ATNR 2019-2020 Newsletter FINAL

Agriculture, Technology and Natural Resources

PROGRAM UPDATE In This Issue

» Virtual Campus » ATNR Mobile Classroom

» Classroom Activities » Fall 2019 Job Fair » Ag Club Events » Conferences » Outstanding Students » BSC Mission Update » Fall 2020 Registration » Awards & Grants » BSC Leadership

2019 - 2020

Virtual Campus

On March 26th, BSC began a virtual campus in response to the COVID-19 epidemic. The agriculture faculty was able to gather classroom materials and format them for distance learning. Most courses continued by posting recorded lectures and follow up with online discussion boards and assignments. Some instructors still held “face to face” lectures using Blackboard Collaborate, a virtual classroom conferencing tool.

Our students concluded the 12-week condensed Spring semester on April 10th. They are now out in the field working at their internship, which for most begins April 13th. This season there are over 20 students enrolled in the Agronomy, Industry and Technology (AIT) internship program. Many are working with our Agronomy Incentive Partner locations; United Agronomy, Dakota Frontier Coop, Dakota Agronomy Partners and Wilbur-Ellis.

ATNR Mobile Classroom

The ATNR Mobile classroom is now completed and ready to go.

This trailer includes a stainless-steel lab with applications for soils, plants and precision ag. The trailer will be use to travel across ND visiting high school students to bring awareness to careers in agriculture. If you are interested in having the trailer at your school or your agriculture event call Marko Davinic at 224-5409.

Thank you to our Agronomy Incentive Partner locations; United Agronomy, Dakota Frontier Coop, Dakota Agronomy Partners and WilburEllis, for providing the funds to create this mobile classroom!

Classroom Activities Innovative Learning The central core of agriculture education at Bismarck State College (BSC) is face to face interaction which may involve simulation of real-world tasks, visiting production operations, project-based learning, or industry professionals sharing expertise within the classroom.

This type of learning is essential for success of students in industry and on production operations. It challenges students to be creative problem solvers and effective communicators.

The goal of this design is to allow for more individual instruction when and where students need it. We all have varied agricultural background and experiences, why not allow us to use them within the classroom in areas we have already mastered and seek individual help in areas we have not mastered or find particularly difficult?

Face to face interaction will remain at the core of instruction at BSC, however, in an ever-changing educational landscape the BSC faculty are implementing new methods of classroom delivery.

In the fall of 2019, the introductory ag math course at BSC took the first steps to tailor instruction to individual student experiences. Students utilized a hybrid classroom with online introduction and initial practice of course material followed by face-to-face instruction to practice material and collaborate with other students in mastery of course material. This course required students to manage time and self-direct work on course material before coming to an open format classroom session where students directed the topic of the day based on what they had learned outside of class. For example, students may watch videos on how to calculate amount of applied fertilizer from a soil test. They would then practice this concept on their own and identify areas of difficulty or create questions they had on the topic. The next week during an open format class they would bring questions to ask the instructor or to work on with groups.

questions to ask the instructor or to work on with groups.

* eduspire.org/technology-blog-for-teachers/blended-hybrid-flipped-learning/

The goal of the course is students can complete units at their pace and finish the course on their own time.

Projects in the agriculture profession and on the farm require these types of organizational techniques and allocation of limited time. Why not allow students learning experiences which require them to learn these same skills when appropriate? One student may finish the course in four weeks putting in many hours, one may take the whole 16 using suggested course deadlines.

Each accomplish the goal of the course using different approaches.

Precision Agriculture Ever Changing “The only constant in life is change”-Heraclitus. This accurately describes the world of Precision Ag and it’s hard to keep up! The students are exposed to many software/data platforms including Climate/Fieldview, Farmer’s Edge, My John Deere, Field X, Satshot, SMS Advanced, Trimble/Farmer Pro and Ag Data Mapping Solutions (ADMS). In some cases, industry experts come to class and showcase their platforms, in other cases we spend quite a lot of time learning the software.

By the end of their time at BSC, students should at least have an awareness of what the platforms can and can’t do and should be able to stumble their way through most of them. We work quite a bit more with SMS in the first software class and then ADMS in their sophomore project-based classes.

*www.agriexpo.online/prod/ag-leader/product-168215-14041.html

Precision Agriculture Ever Changing Continued ...

The sophomores are fortunate to be able to work with mentor farmers who share data on one of their fields.

The students will then analyze the data and put together management zones for the farmers. During this process, student learn about the farmer’s precision technology, clean yield data & extract satellite images, with a “management zone” map as a final product.

The program is also fortunate enough to have a John Deere Gator, with a 4600 monitor, autosteer and an ATV mounted Soil Probe. Like all the ag industry, it was too darn wet this fall to even try it out! We also have a Kabota with several monitors (Trimble 2050, FM 750 and EZguide 250). It’s also equipped with an EZsteer 500 for autoguidance. The “sprayer clinic” will be a nice addition to our program as well.

Fall 2019 Job Fair

Freshmen Seminar Prepares Students Bismarck State College Career Services and Job Service North Dakota hosted the Fall River Cities Job and Internship Fair Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019 at the BSC National Energy Center of Excellence.

The job fair offered career and networking opportunities for all job seekers including BSC agriculture students and graduates, military service members, veterans and the general public.

More than 90 area and regional businesses in such fields as agriculture, banking, engineering, health, energy, construction, service industry, technology, office support, nursing, human services, law enforcement, retail/sales, food processing, transportation, government, light manufacturing, and more.

Over 60 agriculture students participated in the fair. In weeks prior to the event, students studied career planning and prepared themselves in AGRI191 Freshman Seminar. One of the most important preparation activities was to create an “elevator speech” about themselves. If you were riding in an elevator with a manager from a company you really wanted to work for, what would you say about yourself? How would you convince that person you were right for the job in 30 seconds or less? This activity helped students identify their strengths and career goals. It also helped increase student confidence when approaching the businesses.

“The job fair was a very good learning opportunity. I learned a great deal of things that benefits my future as a farmer and a businessman in making a choice of what my career will be and who it will be with.”

The time spent preparing made for a successful experience. Students and industry representatives had many good things to say. Below are a few student responses

“It was interesting to see all the opportunities available in agronomy.”

“I had a great time going to the job fair and making connections with leaders that have succeeded and are trying to help the younger generation get their foot in the door.”

BSC Ag Club The BSC Ag Club is a very active club both on and off campus. The Ag Club has over 30 members that include students from many degree plans, not just agriculture. The club hosts many activities that focus on student comradery and activities that promote agriculture. Here are photos from some events: * BSC Ag Club Cornhole Tournament

* BSC Ag Club Halloween Dance

* BSC Ag Club Christmas Party

* BSC Finals Week Breakfast Cookout

* BSC Ag Club Bowling Night

BSC Ag Club Field Trip Twenty-nine BSC Ag students and three faculty members, traveled to Billings, MT to visit Midland Bull Test Facility, Genex Co., and CHS refinery. Midland Bull Test Facility visit demonstrated one of the most advance bull testing equipment in the country, as wells as examples of their data collection and evaluation processes. The owner/ manager of the facility (Steve McDonnells) has agronomy and farm/ranching university degree and his story of how he used the knowledge acquired at university to improve his bull testing company helped students visualize the benefits of post-secondary education.

In addition to Midland Bull Test, students had an opportunity to visit Genex Co. in Billings, as this company is one of the best-known providers of world-class cattle genetics and reproductive services in Montana/Dakotas region. Another “company” stop included a stop at the CHS refinery in Billings, where students had an opportunity to interact with industry officials and learn of various oil refined products this facility is creating. Students also had an opportunity to visit historical sites of Montana and as trip visited Western Heritage Museum and Pictorial Caves, both near Billings.

The BSC Ag Club “Billings trip” was enlightening and stimulating as students had an opportunity to acquire valuable educational information and to socialize and spend time together.

This educational trip was made possible thanks to Cenex/CHS administrational assistance and contribution from Postsecondary Students in Agriculture Grant and their Star Partners program that generously supports BSC Ag Club student events.

Conference Farming for Bottom Line Conference Along with the USDA Northern Great Plains Research facility, BSC Ag Department and BSC Ag Club hosted 5th annual Farming and Ranching for the Bottom-Line conference. Titled “Discover the Triple Bottom Line: Economics, Ecology, and Sociology” this conference took place at NECE building on February 25th and 26th, 2020. This, two day, annual meeting hosted close to 500 students, research scientists, industry professionals and farmers in two days. Keynote presentations by Dr. Fred Provenza, Professor Emeritus of Behavioral Ecology at Utah State University and author included “Mending Broken Linkages: Soil, Plants, Herbivores, & Humans” and “Let Feed and Food Be Our Medicine”. The BSC Ag Club students assisted with conference setup and introduced all of the speakers at this event.

* Aiden Eriksmoen (Farm and Ranch)

* Emily Alt (Farm and Ranch)

* Dr. Fred Provenza

BSC Ag Club Poster Showcase The 2nd annual BSC Ag Club “Ag Poster Showcase” took place during the “Farming and Ranching for the Bottom Line” conference at the BSC NECE building. The BSC Ag Club “Ag Poster Showcase” featured Ag related poster presentations and student works by Dickinson State University, United Tribes Technical College and Bismarck State College undergraduate students. Student presenters also had to present their posters to a group of judges (made up of NRCS research scientists and NDSU extension service scientists). Judges graded posters based on the poster appearance and information, as well as based on material delivery by student presenter. All presenters received a special BSC gift bag from the BSC Ag Club. * Emilee Johnson (Agronomy, Farm and Ranch)

Past Conferences

Conferences Attended by Students • September 12th, 2019 at the Manning Ranch location of the Dickinson Research Extension Center “Soil Health Workshop” • October 9th, 2019 Soil and Water Conservation Society ND Chapter Conference titled “Forage Quality/ Management & Nutrition for Cattle Needs”.

• October 22nd, 2019 Salted Lands Conference titled “Stakeholders Perspective and Remediation Technology” • February 18, 2020 Ag Data Management Solutions Training • February 25th & 26th, 2020 Farming and Ranching for the Bottom Line titled “Discover the Triple Bottom Line: Economics, Ecology and Sociology”

Menoken Farm & Garden Tour “Composting and Gardening: Just do it!”

The Menoken Farm & Garden Tour took place on July 11th, 2019. This event was sponsored by Burleigh County Soil Conservation District; Morton County Soil Conservation District; and North Dakota Natural Resources Conservation Service to educate farmers and local community on various agricultural practices that promote healthy soil and healthy crops. BSC Ag Department had a booth at this event to represent our program, and Dr. Davinic presented various tests that BSC students employ when examining soil biology and overall soil health.

Farmland to Fine Dining On August 4, 2019 the BSC Ag Department participated at the Farmland to Fine Dining event at the Kenny Miller Farm. This event allowed local Bismarck community to catch a glimpse of where the food comes from. Visitors enjoyed an exquisite meal prepared by a chef using local ingredients served outdoors at a farm. At this event BSC Ag Department had a booth that featured various soil tests that are employed by our BSC students to evaluate soil health.

Emmons County Career and College Fair The BSC Ag Department had a booth at the Emmons County Career and College Fair that was held at HMB on Friday Nov. 1st from 9:30-11am. This event hosted Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock Public School District, Linton Public Schools and Strasburg Public Schools students and connected them with higher ed institutions and companies from across the ND.

Precision Agriculture Summit The 9th Annual Precision Agriculture Summit was held in Jamestown, ND on January 20-21st, 2020. The event is hosted by the North Dakota Farmers Union and Praxis Strategy Group. Carmel Miller serves on the planning committee for this event and also hosts a precision agriculture educational booth. Kenan Layden was included in the events agenda serving on a panel titled “Educating the Next Generation of Precision Agriculturists”.

KFYR Agri International The 43rd annual KFYR Agri International was held at the Bismarck Civic Center on Feb. 11th and 12th. BSC Department of Agriculture had a booth at this event that promoted our program. At the same event BSC Ag students in the sales class had an opportunity to sell their merchandise. This conference was free to the public and included various ag related educational seminars that were held in the Exhibit Hall at the Bismarck Event Center.

Outstanding Students Outstanding Student Awards are given to the students selected by faculty in each of BSC’s programs and departments.

These outstanding students receive a certificate and $100 cash award from the BSC Foundation. Faculty in the agriculture program base their selections on the student’s positive classroom interaction, campus involvement and grade point average. The selected Outstanding Students from the agriculture program areas are Devin Wert and Aidan Eriksmoen.

Devin Wert Hometown: New England, ND BSC Program: Agriculture, Industry and Technology (AIT) Family Background: Devin is a 6th generation farmer. Both of his parents, Jon and Sheri, __ _grew up on a farm. Devin, his parents and younger sister, grow wheat, canola and corn Favorite subject area: Soil science Extracurricular activity/community involvement: Ag Club member Future plans: Farm with my family and one day take over the operation

Aidan Eriksmoen Program area: Farm and Ranch Management Agribusiness Hometown: Crosby, ND Family Background: Aidan is the second of four children in his family. His parents and siblings _have a family farm and are very active in the community Favorite subject area: Soil science Extracurricular activity/community involvement: Ag Club member and volunteering in his __ _hometown Future plans: Working for Reisch Farms, Howard SD.

BSC Ag Student Cobe Begger The students that participate in the ATNR program are often involved in other sports and activities on campus. This year, we highlight Cobe Begger. He came to us from Wibauw, Montana and enrolled in the BSC Farm and Ranch program.

He was also recruited as a Forward for the BSC Men’s Basketball Team. When asked about his plans for the future, he said he might possibly transfer to a 4-year college and then plans on working on the family farm and ranch.

Fall 2020 Registration July 14 & 15, 2020 For up to date registration information during these uncertain times, visit our website:

bismarckstate.edu

BSC Mission Update BSC Polytechnic

In September of 2018, the State Board of Higher Education, voted to allow BSC to expand it’s mission to a become a 4-Year Polytechnic. Carmel serves on a the “Curriculum” subcommittee of the Polytechnic Committee. The committee is working through changes to policy and procedures, branding, program approval and all else that will need to be reviewed in the process of this change.

You may ask what’s the difference between a Polytechnic and traditional 4-Year college? Faculty and staff asked that very question. BSC will offer Bachelor of Applied Science, rather than Bachelor of Science degrees. The curriculum is different in that it’s all “applied” to industry skills, even the general education classes should be more “applied” to real world circumstances. The curriculum will likely require an experiential learning component, such as an internship. Details are currently being worked out in many of these areas.

Currently, BSC offers a BAS in Energy Management and in Cybersecurity. A few more degrees are in the planning stages.

Will there be an “agriculture” degree? I guess that’s up to our stakeholders!

Awards Heim Receives Jack Fellowship Award The BSC Jack Fellowship Program has been established to fund sabbatical leave for a Bismarck State College employee to engage in an educational experience that ultimately benefits BSC and the students it serves. Each Fellowship will be a monetary award of up to $25,000 to be used to enhance the recipient’s professional performance.

Chuckie Heim has been selected to receive the Jack Fellowship award for 2020, she will use the funds to complete a master’s degree. Heim has been teaching in the ATNR program for five years. The courses she teaches are animal science courses, leadership and sales.

Congratulations Chuckie!

Awards

ATNR Program Receives Service Award Last October Bismarck State College hosted Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Conference titled Forage Quality/Management & Nutrition for Cattle Needs. Conference hosted a plethora of exciting speakers including Chip Polland from Dickinson State University, Kansas native Dale Strickler and Jeff Hall from Utah. At the conference Bismarck State College department

of Agriculture, Technology and Natural Resources has received a SWCS Chapter Service Award for promoting soil and water conservation agenda across the Dakotas and supporting SWCS ND chapter events.

Grants USDA Agriculture Workforce Enhancement Grant The ATNR department applied for a USDA Agriculture Workforce Enhancement Grant in August and have recently been recommended for funding! Funding is currently pending an initiation process in which we were asked to clarify some of their concerns. At the moment, we are waiting to see if they accept our clarification.

The grant is to develop a certificate of completion program for a Custom Applicator program. This will be a fall semester, approximately eight credit online program, which culminates in an intensive, hands on sprayer clinic.

If the grant is funded, we will develop the curriculum this spring, summer and fall. We will offer the new program in fall of 2021. Next fall (2020), we hope to have a “trial” run at the sprayer school with students in our traditional programs.

We hope that the sprayer school might eventually be opened to the agriculture community and be self-sustaining financially.

Active Learning Center Grant For some time now, the ATNR faculty has been interested in updating classroom layouts. The current use of heavy tables and chairs does not make it easy to implement active group learning activities. Recently, Steelcase Education launched its sixth cycle of the Active Learning Center Grant. Steelcase Education seeks to partner with educators to create the most effective, rewarding and inspiring active learning environments to meet the evolving needs of students and teachers. The grant provides three custom classroom layouts (one pictured above) to choose from. Steelcase will then create this space in one classroom as well as train the instructors on how to effectively use the new space and technology.

To apply for the grant, the faculty were to submit three research project proposals in the area of Engaged Learning Experiences. These research projects would be carried out in the new classroom layout to show its impact on active learning. The specific areas that will be measured are student participation, student motivation and teacher behavior.

Our main task this spring will be to talk to agriculture industry people to determine which skillsets should be taught. The April/May time frame isn’t ideal to bring together a focus group, so we likely look at other alternatives.

Funding from this grant is still pending. If we are not awarded with this grant, we will pursue other funding to help support the active learning classroom.

BSC Leadership Changes Dean of CTE Announced

a laboratory at Sanford Health. There she participated in the Sanford Go Global project where she traveled to Ghana, Africa to standardize laboratory practices in over 28 locations spread across Ghana.

New BSC President Chosen

Mari Volk has been selected to succeed Carla Hixson as the next Current & Emerging Technologies Division Dean with appointment beginning July 1, 2020. The Dean of Current & Emerging Technologies oversees the following departments: Agriculture, Electronics, & Graphic Design; Health Sciences; Computer & Office Technology; Transportation and Construction Ms. Volk has been serving in both faculty and leadership roles in the BSC Health Sciences Department. During this time she has been a strong advocate for all BSC programs. Prior to her time here at BSC, Mari managed

Bismarck State College launched a search for the next president of BSC in the spring of 2020. The new president, Douglas Jensen, succeeds Larry C. Skogen who will retire June 30, 2020, and will lead BSC forward in its new mission as North Dakota’s first polytechnic institution. Dr. Marko Davinic, assistant professor of agriculture, technology and natural resources at the BSC, as a member of presidential search committee, has contributed to election of the new president.

For more information, contact one of our ATNR advisors.

LINDSEY NOVAK

Agriculture, Industry and Technology 224-2628

TYLER SCHAU

Agribusiness and Farm and Ranch 224-2542

bismarckstate.edu CRT-009-0520