In order to know where an educational program is going, it is vital for everyone involved to look at its history and evolution. Knowing the program’s past can provide insight into how it developed over time. The history of the program you are about to read can and will also offer a greater appreciation and understanding of the program as it continues to evolve.

  

At the beginning of June 2017, faculty, students and alumni were informed that recent budget cuts would mean the science and agricultural journalism program would be phased out over the course of three years. With this news, alumni across Missouri and the rest of the United States voiced their concerns and showed their support for a small, yet mighty program.

 

I had graduated from the program in December of 2014 and returned to MU in the fall of 2016 to complete my master’s degree in agricultural communications and education. At the time of the budget cuts, I was in between my first and second year of graduate school, taking an online agricultural communications course through Texas Tech. One of the assignments for the course included a historical research paper. 

 

When brainstorming research topics with my professor, she explained she had heard the news of our program being phased out. We discussed the possibility of turning my paper into a way to honor the program. Within a two-week time frame, I had the opportunity to interview past and current faculty, read through several publications in the archives of Ellis Library and collect survey responses from alumni. The result was a 42-page document. 

 

From there, an alumna of the program suggested I consider turning this project into a book so I could further my research. During the 2017-2018 academic school year, I was able to do just that. I had the privilege of interviewing, digging deeper into the archives of Ellis Library and the State Historical Society, and filling the gaps in my existing timeline. Throughout the interviewing process, it was incredible to see how many alumni from various graduating years connected throughout their careers. It was wonderful to see how this network has grown and how they’ve impacted the industry. 

 

So whether you’re reading this as an alumnus, a current faculty member or a future student, I hope you’re able to truly see the impact this program has had on the profession of agricultural journalism and communications. The stories from alumni are simply just a fraction of the stories out there waiting to be heard. And as we move forward there are many more successes to be created. 

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