The University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC) and Itasca Community College (ICC) campus administrators and program faculty were on hand recently in Grand Rapids to make official an articulation agreement between the two colleges.

Under the agreement, students in ICC’s two-year Natural Resources-Forestry program may now transfer to UMC and earn a bachelor of science degree in Natural Resources.

Attending the articulation agreement signing from UMC were Donald Sargeant, chancellor; Richard Nelson, chair of the Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources; and Dan Svedarsky, professor of Natural Resources.

A delegation from ICC will come to UMC on May 18. Five or six of those people will be students who are likely to enroll at UMC this fall, according to Svedarsky.

"Itasca personnel were impressed with the field application and field experience that characterizes our natural resources program at UMC," added Svedarsky.

ICC’s president stated that this is a true 2 + 2 agreement between the institutions that will provide Itasca’s Natural Resources-Forestry program graduates a barrier free transfer to a top notch baccalaureate program at UMC.

"Both institutions are committed not only to providing a quality education in natural resources, but also to offering new educational choices and improved access to all students and working in partnerships to create programs and services of superior value to students, industries, communities and the state of Minnesota," said Sargeant.

The market is good, and UMC’s placement rate in natural resource careers is excellent, according to Svedarsky.

Students who earn this degree typically will be employed by public and private agencies in the areas of wildlife and fisheries management, soil and water conservation, forestry and recreation.