The College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences offers 14 majors and 22 minors. CFANS' nationally recognized programs, hands-on learning, small-college feel, and broad array of internship and research opportunities provide students with the education and experience they need for successful carees in private businesses, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations, or for graduate study. Three business-related CFANS majors are highlighted below. To learn about more U of M major options, visit http://admissions.tc.umn.edu/admissioninfo/fresh_acadprog.html.

Major: Recreation Resource Management

Description: The Recreation Resource Management curriculum prepares students to plan and manage natural and non-urban recreational land and water, as well as manager the people and organizations that depend on these resources. The curriculum emphasizes natural and managed non-urban areas; natural resources-oriented recreation programs in public and private sectors; social science aspects of natural resources use; and skills in communication, planning, and management.

Examples of Careers: Environmental Educator, Environmentalist, Eco-Travel Consultant, Naturalist, Recreation Facility Manager, Wilderness/Adventure Guide, Natural Heritage Recreation Officer, or Park Ranger

Major: Applied Economics

Description: Applied economics is the social science that uses tools to analyze real-world problems. It allows us as individuals and as a society to think about making choices wisely in the areas of jobs, wages, taxes, pollution, poverty, economic growth, and more. Areas of study include management and finance, marketing, food retailing, trade and development, resources and the environment, and more. 

Major: Bioproducts Marketing and Management

Description: Bioproducts are materials, chemicals and energy derived from renewable bio-resources including forestry, agriculture and other biomass. The molecular building blocks and components of biomass can be harnessed to heat our homes, run our cars, light our buildings, and provide industrial and consumer products. This major provides students with knowledge in the sustainable utilization of bio-resources while protecting the environment. Students choose from two areas of specialization:

• Marketing and Management
• Residential Building Science and Technology

According to a new joint study by Apartments.com and CareerBuilder.com, Minneapolis is currently one of the country's top 15 cities for new college graduates.

Minneapolis (Minnesota's largest city) was ranked 4^th in the nation, following Washington D.C., New York, and Boston. Our city's score is better than Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Denver.

Minneapolis has the second-lowest unemployment rate of the 15 cities on the entire list, scoring at 5.6%.  It also has a lower rent rate, averaging $974 for a one-bedroom apartment, compared to $1,789 in New York or $1,814 in Boston.

Since there are more than one million bachelor's degrees earned each year, new graduates need to hastily decide where to work and live. Luckily, Minneapolis scored well in the entry-level position category of the study.

Throughout my educational career at the U of M, I have seen these statistics come to life in real situations. Many of my friends had not just one, but several internships in their fields while being a student, and several of them received jobs immediately after gradation. I myself have been lucky enough to gain valuable career experiences through three different internships while being a student here at the U of M.

Living in a major metro area is full of opportunities, especially since Minneapolis is a leader in healthcare, IT, manufacturing, and other forms of commerce. I'm glad to be taking advantage of the opportunities Minneapolis has to offer!

New College of Biological Sciences (CBS) faculty member G.W. Gant Luxton is currently making headway in the fight against dystonia, a common movement disorder. But his research holds a special place in his heart beyond simple scientific interest.

Luxton's Uncle Vince and his uncle's mother Gerry both suffered from Parkinson's Disease, a disorder of the brain that leads to shaking and difficulty with movement.

When Luxton was 24, Gerry passed away due to this condition. Coincidentally this was the time when he needed to select a focus area for his research. He chose dystonia, a similar neurological movement order. This area of study would allow him to explore his interest in cell polarity and the cytoskeleton. Currently scientists have identified mutated genes related to different forms of dystonia, but have still not concluded why these mutations result in the disease. Luxton is working to find that out, focusing on the most common and severe form of dystonia, "early onset torsion dystonia," which begins in children when they are just 11-12 years old.

Recently, Luxton was nominated for the Mallinckrodt Foundation award, which provides start-up funding to one junior faculty member in the U.S. every year.

"Grant's nomination reflects the great science he did as a graduate student and a postdoc, and his potential for uncovering a new disease mechanism that will hopefully lead to a treatment for this disease," says Michael O'Connor, head of the Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development (where Luxton is a new assistant professor)

"What I really like about working on dystonia is that it allows me to do practical, applied cell biology," Luxton says. "In trying to determine how mutations in dystonia-associated genes disrupt the molecular machinery that controls cell polarity...we hope to better our understanding of this fascinating aspect of basic cell biology."

After graduating from Grinnell and Northwestern he completed postdoctoral research at Columbia, then came to the University of Minnesota in 2011 for one reason. "The department was the biggest draw," he says. "I've got really great colleagues. I feel very supported and I'm really happy to be here."

Source credit: "Moving Ahead," www.cbs.umn.edu

My name is Emily Ehlert and I am gong to be the new Gopher Student blogger for the University of Minnesota Office of Admissions this summer! I will be a senior next year and am pursuing a double major in both Journalism and Theatre Arts.

Outside of school I have also worked as a promotions intern for the radio station 101.3 KDWB where I helped out with many events and helped to promote the radio station. 

I am currently a performer at ComedySportz Twin Cities where I perform live improvisational comedy in a "sport-like" setting, doing scenes based on audience suggestions. This summer I am also interning at Allied THA where I will be working with Paramount Pictures and promoting their films in the Twin Cities. 

Since I was a freshman at the U of M in fall 2009, my class got to be the first to create the now-traditional "M" on the TCF Bank Stadium, and my Gopher pride has grown more and more every day since then. I have loved the opportunities the U of M has provided to me, not only because I'm at a Big 10 university, but also because the University that lies in the heart of a major metropolitan area!

I will be updating this blog throughout the summer with information about upcoming events, profiles on current students, and all things U of M--the great academics, opportunities, and even Goldy himself.

I look forward to communicating with you throughout the upcoming summer!

Sincerely,

Emily Ehlert

On April 25^th, University of Minnesota students "explored the dark side of fairy tales" with No White, a fashion show featuring the sixteen finalists from a design competition in March. Each designer was paired with a student model, and designers were encouraged to use thrift store finds and incorporate unconventional materials. No white was allowed in the designs. The theme of the event was villainy, murder, passion, and deception.

The fashion show took place was produced by the WAM Collective--the official student group at the U of M which bridges the gap between the Weisman Art Museum and the U of M community. No White was a part of the creative celebration around Ballet Preljocaj's performance of Snow White, presented by Northrop.

Take a look at the photos below, which showcase the work of the U of M's talented design students! 

Photo credit: All photos by Travis Chantar, for the Weisman Art Museum.