Written by Jana Caracciolo, senior food and resource economics major
Only four short years ago I decided where to spend the next four years of my college life. Now as a senior in my last semester at the University of Florida (UF) in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) I know I made the right choice.
There are many things I now know that I wasn’t previously aware of that have only affirmed my decision. Now that I am applying to law school, I am happy I chose one of the undergraduate institutions that historically sends the most students to law schools, and is now a top nine public university.
Although these are great reasons to choose UF, here are my top five reasons why I chose UF CALS in my pursuit of a career in food and agricultural law.
5. Dedication to solving our world’s most pressing needs
What continues to attract me to the field of food and ag law is its ability to help solve some of our world’s biggest concerns such as poverty and environmental issues. Through CALS I have had the opportunity to learn more about these problems through class work and by being involved in organizations like the CALS Ambassador program and other student groups that have enabled me to take action against these issues.
4. Student involvement opportunities
No matter if you plan on working or going to grad school after graduation, involvement looks impressive on resumes and CVs. UF CALS has many department- and college-based organizations that have helped enrich my college experience as well as open doors to introduce me to people working in the field of food and agricultural law.
3. Curriculum design
With my career interests being in food and agricultural law, CALS was the perfect fit based on curriculum. With the agricultural and natural resource law minor, along with my major of food and resource economics I have gained knowledge that will give me a leg up when in law school and even in my career.
2.Personalized attention from professors and advisors
CALS professors and advisors value their students. Despite having research and other responsibilities, professors seem to always make time for their students. CALS’ academic advising is beyond wonderful. Each department and major has its own academic advisor or team of advisors that are familiar with what classes need to be taken for students to graduate on time. Advisors are extremely helpful with choosing which jobs to take or grad schools to apply to. In CALS, the success of the students comes first.
1. Land-grant reputation
UF is Florida’s largest and best-known land-grant institution, which means there are plenty of opportunities for networking through events, like the Florida Agriculture Hall of Fame Banquet, and to gain valuable experiences through internships and research.
If I had to do my undergraduate years over again, I would still choose UF CALS. These five reasons, and many more are what has made this college perfect for me. No matter what you choose to do with your future, UF CALS has a major that will set you on the right path. The ease of getting involved will only add to the knowledge gained in the classroom, making the job hunt or grad school applications a little bit easier.
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