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Programs, scholarships cited as reasons for increased MSU College of Ag enrollment
December 04, 2002
BOZEMAN -- Increasing scholarships and student opportunities are two reasons Montana State University's College of Agriculture enrollment is up 4.7 percent over last year, say Montana and Wyoming educators.
"We went to Bozeman last spring and talked about scholarship opportunities for transferring agriculture students, and I think it is going to benefit our students," said Randy Violett, an assistant professor of agriculture at Northwest College in Powell, Wyo. "The livestock judging program has opened up opportunities for our students too." Violett said students traveling with the livestock judging team "see and meet all kinds of people who can later on be very good connections for them." MSU reinstated its livestock judging team in 2001 after a several year lapse due to funding limitations.
Scholarships in the MSU College of Agriculture are up to $425,000. That is more money in scholarships than any other MSU college.
Don Kress, associate dean of the College of Agriculture, said the college gained 40 students compared to last year for a total of 893 students enrolled. He added that students transferring from two-year colleges like Northwest College in Powell were an important factor in increasing enrollment in the college. The popularity of the college's programs in horticulture, environmental sciences, preveterinary medicine and biotechnology also contributed to the rise, said Kress.
"We are up four percent in undergraduates and nine percent in graduate students," said Kress.
One of the things attracting students to MSU's pre-vet program is MSU's success in having students accepted into veterinary school. Kress said that about half of last year's applicants to vet schools were accepted, which is high compared to the rate accepted from other schools.
Violett, an MSU graduate, said "the feedback I get from our students (is that) they get a lot out of the experience and are satisfied with what they get at the college of ag."
This is the largest freshman class ever at MSU-Bozeman, which this year enrolled 11,745 students totaling 10,494 full-time-equivalent students. The university as a whole had a 1.6 percent increase in overall students or 2.7 percent increase in full-time-equivalent students.
Don Kress (406) 994-5744, Randy Violett (307) 754-6465
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