Commencement speaker from new breed of Bumpers College students

Jennifer Drake of Fayetteville, a graduating senior who delivered the Bumpers College Commencement address May 8 at Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Center, is an example of the new breed of students choosing one of the 15 majors in the Bumpers College.

Jennifer Drake

Drake is a Human Development and Family Sciences major with a minor in Spanish. She and Cheryl Rossi, an Apparel Studies major from Center Ridge, received the College’s Senior Scholar Award as the graduates with the highest cumulative grade point average.

One of a growing number of Bumpers College students who earned credit hours abroad, Drake spent six months in 2002 in Costa Rica studying Spanish, living with a host family and working in an orphanage.

As a summer intern in the Juvenile Division of Washington County Circuit Court in 2003, she was an interpreter for Spanish-speaking families, among other duties.

“My experiences in Costa Rica and as an intern in the Juvenile Division of Circuit Court led me to the realization that I want to pursue a career in the field of social work,” Drake said. She plans to study social work in graduate school.

Drake’s faculty advisor, Assistant Professor Susan Takigiku, said that, as a class project in her “Families in Crisis” course, “Jennifer created a model of acculturation stress among Latino families that could easily be developed into a master’s thesis.”
Associate Dean Donna Graham said the old “Agri” label for the Bumpers College misrepresents the diversity of majors that relate to modern families, communities, consumer issues and the environment, as well as the complex science and businesses of producing, processing and marketing agricultural products.

“Our college has changed to keep the majors relevant to today’s world,” Graham said. “Our focus, as part of the land-grant university, has always been to prepare students for careers of working with families and communities as well as in agriculture and related businesses.

“At one time our focus was on rural communities, but it now includes families in all communities and broad issues such as the environment and food safety,” Graham said.

Bumpers College led all colleges on campus in enrollment growth last fall.

“Once students learn what we have to offer, even those who grew up in the city often find a major that appeals to them,” Graham said.

Each major has changed significantly in recent years, she said.

• Agricultural Business has a pre-law concentration and strong agribusiness support for internships and jobs.

• Communication is a growth area in the major of Agricultural Education, Communication and Technology.

• Animal Science, the most popular traditional agriculture major, has one of the premier equine programs in the region.

• Apparel Studies was the most popular major this year and is among the leading programs of its kind nationally.

• Biological Engineering, which used to be agricultural engineering, applies
engineering principles to biological systems.

• Environmental courses are part of the Crop Management major as well as the Environmental, Soil and Water Science major.

• Food Science majors learn about neutraceuticals and other consumer issues.

• Horticulture has added a Turf and Landscape major.

• Human Development and Family Studies courses delve into current social
issues.

• Sports nutrition and dietetics are popular concentrations in the Human Nutrition and Hospitality major, and hospitality students attend classes in the Inn at Carnall Hall and help run the campus inn and Ella’s Restaurant.

• Interior Design has the second most majors for a rigorous program that links aesthetics and functionality.

• Poultry Science is ranked No. 1 by Meat and Poultry, a national industry publication.