UGA, ABAC INTRODUCE FOUR-YEAR AG DEGREE TO TIFTON

Joanna Griffin wants a quality education while staying close to home. Now the Nashville, Ga., native can do just that through a new four-year degree program in agriculture offered here through a partnership between Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Griffin and approximately 15 other students are currently enrolled in the new Agriscience and Environmental Systems (AES) undergraduate degree program. Courses will be taught in classrooms and laboratories on the UGA Tifton campus and on the ABAC campus. Fall semester classes begin Aug. 18.

Dr. David Bridges, Assistant Dean, Tifton UGA campus, who has made academic programs a top priority, was highly instrumental in bringing the new degree program to Tifton. The program provides an excellent opportunity for students to obtain a bachelor’s degree without having to relocate.

In the past, agricultural majors at ABAC who wanted to pursue a bachelor’s degree had to move to Athens to continue their education at UGA. The AES degree program is convenient for students who want to stay close to home, and it benefits students who have family and/or work obligations because they can attend UGA classes in Tifton instead of Athens.

Being able to stay close to home is just one aspect of the AES degree program that appealed to Griffin, who graduated from ABAC in December 2002 with an associate’s degree in political science.

“I attended UGA for one semester, from January through May 2003,” Griffin said. “When I came back home for the summer, I found out about the AES major. After learning more about the program, I realized that it was perfect for me. The program is very well-rounded, and students can custom fit it to their individual needs. We will be learning about all aspects of agriculture and the most up-to-date technology.

“Since I ‘learn better by doing,’ I am especially excited about all the ‘hands-on’ experience the degree offers. We will be taking field trips and working with experts in various fields, not just learning from a textbook. I also like the small class sizes, which allow for more one-on-one interaction with the professors.”

Students can enroll in the AES degree program after successfully completing a science-based transfer program at ABAC or another accredited institution. As AES majors, students will study plant and animal sciences, emerging technologies, pest management, water quality and resource management, business, and marketing while pursuing a bachelor of science degree in agriculture.

Students will have an opportunity to learn from and work with south Georgia organizations, applying the latest technologies in agriculture and related fields. After earning the AES degree, graduates will be prepared to fill key roles in farm management, agri-business, environmental programs, value–added industries, research, and marketing.

Donna Webb, Coordinator of Academic Programs, UGA Tifton Campus, said UGA has had a presence in Tifton for over 80 years with work involving research and extension and is now reaching out to south Georgia in a new way by offering academic programs on the UGA Tifton campus.

“The new AES program will not only benefit the students in south Georgia but also the entire area,” Webb said. “This interdisciplinary program, specifically designed for the Tifton campus, is a broad, technology-based degree that connects principles being taught in the classroom and the real world of agriculture. Students will be required to complete an internship or a research experience, allowing them to apply the knowledge they have learned in the classrooms and labs and preparing them for the job market. Upon completion of the program, students may pursue advanced degrees or find a job that is related to agriculture and environmental sciences.”

For additional information about the AES degree, contact Webb at (229) 386 – 3528, or e-mail her at dwebb@tifton.uga.edu. Prospective students can also visit www.dogsgonesouth.org for more information. Applications are currently being accepted for the spring semester. The deadline is October 1.

UGA is not the first institution to develop a partnership with the ABAC campus. Georgia Southwestern already offers undergraduate degrees in accounting and management. Macon State College began offering a bachelor’s degree in information technology in the spring of 2002. Valdosta State University began offering the complete degree in early childhood education in the fall of 2002, and Albany State restarted its MBA program on the ABAC campus in the spring of 2002.

For additional information about any of these four-year degree programs, contact Dr. Gail Dillard, ABAC’s Director of Evening and Off-Campus Programs, at (229) 386-7154, or e-mail her at gdillard@abac.edu.

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