Every year, the Co-operative Retailing System welcomes up to four new students into the Co-op Excellence in Ag Program, a comprehensive scholarship package for students studying agriculture and agribusiness. The deadline to apply for this year’s program is Oct. 31, 2017. Apply for the Excellence in Ag Program today.
On a July morning, Michelle Ross was flying solo in search of moths.
Ross, an agronomy student at the University of Saskatchewan, was monitoring bertha armyworm traps in east-central Saskatchewan — all in a day’s work when you’re a Co-op Excellence in Ag recipient.
“This is a little project that I get to do by myself,” said Ross, who was accepted into the scholarship program, which also provides employment opportunities, three years ago.
This year, she spent the summer months working under the tutelage of agronomist Aart Kohler and the experienced team at Hometown Co-op in Broadview, Sask.
“This year, we’ve had the highest count that anyone can remember, so we’re nervous for when the moths turn to worms,” said Ross. “We’re going to be out looking to see if guys need to spray for them.”
Since 2013, 19 students have been welcomed into the Co-op Excellence in Ag Program.
Many paths to choose
Like many Co-op Excellence in Ag recipients, Ross hopes to leverage her education and experience into a career as an agronomist.
But that’s not the only door that the program, which is available to agriculture and agribusiness students, can open.
“I’m a little bit of an anomaly in the program,” said Cameron Choquette, a commerce student at the University of Saskatchewan, who was accepted into the Excellence in Ag Program in 2015.
This summer, Choquette learned the ins and outs of agribusiness at Saskatoon Co-op, getting firsthand lessons in retail operations, grower outreach, marketing and relationship management.
“I’m taking a different angle in terms of the training plan and really focusing on how retail co-operatives operate,” he said.
“The mentorship has been fantastic, just making sure that I’m getting what I want out of the program. We meet once a week and go over the plan and what I’ve struggled with one week or what I did really well. It’s really good to have that.”
Mentorship matters
Since joining the Excellence in Ag Program, Ross said she has benefitted from working closely with Kohler as he scouts fields and consults with growers.
“He’s breaking it down for me and giving me every opportunity to learn,” she said.
“With Excellence in Ag, it’s really about training you. You’re not just filling a job. They’re sitting you down and explaining every aspect of the business.”