Cultivating Ag Education

In this episode, we dive into the world of agricultural education alongside Andrea Schumaker, the Assistant Dean for the Agricultural Sciences program at the College of Western Idaho (CWI).  There is a changing landscape in modern agriculture, with community college programs successfully building pipelines to supply the industry with skilled, knowledgeable professionals in precision technology, agribusiness, and hands-on trades.

Andrea shares her inspiring personal journey, from growing up on a small Idaho farm and navigating college as a first-generation student, to serving in the Peace Corps in Jamaica and ultimately helping build CWI's agriculture department from scratch. CWI ,the largest community college in Idaho, supports a diverse, non-traditional student body through affordable education, hands-on community partnerships, and impactful initiatives like a campus garden project designed to combat student food insecurity. A look at how local educational programs are anchoring communities and cultivating the future of the agricultural workforce.