In the wake of the decision to end dairy farming on the Berrien Springs campus of Andrews University last year, the university’s board has approved the concept for an Agriculture Education Center within the Department of Sustainable Agriculture. That Center would then be housed in the facilities of the former Dairy and be designed specifically to emphasize responsible, sustainable agricultural practices that reflect a commitment to serve as good stewards of the environment.
Katherin Koudele is Chair of the Department of Sustainable Agriculture at Andrews. She says, “While we will miss the Dairy very much, we are excited about this Center and how it will take the education of our students to the next level.” She tells us, “At the Center they will develop the skills needed in their future careers and put into practice what they have learned in the classroom.”
Ideas for the Agriculture Education Center were benchmarked with similar schools that have successfully transitioned from an industry to a wholly educational facility. The finished site is proposed to eventually include:
- Seeded, fenced pastures for rotational grazing
- Small animal and calf barns
- Greenhouses
- A classroom
- An Animal Science Complex to house sheep, goats, llamas/alpacas, yearling cattle, horses and miniature horses
- An indoor riding ring
- An outdoor horse arena
- An outdoor horticultural garden production space
- A growing out pond for fingerling fish
- Recreational paths along the St. Joseph River and around the Center
The Center would enable students to have immersive experiences in raising and caring for animals and plants in conjunction with class requirements, research and senior projects. It would also allow the Department of Sustainable Agriculture to partner with other departments on campus for therapy programs, preparation for national and international mission service, and collaborative research and teaching.
Connections would be facilitated with the local community, as well. Teachers in K–12 classrooms could bring their students to the Center for outside-the-classroom scientific learning experiences.
Completion of the Agriculture Education Center is projected in five phases over the course of five or more years as funds become available. The first educational phase has been approved to begin here in April of 2019, with educational operations at the Center starting in September.
Chair Koudele says, “We are excited for the educational opportunities the Center will bring but also for the chance to preserve the agricultural legacy of Andrews,” and concludes, “We have been a part of our county’s agricultural community for 118 years, and it is an honor to carry on the tradition of our founders.”
For more information or to contribute to the project you can click the link below:
http://andrews.edu/agriculture
Founded in 1874, Andrews University is the flagship institution of higher education for the Seventh-day Adventist Church and offers more than 200 areas of study, including advanced degrees. Its main campus is in Berrien Springs, but the University also provides instruction at colleges and universities in more than 19 countries around the world.
Click the link below for a proposed site plan image courtesy of Garth Woodruff at Andrews University:
