signage acknowledging the newly formed School of Applied Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources

“I’m hopeful that this partnership will allow a graduate from SCC with an Associate of Applied Science in agribusiness to seamlessly transfer to the bachelor of applied science and agronomy at Minnesota State, Mankato,” says Amy Durand, SCC dean of agriculture.

Durand credits T.J Brown at SCC and Ryan Wersal at MSUM for a lot of the leg work over the past few years to get this partnership into reality.

Recognizing the strength of agriculture in southern Minnesota, Aaron Budge says this SCC-MSUM partnership works to support the industry.

“Our organizations need to evolve to meet the needs of the ag industry and the students,” says Budge, interim executive director of the School of Applied Ag at MSUM, “so we are taking a proactive approach by joining forces through our new strategic collaboration.”

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About the Author

Kevin Schulz

Editor, The Farmer

Kevin Schulz joined The Farmer as editor in January of 2023, after spending two years as senior staff writer for Dakota Farmer and Nebraska Farmer magazines. Prior to joining these two magazines, he spent six years in a similar capacity with National Hog Farmer. Prior to joining National Hog Farmer, Schulz spent a long career as the editor of The Land magazine, an agricultural-rural life publication based in Mankato, Minn.

During his tenure at The Land, the publication grew from covering 55 Minnesota counties to encompassing the entire state, as well as 30 counties in northern Iowa. Covering all facets of Minnesota and Iowa agriculture, Schulz was able to stay close to his roots as a southern Minnesota farm boy raised on a corn, soybean and hog finishing farm.

One particular area where he stayed close to his roots is working with the FFA organization.

Covering the FFA programs stayed near and dear to his heart, and he has been recognized for such coverage over the years. He has received the Minnesota FFA Communicator of the Year award, was honored with the Minnesota Honorary FFA Degree in 2014 and inducted into the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame in 2018.

Schulz attended South Dakota State University, majoring in agricultural journalism. He was also a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and now belongs to its alumni organization.

His family continues to live on a southern Minnesota farm near where he grew up. He and his wife, Carol, have raised two daughters: Kristi, a 2014 University of Minnesota graduate who is married to Eric Van Otterloo and teaches at Mankato (Minn.) East High School, and Haley, a 2018 graduate of University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She is married to John Peake and teaches in Hayward, Wis. 

When not covering the agriculture industry on behalf of The Farmer's readers, Schulz enjoys spending time traveling with family, making it a quest to reach all 50 states — 47 so far — and three countries. He also enjoys reading, music, photography, playing basketball, and enjoying nature and campfires with friends and family.

[email protected]

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