UM Today

The spring convocation ceremony celebrating Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences graduates is Thursday, June 8. Meet some of the members of this amazing group of students.

WHY DID YOU PICK YOUR PROGRAM?

After working in a University farm in Hong Kong for six years, I would like to pursue a more professional career in the ag industry, that's why I came all the way to Canada to take the Agriculture Diploma program. I believe that I made the right choice as I am now enjoying working under the vast Prairie sky, operating farm machinery, engaging in fieldwork and applying the knowledge I gained from the Ag Dip program.

YOU JUST CAME THROUGH A VERY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE (I.E. UNIVERSITY DURING COVID) – WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

As someone accustomed to attending in-person lectures, adapting to online classes and seeing my classmates confined to little grey boxes on Zoom was quite challenging. However, this experience also introduced me to new modes of communication that undoubtedly proved valuable when we returned to the traditional classroom setting. But personally I still prefer having personal interaction with my classmates and instructors.

One of my favourite memories of the program was our field trips, where we had the opportunity to learn outside the classroom. Visiting various agricultural operations and attending events like the bison ranch, Ag Days, KAP AGM, dairy farms, seed company, flower producer and Oak Hammock Marsh allowed me to gain valuable insights into local farms and the supporting communities.

After completing the Agriculture Diploma program, my next step is to return to school to complete my degree program. Through my experience as a summer technician in a research company, I discovered a strong interest in a research-oriented career in the agricultural field, with the ultimate goal of contributing to the community by generating valuable agricultural knowledge. This has motivated me to further my education and enhance my skills in this field.

WHY DID YOU PICK YOUR PROGRAM?

The Human Nutritional Science degree is the best mixture of applied science, health studies, and food production to provide a holistic understanding of how what we eat impacts our health. The program also leads to various career opportunities, such as working as a registered dietitian.

There were both positives and negatives of online learning. I felt like I had more time to do other activities, as I could watch lectures when most convenient for me. However, I missed out on the ‘real’ school experience, didn't get to explore campus as much, and wish I got to know my classmates better.

Planning nutrition and health related events for the faculty!

I will be starting medical school at the U of M this fall!

WHY DID YOU PICK YOUR PROGRAM?

I graduated with a B. Human Ecology (Foods) in 2001 and planned to pursue a career in food research. My life took a different direction though and I ended up spending almost 20 years in the social services field, helping women adjust to motherhood. During COVID, I took the opportunity to return to university to complete the nutrition component of my degree and better align my love of food science with my joy of helping families with everyday life skills.

I was nervous to return to university as a mature student, so learning on-line for the first year helped to ease myself in. Being back on campus for the last year was at first a stretch, but I ended up really enjoying meeting my fellow students and felt much more energized being around everyone in person. I met some really incredible new friends and appreciated their acceptance of me.

My favorite memory is the 4140 Food Quantity Labs. Working together as a team to make a lunch menu was fun, community building and rewarding. We laughed as we worked together to solve mistakes and got our lab coats very stained with all sorts of splatters!

This summer I am working as a research assistant under Dr. Protudjer at the Protudjer Food Allergy Lab. In September, I will be starting the Masters of Applied Human Nutrition program and will see where I end up landing after that.

WHY DID YOU PICK YOUR PROGRAM?

I chose the diploma program as I wanted to expand my knowledge in farm management and learn better agronomic practices, and also to network and make connections in the ag industry.

University during covid was not ideal for networking but helped me save money and maintain a better GPA than I would have gotten in person.

My advice for a student considering it would be do it! There are lots of opportunities to learn and make connections in the industry.

Next, I am going to work in Australia for harvest and then come back to the family farm where I will live out the rest of my days.

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