MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources hits 40-year enrollment high
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EmailThe Michigan State University (MSU) College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) reached a 40-year enrollment high this fall, with 4,874 students in the college.
The Michigan State University (MSU) College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) reached a 40-year enrollment high this fall, with 4,874 students in the college.
“These numbers reflect students’ enthusiasm to learn more about food, energy and the environment,” said CANR Dean Fred Poston. “It also means that students are recognizing that there are careers available in our areas of study – and they are attracted to scientific fields of study that focus on tackling some of the world’s biggest issues.”
The CANR fall undergraduate enrollment is 4,235, an increase of 335 students (8.59 percent) from last year’s numbers. The numbers represent a trend in overall enrollment at MSU, where the total undergraduate enrollment has topped 38,000 students.
Two CANR departments saw a large spike in enrollment: Agriculture, Food and Resource Economics and the School of Packaging, with increases of 133 and 121 students, respectively. Other departments experiencing double-digit increases were Community Sustainability, Food Science and Human Nutrition, and Forestry, and the School of Planning, Design and Construction.
A 2.1 percent jump in enrollment in the Institute for Agricultural Technology – the college’s two-year certificate program – and a 1.11 percent increase in graduate students also played into the enrollment jump.
Kelly Millenbah, associate dean of the CANR and director of the Office of Academic and Student Affairs, said the college will likely continue to see growth.
“The college’s popularity is fueled by a variety of factors,” she said “The growing demand for agriculture and natural resources students in the workforce, the fact that more and more students are learning that majors in the CANR are STEM (science, math, engineering and technology)-focused careers; and the fact that our students appreciate the opportunity to do as well as learn.”
According to a national survey, only 60 percent of available jobs will be filled by the current pool of agriculture and natural resources graduates -- that means there aren’t even enough students in college to fill an impending void, Millenbah said.
The CANR currently boasts an 89 percent career placement rate, which contributes to its popularity for students, and attracts students through its diverse research, study abroad and internship opportunities, Millenbah noted.
