Sources: Allen Featherstone, 532-4441, afeather@k-state.edu;
and Mary Bowen, 785-532-4435, mjbowen@k-state.edu
Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007
AWARD-WINNING K-STATE MASTER OF AGRIBUSINESS PROGRAM A LEADER IN TEACHING BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC SKILLS TO ANIMAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
MANHATTAN -- While other schools are just now trying to establish new master's programs in agribusiness or animal health, Kansas State University's master of agribusiness program, offered through distance education, continues to grow and earn honors 10 years after it was started.
The program's executive-style, distance-education delivery breaks down barriers associated with earning a master's degree, such as access to a university campus, job changes, relocations and job-related travel. That means students can continue working while completing their degree, said Allen Featherstone, K-State professor of agricultural economics and program director.
Students in the program work in every sector of the food and agribusiness industry, Featherstone said, from Kansas City's Animal Health Corridor to overseas. The students come from more than 35 states and 20 foreign countries, and they range in age from 25 to 55.
Since its launch in 1998, the master of agribusiness program has been recognized as one of the best in the nation by various national continuing education associations. It's latest honor came in October. The Association for Continuing Higher Education awarded its 2007 Distinguished Credit Award to the master of agribusiness program's comparative food and agriculture systems course, AGEC 710. The class, which is also open to undergraduates at K-State, is taught by five international professors and gives students an understanding of international agribusiness.
One of the benefits of the program is that students are not tied to a classroom while they are completing a master's degree, so employers do not lose employees, Featherstone said. The program's format also allows students from around the world to participate, adding to the diversity of the experience.
Students in the program learn from faculty who have extensive experience working in and studying the agricultural industry, Featherstone said. Students also benefit from the knowledge and experiences of their classmates who work in other sectors of the food and agriculture industry around the world, developing a network of contacts at the same time.
While students do come to the K-State campus two weeks a year during the two-year program, they are able to fit the remaining program course work around family and work responsibilities by completing courses over the Internet, e-mail and multi-audio chat sessions.
Another benefit of the program is that it teaches the business and economics skills needed specifically for the agribusiness industry, something many master of business administration programs aren't designed to do, Featherstone said.
Max Irsik, a program graduate, agrees. Irsik, now of Gainesville, Fla., was a veterinarian with a successful mixed-animal practice in Kansas when he entered the program. Although Irsik had extensive knowledge about animal health and veterinary medicine, he was looking for a broader business skill set.
"You can't understand agriculture by taking a course. To really understand agriculture, you have to be working in the industry," Irsik said. "The instructors at K-State have that experience and are able to share it with students. The master of agribusiness program is made up of people who work in the industry, who understand agriculture and you get to work with instructors who understand the animal health and veterinary medicine industry while you learn business skills."
Irsik's 2002 thesis for the program was "Estimating the Effects of Animal Health on the Performance of Feedlot Cattle," which examined the effects of animal health, mortality or morbidity on the performance of feedlot cattle. Irsik said he used skills learned throughout the master of agribusiness program for his thesis. He also developed models to aid in the performance analysis for feed conversion, average daily gain and cost of gain. His work led to industry publications.
Having a student complete K-State's master of agribusiness program can benefit the companies for which they work. Featherstone said most students write theses on a company-related issue.
"In essence, while completing the thesis, the student is solving a problem or doing research for their employer," Featherstone said. "They both gain from the direct application of the business and economic skills to everyday work situations."
Don Hecht, retired director of sales and marketing with Elanco Animal Health, believes the company-related thesis is an important aspect and sets the K-State master of agribusiness program apart from other programs.
"Having worked in the animal health industry for more than 25 years, I found that the K-State master of agribusiness program offers some really unique professional growth opportunities for people in our industry," Hecht said. "There is no other master's program with the proven track record of students integrating their business and economic course work into a professional thesis which is targeted to be of value to their own business or employer's business issues.
The K-State master of agribusiness program includes courses in finance, economics, risk management, management and marketing, strategy, policy and more. Additional information is available at http://www.mab.ksu.edu or by contacting 785-532-4495 or mab@agecon.ksu.edu.