UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A grant program in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences aims to enhance student learning by empowering faculty and students to design immersive, hands-on projects that bridge classroom knowledge with real-world partnerships.
The college’s Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science (SAFES) recently provided $5,000 grants to five projects through its Engaged Scholarship and Experiential Learning Seed Grant program, now in its second year.
Heather Preisendanz, director of the institute and professor of agricultural and biological engineering, said the grants help support the institute's mission of integrating research, education, and partnerships and engagement, reinforcing its dedication to preparing the next generation of agricultural and environmental leaders.
“Our goal is to provide impactful, solutions-oriented, engaged scholarship experiences that enable students to leverage skills they are learning in the classroom to real-world problems,” Preisendanz said. “Students in our college want to make a difference now; this program empowers faculty to foster relationships with external stakeholders relevant for their major and positions students to contribute to experiences that foster lasting, meaningful impact.”
Last year, five projects were funded, Preisendanz noted, adding that the initiatives have yielded important outcomes, providing benefits to students, faculty and the partners. One example is the "Landscapes and Land Management of the Greater Southwestern USA" course, which offers students an immersive educational experience focused on ecosystem science, land stewardship and leadership.
Led by Patrick Drohan, professor of pedology, in collaboration with New Mexico State University, the course integrates classroom instruction with a 10-day Maymester field tour through New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado.
Students collaborated with federal agencies, tribal leaders and scientists to address environmental challenges, including rangeland management, fire ecology, soil degradation and water rights. The field experience included site visits, soil assessments, camping in remote landscapes, and interaction with land managers from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service.
Drohan said one of the most powerful outcomes was the deepened understanding of the human dimensions of land management.
“By visiting reservations, Pueblo communities and sites of cultural significance, students were exposed to Indigenous perspectives, complex histories and the layered governance structures shaping land use in the Southwest,” he noted. “This broadened awareness builds cultural humility and civic responsibility — essential skills for professionals working in stakeholder-rich landscapes.”
He shared a statement made by student Brenna Fitzpatrick, a plant sciences major with a minor in entomology, who said the field program provided opportunities beyond the typical classroom setting.
“The field portion allowed me to put my skills learned in outdoor leadership to use, as well as learn about geomorphology and soil science in the field, recognizing concepts and landforms discussed in class,” Fitzpatrick said.
The other funded projects demonstrated a similar impact, Preisendanz noted.
“The projects ignited student interest in careers in environmental leadership and public service, provided benefits to the classes’ partners and generated meaningful seed data currently being leveraged by the faculty principal investigators for external grants," Preisendanz said. "We’re excited to see this year’s recipients continue the momentum.”
The 2025 projects are:
- “Conducting Penn State Plant Pathology Research in Pennsylvania High Schools,” Timothy McNellis, associate professor of plant pathology and of environmental microbiology
- The funding builds on last year’s project, “K-12 Citizen Scientist Plant Pathology and Genetics Research,” which brought Penn State research into high school classrooms in Philadelphia and Bellefonte. Students cultivated Arabidopsis thaliana, inoculated the plants with a fire blight pathogen and monitored immune responses.
- “Linking Student Development with Industry Needs: A Model for Applied Dairy Science Education,” Leoni Martins, assistant clinical professor of precision dairy nutrition
- The award will support activities in a capstone course on dairy science, facilitating farm visits and hands-on learning experiences. Additionally, it will help develop a user-friendly data evaluation tool that enhances students’ and industry professionals’ ability to interpret farm records and generate science-based, data-driven recommendations.
- “Leveraging the Human-Animal Bond to Improve Health Outcomes in Rural Pennsylvania Through the LION Mobile Clinic,” Jennifer Koehl, assistant teaching professor, undergraduate program coordinator and One Health minor coordinator
- This grant will support a capstone course for the One Health minor, which will involve student participation in One Health clinics and health education outreach through the Penn State College of Medicine’s LION Mobile Clinic, complemented by subsidized veterinary care from Centre County PAWS.
- “Engaging Community, Environment and Development/Women’s Study 420W Students in Analysis of Government Adoption of the CARE Farmer Field and Business School Model,” Kathleen Sexsmith, assistant professor of rural sociology
- Students will collaborate with CARE, a global development organization, to analyze qualitative data on its Farmer Field and Business School model. Students will assess how this model has been adopted by national extension systems in countries such as Uganda, Nepal and Colombia.
- “Forward Tees and Future Thinking: A Hands-On Approach to Sustainable Golf Course Design,” John Kaminski, professor of turfgrass science
- To prepare future turfgrass professionals to address contemporary environmental challenges, this project proposes an innovative integration of experiential learning, research and stakeholder engagement through the renovation and development of forward tees at Toftrees Golf Resort in State College.