A collaborative effort between the Western Illinois University School of Agriculture (Ag) and the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) will offer a unique educational opportunity for conservation planners.

The WIU School of Ag is exploring new territory by including conservation planners from across Illinois in an introductory soils class taught by Joel Gruver, professor of soil science and sustainable agriculture.

“We are thrilled to be asked to collaborate with the Illinois Department of Agriculture to bring this educational dream to reality for working professionals,” WIU School of Ag Director Andrew J. Baker said.

Currently, 20 conservation planners employed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture participate asynchronously in Gruver’s Fundamentals of Soil Science course. They have access to recorded lectures from Gruver’s soils course to review weekly on their own time. They also complete assignments, quizzes and some laboratory activities. During Spring Break, the conservation planners will have the opportunity to meet with professor Gruver to complete a series of hands-on laboratory activities.

“I have been communicating intensively with the conservation planners and receiving positive feedback on the course but this is my first time teaching students who I can’t picture in my mind as I read their work. I am looking forward to meeting them all in person during Spring Break,” Gruver said.

Professor Gruver’s commitment to advancing professional education was complemented by the collaboration of WIU alumna Whitney Miller, now an education coordinator with the Conservation Capacity Building Initiative, whose efforts helped bring this opportunity to life.

“We are proud to offer conservation planners the chance to earn soil science credit through Dr. Joel Gruver’s course at Western Illinois University. Learning from one of Illinois’ foremost leaders in soil health and conservation agriculture prepares them to make a lasting impact on our state’s natural resources,” Miller said.

For more information on WIU’s Ag programs, visit wiu.edu/Ag.

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Sean Leary Director of Digital Media

Sean Leary is an author, director, artist, musician, producer and entrepreneur who has been writing professionally since debuting at age 11 in the pages of the Comics Buyers Guide. An honors graduate of the University of Southern California masters program, he has written over 50 books including the best-sellers The Arimathean, Every Number is Lucky to Someone and We Are All Characters.