College of Agriculture

Chico State Launches Ag Communication Option

Announced on: Monday, May 24, 2021

The College of Agriculture and the College of Communication and Education at California State University, Chico have teamed up to offer a new degree program in agricultural communication and leadership starting fall 2021. The option is available within the agricultural science major, giving students a strong foundation in agricultural science and production while offering flexibility to focus their studies and hone their skills in communication.

“We frequently received inquiries from prospective students about agricultural communication and, until now, these students have had to major in agriculture and minor in a communication discipline, or vice versa,” Agriculture Education Professor Mollie Aschenbrener said. “We are pleased to now be able to meet this need in our industry and prepare students for a variety of careers in agriculture that demand highly skilled communicators.”

Within the core of the agricultural science major, which also is shared with the option in agricultural education, students will take up to 97 units spanning agricultural business, agricultural technology, animal science, and plant science. The agricultural communication and leadership option adds additional required and elective classes in leadership, technology literacy, communication, and applied media and public relations skills.

One of the first students to enroll in the new option this fall will be Michelle Borges, a sophomore from Oakdale, who came to Chico State with the expectation that the option would soon be available, and helped faculty develop the curriculum.

“I’ve always been drawn to a career where I could help correct misperceptions and expand understanding of agriculture, and I believe the classes, the faculty, and the opportunities at Chico State offer an outstanding foundation for the career path I’m on,” Borges said. “It’s exciting to be a part of this program from the very beginning, knowing that future students will be able to benefit from something I helped create.”

After several years of work by faculty and students in both colleges to develop and refine the proposal, the option in agricultural communication and leadership was officially approved by the CSU Chancellor’s office in February.

For more information, contact Professor Mollie Aschenbrener in the College of Agriculture at maschenbrener@csuchico.edu or Professor Susan Wiesinger in the College of Communication and Education at swiesinger@csuchico.edu.