The University of Wisconsin’s agricultural and applied economics senior capstone course offers students a unique opportunity to bridge classroom learning with real-world experience.
In this hands-on course, teams of students collaborate with local businesses, including leaders in Wisconsin’s dairy industry, to address critical challenges and inform key business decisions.
The purpose of the Renk Agribusiness Institute is to manage and coordinate agribusiness teaching, research and outreach and to serve as a focal point for scholarly activity relating to agribusiness on campus, according to their website.
Associate Director of the institute Jeremy Beach spoke about the institute’s programs and the impact they’re having on students as well as businesses in Wisconsin.
Through capstone experience, teams of students work directly with partner companies to inform company decision-making, Beach said.
The course, which takes place during the spring semester, allows agricultural economics and agribusiness management students to take what they’ve learned in the classroom and use it to inform real-world decision-making, Beach said.
Student teams collaborate with representatives of local companies throughout the semester, gaining hands-on work experience.
“It’s an opportunity to take not only what our students are learning as part of their technical education here at UW, [but] incorporate that into how companies make decisions,” Beach said.
Partners in the dairy industry, such as Meister Cheese and Marieke Gouda, are very eager to work with students.
The students have had a direct impact on companies’ operations, Beach said.
After working with a student team and listening to their final pitch presentations, Meister Cheese hired a new marketing manager based on the team’s recommendations.
Beach shared that a recent capstone participant was able to highlight her participation in the project during a job interview. The employers found the experience interesting and were curious to learn about how the student had applied her knowledge to the real world.
“This was a really great testimony, confirming for an employer that wasn’t even engaged in this partnership, to understand the value that this student was able to gain,” Beach said.
The student ultimately secured the position, Beach added.
As the program has gotten more popular, companies are eager to work with students.
“The demand from employers and companies is outstripping the supply of students that we have,” Beach said.
Looking ahead, the Renk Agribusiness Institute hopes to expand the program to include students from a wider range of majors, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, Beach said.
Prospective students can find more information about the AAE Senior Capstone Experience on the Renk Agribusiness Institute website or contact Beach directly.
