Baking & Snack - June 2009 - 14

14

R&D PERSPECTIVE | THERESA COGSWELL

GrainBRAINS
Graduating in baking science equals jobs - even in 2009.

J

une is the time of year when family and
friends gather to celebrate the accomplishments of recent graduates. The
festive events honor the hard work of
the past and the opportunities for the future. However, many 2009 college graduates
are planning to stay in school because of the
bleak job market. Less than 20% of college
graduates have jobs, and many others are
seeking positions they might have had as a
high school graduate.
At Kansas State University, one department dramatically improves the job placement numbers: the Grain Science and
Industry Department. The department,
which includes baking science, milling science and feed science programs, has 100%
placement of its graduating seniors. Yes,
100%! Tremendous news for baking science
graduates, but not so good news for bakers
looking for a bright college graduate who
has specialized in bakery science.
The recruitment numbers for the KSU
bakery science program have improved
dramatically during the past two years.
The 2008 freshman class was 25 students
strong, and the projected class for fall 2009
currently includes students declaring baking science as their chosen major.
The class of 2008 was the largest freshmen class in 15 years ... in 15 years! And
the baking science graduates have 100%
placement? This is a huge disconnect! To
my colleagues in the baking industry and
KSU baking science alumnus, your help is
needed to assist recruiting the next generation of trained bakery scientists.
Last month, the Grain Science and Industry Department took its recruitment efforts
to Minneapolis, MN, to try a different apBAKING & SNACK / June 2009

ᮡ Dave Krishock (left), BNEF Baking Science Professor and chairman of the Grain Science Recruitment Committee, and Laci
Heller, recruiting assistant and 2008 Feed Science Graduate, enjoy the Mill City Museum., Minneapolis, MN.
proach by engaging its alumni. The "Brains
for Grains" program, held at the Mill City
Museum, was deemed a success. With more
than 30 alumni in attendance and nearly 15
corporate sponsors, the event introduced
the opportunities of baking, milling and
feed science to a dozen new recruits.
Dirk Maier, PhD, head of the Grain Science Department, and Dave Krishock,
Baker's National Educational Foundation
instructor and Recruitment Committee
chair for the department, took a risk. Going
into the evening, they did not know if even
a single recruit would attend. But the risk
paid off. A dozen potential recruits for the
department attended, but also important
was the large crowd of KSU alumni present.

Toss in a very healthy group of corporate sponsors who were able to share their
own employment successes and job opportunities with the recruits (as well as a
lot of KSU Purple Pride), and you have a
successful recruitment event.
The long-term success of the KSU baking science program will depend on the
degree to which the industry is willing to
support it. The baking industry cannot
expect to harvest the fruit of seeds that it
neither plants nor cultivates. Tell your family, friends and local high school students
about the great education opportunity in
baking science at Kansas State University. It
is time to give back to an industry that has
been so good to us!
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Baking & Snack - June 2009

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