Wide Open – Dawson Sawatzky
Hearing about the experiences of friends and family who attended the Diploma in Agriculture program at the University of Manitoba’s School of Agriculture, Dawson Sawatzky knew this was the program to help build his business acumen to augment his farm know-how.
The two-year program features the Management Planning Project where students bring together the knowledge they have acquired throughout the program in a comprehensive farm plan that moves them from where the farm is today, to where they want it to be. Dawson recalls the caliber of the student advisors available through this project as a highlight of his time in the program.
“It is great to be able to have such knowledgeable people who are willing to sit down with you and discuss what you are learning, while focusing on how that fits in with managing a farm,” says Dawson.
Graduating with a Diploma with Distinction in 2017, Dawson is now working full-time on the family farm applying his knowledge to farm finances and marketing and is looking forward to becoming a shareholder as he continues to transition into a farm manager.
“The program taught me the ‘language’ of agriculture, and now I feel like I can talk about and understand the industry more as I work on our family farm.”
When asked about what he would tell a young person considering taking the diploma program, he would say not only do students gain an understanding and knowledge of the agricultural industry, they gain the opportunity to make connections with people in the industry that will benefit them over the longer term.
The Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences offers diverse programs where students are able to focus on what matters to them, whether it’s environmental stewardship, animal and plant care, commodity markets, human nutrition, or food safety. Along the way, students build the skills and knowledge that can take them from the field, to the research lab, to the boardroom. For students of Agricultural and Food Sciences, the options are – literally—wide open.
See more stories about students and alumni, and learn more about our programs.