CAFÉ Student Workshop Bridges Industry, Agriculture Students

A partnership between the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and the Farm Foundation is teaching college agriculture students the ins, outs and opportunities available in the agriculture industry.

Last May, nine students from Tennessee State University, Southern University and A&M College, and N.C. A&T’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences took part in the CAFÉ (Careers in Ag and Food Exploration) Student Workshop, hosted by the Farm Foundation at the college’s University Farm Pavilion.

According to associate professor and lead principal investigator Obed Quaicoe, Ph.D., the workshop, Module 2 in CAES’ USDA-funded SAPLINGS project, offers undergraduate students from 1890 land-grant institutions “a chance to deepen their knowledge of the food and agricultural sector and the diverse career opportunities it offers.”

“Underrepresented minorities constitute less than 3% of the workforce in food and agriculture in the US,” said Quaicoe. “Therefore, significant effort is needed to stimulate interest, strengthen capabilities, and equip these students with the technical and leadership skills necessary to secure employment in the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences sectors, or to start, grow, and succeed in their own agribusiness ventures.”

During the two-day workshop, Farm Foundation members led the students through interactive coursework such as resume building, utilizing LinkedIn for job searches, as well as tours of the University Farm and Syngenta’s Greensboro office.

“We want to give you guys an opportunity to move up quickly in this industry,” Jenna Wicks, Farm Foundation program manager, said to the students. “We want to give you the tools that you need, and that’s the work that we get to do at the Farm Foundation. We have a network of people that are connected in lots of different ways and we want to accelerate you and put you in that fold.”

Farm Foundation V.P. of programs and projects Martha King talks with students Mya Blake and Dorrien Oliver during a workshop.

Addison Bonner, CAES animal science major, called the workshop “highly beneficial”.

“It’s been great seeing all the current graduate students, seeing the farm again, and the resume building was really important to us,” said Barnett. “I’ve made changes to my resume based on what I’ve learned, so it’s all been really good.”

Christopher Hills, a Southern University student, said the workshop served as an internship recommended on behalf of his agriculture instructor.

“I’ve learned a lot over the last two days,” said Hill. “It’s truly a business, and everyone here is teaching us where we need to get to in life and in our career. I’m blessed to have this opportunity and to see students from other universities who want to do the same thing you want to do.”

In a Zoom panel with various agricultural industry members, 2023 CAES alum Milosh McAdoo – currently an employee in chemical company BASF’s business development program – emphasized the role that organizations like Future Farmers of America and MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences) had on him as an entry point to the agriculture industry.

“FFA taught me a lot about the foundations of agriculture and the knowledge,” said McAdoo, “but being in MANRRS as a person of color in the industry as well gave me the confidence that I needed to be a more impactful leader within agriculture. If you’re able to tackle organizations such as those while you’re in college can help you believe that you can make an impact on the industry.”