Ohio Agrarian Trade (OAT) Partnership - Ohio Board of Regents

54 Pages·2012·7.31 MB·English

Project Name Ohio Agrarian Trade (OAT) Partnership
Project Location/s Yellow Springs & Oxford; various counties
Project Start Date December 4, 2012
Interns/Co-ops Start Date January 7, 2013
Lead Applicant – Must be public higher Antioch College
education agency (in collaboration with Miami University)
Thomas Brookey
Chief Operations Officer and
Director of Human Resources
Chief Contact Antioch College
Individual must be authorized to sign One Morgan Place
agency grant contract and legally Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387
responsible as agency representative. office: 937-319-6161
mobile: [phone]
fax: [phone]
e-mail: [email protected]
Richard Kraince, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Cooperative Education
Antioch College
One Morgan Place
Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[email protected]

Susan Eklund-Leen, Ph.D.
Dean and Professor of Cooperative Education
Antioch College
Project Director(s)- Key Personnel(s)
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[email protected]

Thomas Crist, Ph.D.
institute for the Environment and Sustainability
Dr. Thomas Crist, Director
254 Upham Hall
Oxford, OH 45056
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[email protected]
Amount of state money requested $ 281,352
Match money committed $ 281,352
Number of internships/co-ops proposed 72
JobsOhio key industry/ies impacted Food Processing
Are any of the applicants represented by a No
member of the Advisory Committee?

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Legal Applicant
Antioch College
One Morgan Place
Yellow Spring, OH 45387
Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
[email protected]
CEO: Mark Roosevelt

1) Certification by Authorized Official
To the best of my knowledge and belief, data contained in this application are true and
correct. The document has been duly authorized to comply with the required assurances.

Signature of Authorized Official:

Typed Name and Title: Tom Brookey, Chief Operations Officer

Date: October 12, 2012

2) Administering Entity

Antioch College
One Morgan Place
Yellow Springs, OH 45387
Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Contact Person: Richard Kraince, Ph.D.
[email protected]

3) Business Partners

Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE)
3155 Research Blvd, Suite 204
Dayton, OH 45420
Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Contact Person: Sean Creighton, Executive Director
[email protected]

Bergefurds Farm Market and Greenhouses
234 State Route 350 West
Wilmington, OH 45177
Phone: [phone]
Contact Person: Marcia Bergefurd
[email protected]

EnviroFlight, LLC
303 North Walnut St.
Yellow Springs, OH 45387
Phone: [phone]
Contact Person: Glen Courtright
[email protected]

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Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce
101 Dayton Street
Yellow Springs, OH 45387
Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Contact Person: Karen Wintrow, Executive Director
[email protected]

Village of Yellow Springs
100 Dayton Street
Yellow Springs, OH 45387
Phone: [phone]
Contact Person: Laura Curliss, Village Manager
[email protected]

Note: Conversations are ongoing with additional potential partners.

4) Educational Partners

Miami University
1601 University Boulevard
Hamilton, OH 45011
Phone: [phone]

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ANTIOCH COLLEGE-MIAMI UNIVERSITY | OHIO AGRARIAN TRADE (OAT) PARTNERSHIP
Antioch College and Miami University’s Institute for the Environment and Sustainability propose
to establish a new set of cooperative education relationships with employers representing
various components of Ohio’s dynamic food processing industry. Known as the Ohio Agrarian
Trade (OAT) Partnership, the program is intended to build student skills through direct
immersion in the world of work. The purpose is twofold. First, it will increase understanding of
the knowledge and skill sets required by employers as they bring Ohio agricultural products to
market. Second, it will improve undergraduate curricula relating to food production and
otherwise leverage the resources of academia in preparing students for careers with food
processing firms throughout the state. The program is based on the assumption that the key to
aligning academic training with the needs of the food industry is to foster sustained relationships
between students, educators and employers, while emphasizing promising career opportunities
linked to food processing innovation and the creative expansion of Ohio’s agrarian trade.
Establishing close ties with employers has been a prominent feature of an Antioch education
since the College’s former president Arthur Morgan adapted the cooperative education model to
the liberal arts curriculum more than 90 years ago. During their undergraduate career, Antioch
College students are required to spend between four and six quarters engaged in paid, full-time
employment. They earn credit toward their degree through completion of Work Portfolio
courses, which ensure reflection on knowledge and skill acquisition during terms off-campus.
Miami University likewise is well known for its dynamic, hands-on approach to learning and
encourages summer internships through its Career Services office.
Antioch College seeks to further enrich its Cooperative Education (Co-op) experience by linking
it with a new set of interdisciplinary Global Seminars covering pertinent issues relating to Food,
Water, Health, Energy, Governance and Education. Its Global Seminar on Food is the primary
curricular offering through which students will prepare for involvement in the OAT Partnership.
The Global Seminar also serves as a venue through which employers and industry specialists
can contribute to learning on campus. Collaboration with Miami’s Institute for the Environment
and Sustainability will enrich these courses and further the efforts of both institutions as they
engage with employers in the sustainable production of Ohio agricultural products.
Recognizing the educational potential of Ohio agriculture as well as the need to supply high
quality food to students, Antioch College founded the Antioch Farm in the heart of campus in
2011. Students have subsequently been involved in every aspect of food production including
vegetable propagation, poultry care, bee keeping, purchasing, food processing, preparation and
other dining hall services. Plans are underway for the introduction of livestock, the development
of an aquaculture facility, and the construction of a food-processing center to serve as a
business incubator for the region. Miami University has also been educating students about
Ohio food production through creative programs, such as their “Farm to Fork” food partnerships.
The Ohio Agrarian Trade (OAT) Partnership will deepen students’ understanding of the food
processing industry while helping them develop the experience necessary to secure jobs in the
state. It is intended to promote a high level of integration aligning the skills sets taught in the
classroom with the needs of employers. Through the establishment of 12 new co-op
relationships, we will prepare 36 students annually for careers in dairy product manufacturing,
beverage production, confectionaries, fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food
manufacturing, seafood product preparation and other value aggregation processes. This
program will help ensure that debates over food and agricultural policy will be informed by
citizens with real-world experience and close associations with the producers of agrarian
products throughout the state.

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PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
JobsOhio Key Industry or Industries Food Processing
Number of co-ops/internships created 72
Number that meet High Demand Occupations 12
Amount of state money requested $281,352
Amount of match money obtained $281,352
Total state money requested divided by number of co-ops and internships $ 3,908
created (in whole dollars)
Total match money obtained divided by number of co-ops and internships $ 3,908
created (in whole dollars)
Total money (state plus match) divided by number of co-ops and internships $ 7,816
created (in whole dollars)
Number of business partners 12
Number of higher education partners 1
Number of other partners 2

PROGRAM COMPONENTS
1. Business attraction and retention: Helps attract businesses to Ohio and/or retain
them by closing skills gap, aligning curriculum and providing talent pipeline
Antioch College is a small liberal arts institution that provides a distinctive educational
experience balancing rigorous academics with community engagement and off-campus work. In
order to fulfill this core mission, the faculty maintains cooperative education (co-op) partnerships
with businesses around the state. All students spend four to six academic terms engaged in
paid, full-time employment with partner organizations in industry, education and the nonprofit
sector. Miami University encourages its students to participate in internship programs during
summer breaks. The Ohio Agrarian Trade (OAT) Partnership program is intended to ensure that
coursework on both campuses is informed by a close understanding of employer needs and
maximizes the benefit of student employment by identifying ways that co-op and internship
programs can add value to Ohio food production efforts.
The OAT Partnership program will place students in co-op and internship positions year-round
beginning in January of 2013 and ending in December of 2014. Employers involved in the
program will be chosen to highlight the relationships between Ohio food processing businesses.
For example, one student will work at an ethanol or spirits manufacturing facility, which as a
byproduct provides ethanol grain to a fish food manufacturer where another student will be
placed. This fish food is sold to aquaculture farms, which in turn provide local seafood to food
processing firms as well as area restaurants. Students will be placed in jobs at all of these levels
within organizations of various sizes in order to learn and share their understanding of an entire
industry. Similar connections will be made for groups of jobs surrounding dairy product
manufacturing, vegetable-based commodity production, beverages and confectionaries.
Teaching about these relationships and the needs of the employers that comprise them will then
be strengthened through various campus-based educational activities. Antioch College is
currently scaling up a new set of interdisciplinary courses known as Global Seminars, which are
conceived as opportunities for students to critically analyze contemporary problems through the
interdisciplinary study of resources and systems. Its Global Seminar on Food and another on
Water are designed to address the evolving needs of employers in the food processing industry
in that they emphasize the connections between students’ co-op experiences and the content of
coursework on campus. Course instructors invite employers to campus in order to ensure the
presentation of a diverse range of views and strengthen the connection between what is being
discussed in the classroom and ideas current in other sectors. Collaboration with Miami

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University’s Institute for the Environment and Sustainability will deepen course content and
facilitate inter-campus discussions on Global Seminar themes. The institutions will also work
together with area businesses to develop model food production facilities on campus to ensure
that education on these themes are continued long after the program is completed.
To achieve this, in addition to supporting the 72 co-op and internship experiences, a modest
amount of funding is requested to support the further development of agrarian education
facilities on the Antioch campus. These include a well to establish an aquaculture education
exhibit, a feasibility study for the proposed Collaborative Food Processing Center, and
educational materials in support of a new Agrarian Education initiative at the Antioch Farm.
Miami University will use funds to provide better education relating to water testing, nutrient
monitoring and environmental impact studies.
2. Student attraction/retention/completion: Helps attract students to higher education
and Ohio and/or retain them to post-secondary credential
Antioch College attracts a significant number of out-of-state students. 72% of 2012 first-year
students are non-Ohio residents representing 30 individual states. All current students have
been awarded four-year full-tuition scholarships valued at more than $106,000 as part of our
Horace Mann Fellowship program. Without the College’s investment of these funds—$11.2
million in total—most of these students would likely not be present in Ohio.
Both institutions are very concerned with retention and graduation rates as they tell us much
about student well-being. Miami University is recognized as having one of the best retention
rates in the state. As a small institution, Antioch College promotes a shared sense of
responsibility and a caring culture that supports student recruitment and success. A variety of
learning and support services are in place, including academic advising, tutoring, academic
success courses, a first-year experience program, a peer education program, and an early
warning system that assists students who experience academic-related problems during the
initial three weeks of each term.
These supports are working: in its first year of operation, the College surpassed its retention
goal of 85% with an actual retention rate of 89%—a figure that’s on-par with our peer institutions
in the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA). This program will advance such efforts by
providing a career incentive intended to convince students to settle in the region and contribute
to the growth of the state.
3. Student post-credential employment: Helps students become employed in Ohio
Studies of cooperative education at Antioch suggest that programs that involve students in the
world of work have a significant impact on the development of knowledge workers that are more
entrepreneurial, nationally connected, and acquainted with problem-focused approaches to
work. In reviewing the career development of Antioch alumni, for example, Linn and Ferguson
(1999) reported a high rate of self-employment—a fact that should be closely considered as our
graduates set out to find a place for themselves in a world where high unemployment and slow
economic growth is sometimes regarded as the ‘new normal’. Anecdotal evidence offered by
Antioch alumni in various settings further suggests that the co-op experience affords students a
competitive advantage as they seek employment after graduation or opportunities for further
study. Not only do they acquire the kind of experience that helps fill out a resume, they are
exposed to the culture of the workplace, which provides a significant perspective on what it
means to live a productive life. We believe that the self-efficacy afforded by real-world
experience is one of the clear benefits affecting post-graduation employment. To assist students
in securing post-graduation employment in the state of Ohio, they will be trained on how to use
http://OhioMeansJobs.com—the premier resume and job bank in the state.

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4. Plans and budgets for sustaining the program beyond state money
Antioch College’s Cooperative Education Program has long been considered one of the
distinguishing features of Antioch College. In this regard we view the historic tradition of
cooperative education itself as a fundamental resource that can be more fully utilized in
explaining the benefits of experiential learning. Although the proliferation of free ‘massively open
online courses’ is changing the way we conceptualize classroom instruction, the notion that
practice and theory are mutually informed by one another remains as relevant now as it was
when Arthur Morgan adapted the Co-op model to the liberal arts curriculum more than 90 years
ago. Simply put, now as in the past, employers value job experience.
We stake our reputation as an institution on our ability to provide an education that encourages
the development of communication skills, inculcates an awareness of social justice, inspires
creativity, and yet is informed by real world experience. We are aware that we are part of a
larger educational movement committed to the kinds of field-based approaches that stimulate
intellectual curiosity. The 100th anniversary of Co-op at Georgia Tech this autumn is but one of
a number of events that remind us that Antioch College exists within a wider network of
educational institutions that are committed to experiential learning. Nevertheless, if we are to
remain a leader in the field we must recognize that the world of work is changing, as is the
nature of higher education globally.
Securing such jobs for Antioch students requires us to identify networks of innovation and to be
active within them. In this respect it has become clear that forging employment relationships
requires new initiatives. Many prospective employers are unaware of the College’s recent
progress and require significant face-to-face attention before committing their resources to the
kind of collaborative agreements that we request. This is a challenge in that it requires a lot of
time in the field; however we also recognize that this effort presents an opportunity for us to
better understand our partners’ work and pay closer attention to how we can add value to their
operations by more thoroughly preparing students for jobs in certain disciplines.
For the Ohio Agrarian Trade program, we are asking employers to match the costs of employing
a student, in most cases, on a one-to-one basis. We propose to use the funds of the grant to
pay student work stipends during the first year of operation (January through December of
2013) if employers agree to match these funds by covering student work stipends during the
second year of the program (beginning in January of 2014). Antioch College students will fill
these co-op/internship positions during the fall, winter and spring quarters while Miami
University students will fill them in the summer.
Our goal is to establish long-term relationships with our partners. We expect them to provide
paid employment, professional supervision, rich educational content, opportunities for cognitive
growth that correspond to the various developmental stages of our students, and an overall
experience that is emotionally fulfilling. To be successful in these relationships, we underscore
the need for increased integration between the Co-op program, academic faculty, and members
of the academic community. We must ensure that the College’s recruitment efforts, academic
programs, community life processes, and other campus-based resources give rise to a diverse
student body composed of individuals that exhibit the kind of skill, creativity, sensitivity,
diligence, and enthusiasm that we promise employers. Moreover, we must ensure that we have
this kind of talent available year-round in order to reliably fill the positions that other
organizations are creating for us.

5. Includes financial and performance metrics reporting system to Regents
The Antioch College Cooperative Education program will collect data on the metrics listed in
section 9 of the RFP. It will also be the entity responsible for reporting to the Board of Regents.

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The program will adhere to the standard reporting system recommended by the Regents. It will
also write one-page briefings based on students’ observations and experiences and will work to
highlight success projects as well as the human side of program development. Program
personnel understand that the Start of Project report will be submitted before the end of 2012
along with baseline data. Two interim Budget Season Reports will be submitted in order to
document progress and success. An End of Project Report will include all prior reports plus new
data and information.
Metrics to be collected and reported include the number of students placed in co-ops above the
reported baseline: the number of undergraduate, graduate, in-state, out-of-state, and
international students participating in the program; student majors; names and number of
businesses participating, number of hours and period of time the students worked Rate of pay
or award for co-ops and interns; number of students who completed their co-op or internship
Number of students who completed their co-op or internship that went on to complete college or
complete graduate school or attend grad school, etc. The number of students not traditionally
represented (as identified/defined by awardees) in the area of the co-op and internship program;
Number of students who stay in Ohio as a result of the co-op or internship vs. peers who do not
stay in Ohio Starting salary of Co-op and Internship students (after completing college) vs.
peers who did not go through a co-op and internship; etc.
6. Includes logical and prudent budget that provides high and immediate ROI and good
use of public dollars
The use of funds requested, summarized in the Budget Narrative, demonstrate a good use of
public dollars. The funds provide necessary resources and tools that empower students to be
effective change-agents in the food industry. By funding the first-year salary of an additional
co-operative education faculty member, the budget increases our capacity to create future
partnerships and jobs in Ohio. Perhaps most importantly, by providing talent to small and mid-
size businesses, the OAT partnership helps fill critical job functions, thereby contributing to
business growth and, potentially, future job growth in the state of Ohio.
7. Includes feedback loop among employers, educators and students
We have found that the most successful co-op positions have been ones in which all
expectations are clearly defined, and there is clear accountability for all members of the
partnership. Toward this end, we have developed a set of processes in which we ask employers
to participate, in order to insure that job expectations are clear from the beginning, and that they
remain clear throughout the co-op. During the student’s first week, we ask that employers
complete and sign an Employer Participation Agreement and work with the student to create a
Learning Objective Agreement to guide the student’s learning. These documents fill the role of a
hiring agreement and objectives to articulate what is expected of the student, our office and the
employer. We want these documents to provide the opportunity for all parties to ask questions,
make plans, and establish a common vision of the weeks ahead. In addition, we ask that the
employer meet with the student halfway through the term for a mid-term assessment. This
meeting provides an opportunity for the employer and the student to assess progress and to set
goals for the final weeks of the term.
At the end of the term the employer is asked to complete the student’s final evaluation. The
employer’s final evaluation (1) provides performance feedback for the student, (2) assesses
their strengths and weaknesses, (3) makes recommendations for the student’s further
professional and academic development, and (4) provides formalized performance feedback in
job-specific areas. After meeting with the student, the employer completes and submits the final
student evaluation using our secure website. Antioch College students need this evaluation to
complete and receive credit for their required Work Portfolio course.

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The following table illustrates the feedback loop used to provide feedback to all parties. All
evaluation forms are included in the appendices.

Who Completes Who Receives Document Title Who Analyses Who
Implements
Improvements
Employer Student Co-op Student Cooperative Employers (with
Evaluation Education Faculty guidance)
and Staff
Student Employer receives Employer Cooperative Students (with
analyzed data Feedback and Job Education Faculty guidance)
and Staff
Student Co-op Faculty Work Portfolio VP for Academic Co-op Faculty
teaching the Work Evaluation Affairs
Portfolio

8. Demonstrates positive impact to key industry and the local, regional or state
economy
Antioch College has been working closely with the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher
Education (SOCHE) as well as the Dayton Water Roundtable founded by the Dayton
Development Coalition in order to better understand the human resource needs associated with
the state's emerging seafood production and processing industry. It is clear that seafood
processing and the numerous enterprises that support this industry have significant growth
potential in the state if current challenges are addressed.

According to the 2010 Ohio Aquaculture Industry Analysis published by the Ohio Department of
Agriculture, one of the major obstacles identified to industry expansion is the lack of technical or
applied knowledge pertaining to the basic principles of aquaculture. This problem relates directly
to the intricacies of fish and crustacean farming, but is also reflected in the absence of an
adequate supply chain to support aquaculture more generally. The development of high-
capacity spawning facilities and an increase in the scale of fish food production operations are
crucial to industry advancement. Unfortunately, considerable uncertainty remains about the
proper management of seafood production operations, compliance with environmental
regulations, and the application of appropriate technologies. Overcoming this knowledge deficit
is one of the primary reasons that Antioch College seeks to forge partnerships with businesses
and industry groups at various levels of the seafood processing supply chain.

EMPLOYER
1. Capacity: Businesses have capacity to meet proposed program requirements for
students, educators and partners
Antioch College requires all students to complete a minimum of four co-op experiences. Simply
by hosting a co-op position, businesses help students meet their program requirements.
Furthermore, employers chosen by Antioch College as Cooperative Education partners
designate positions for only Antioch College or Miami University students. By doing so, program
requirements and educational opportunities for student are met and co-op faculty can
personalize the associated work portfolio assignments around the educational components
offered by employers.

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2. Provides substantial, meaningful work assignments that aligns to a Jobs Ohio
industry cluster
Antioch College and Miami University will begin this project by establishing co-op and internship
relationships within the seafood processing industry cluster. Ohio employers that will begin
accepting students in the spring include EnviroFlight, a fish food producer in Yellow Springs;
Calala’s Water Haven in New London; and Dayton-based YSI, which develops the instruments
used in monitoring water quality and nutrient levels. We have treached out to several vegetable
product producers including Peach Mountain Organics in Xenia and Stokes Farm in Clinton
County. We are also involving employers in dairy and livestock production including Bergefurd’s
Farm market of Willmington, Reserve Run Farm, and the Snowville Creamery of Meigs County.
Efforts are underway to establish relationships with Middle West Spirits of Columbus,
Madisono’s of Cincinnati, Buckeye Foods, Sunny Delight Beverages and other businesses.

With the guidance of SOCHE, we will also involve a student in a research project supporting a
pilot study of the suitability of area lakes for the fish farming industry. We will engage two
students in the project each quarter throughout the duration of the project. One student will be
selected to oversee the College’s contributions to the project. He or she will begin in January
2013 on a fulltime basis for three months. Thereafter this individual will continue on a part-time
basis, supervising the work of other students who would cycle through the program on 12-week,
fulltime co-op positions. The students will be supported by the College’s new aquatic biologist,
Dr. Linda Fuselier, who will offer a new undergraduate level Aquatic Ecology course in the
spring of 2013.

3. Positions are paid
Antioch College has no set compensation requirements, but we do hold a firm conviction that
students ought to be able to support themselves while working. Under most circumstances,
students must relocate to their co-op sites, obtain housing, and provide for the maintenance of
their households with no expectation of financial assistance from their families or the College. It
is therefore important that employers provide adequate compensation. We recommend that
employers pay between $9 and $12 per hour. Previously students have found that it is difficult to
make ends meet with less than $350 per week or about $17,000 per year (48 weeks of
employment). Some employers may prefer to offer room, board, and a stipend of at least $150
per week or more. One benefit to employers is that students are already covered by their health
insurance because they are full-time students.
4. Includes positions in more than 1 functional area in the workplace
By partnering with small and growing businesses, Antioch College students benefit from a
diversity of responsibilities and functions. Advantages of these partnerships provide students at
various levels of their education with appropriate levels of challenge and success.
5. Demonstrates and documents demand for talent in industry
Multiple sources of job postings indicate that food production and preparation will continue to
need new employees. For instance, http://goodfoodjobs.com has listed more than 5,000 food
related jobs during their first year of operation. More importantly, http://ohiomeansjobs.com/omj
listed more than 450 food-related jobs on October 7, 2012.

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