Doug Reinemann, Associate Dean for Extension and Outreach in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and Jennifer Blazek, director of the Farm and Industry Short Course (FISC) at UW-Madison visit again with Farm Director Pam Jahnke about the changes they’re expecting to see within the FISC program in the next few years.
Reinemann says that FISC will be moving from Academic Affairs to the Office of Extension and Outreach, changing from a for credit model to a “new” certification program. Although this doesn’t fit within their undergraduate instruction model, he says it does fit into their outreach model, and looks very similar to what short course used to be.
Despite these intended changes to the FISC program in 2023, Reinemann and Blazek say that this year’s class holds the latest percentage of women seen in the program’s history. They’ve also noticed more student enrollment from those with non-traditional backgrounds, like those who don’t live on a farm but want to work in agriculture.
In a listening session with over 100 attendees, Reinemann and Blazek say they heard from students, faculty, and industry leaders about their ideas for the program. They have also hosted stakeholder sessions, which talked about what students’ needs look like and how stakeholders can play a role in them moving forward.
Follow along with FISC updates on the Mid-West Farm Report feed, or visit fisc.cals.wisc.edu for more information.
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