Students learn about OSU-Lima’s agriculture majors

News Top Stories Facebook X Pinterest WhatsApp LIMA — High school students from Shawnee and Ridgemont high schools met with horticulture and crop sciences faculty and students from Ohio State University’s Columbus campus at OSU-Lima Tuesday morning. Faculty from both campuses made students aware of the financial, academic and social realities of starting at a branch campus like OSU-Lima and finishing in Columbus. “Whatever you’re thinking now, plans are going to change,” said Bruce Ackley, agronomy lecturer at OSU’s main campus. “Because still, I keep thinking like I’m going to eventually go home and farm. But it’s 20 years later, and I’m still down here over in Columbus teaching, and never in a million years would that have ever crossed my mind as a possibility.” Starting next fall, horticulture and crop science students at OSU-Lima and OSU-Marion will have once-a-week in-person labs with Ackley and other Columbus staff for their “Introduction to Agronomy” class, which is a requirement for the major. According to Doug Karcher, the head of the horticulture and crop sciences department at OSU’s main campus, students can expect to meet their Columbus counterparts virtually before they transfer. Earlier this year, OSU-Lima announced a one-plus-three horticulture and crop sciences major that lets students start at OSU-Lima and complete their next three years in Columbus on the main campus. “Students can expect hands-on practical agronomy lab experience once a week in Lima from our faculty and graduate students,” Karcher said. “Their Columbus counterparts will also be present for these labs virtually.” According to Ackley, students may even have the chance to lead labs in their senior years. Many students from Shawnee and Ridgemont already plan to begin their undergraduate journey at branch campuses, such as Noah Morgan, president of Shawnee’s Agriculture Club, who plans to start at OSU’s Wooster campus. “Sometimes we have so many assets close to us, so it’s good to have a day like this and introduce our kids to them,” said Stephanie Jolliff, a teacher at Ridgemont. Reach Deesarine Ballayan at 567-242-0456. Featured Local Savings