Betsy Oehlke

Soil Scientist
USDA-NRCS, Baxter, MN

Home: Glenwood City, WI
B.S. Crop and Soil Science, Conservation Minor (Dec. 2010)

As a Soil Scientist for the United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), I spend much of my time working outdoors, independently, documenting and collecting information about soils found across the landscape. The information that I document is then used for agricultural purposes, land use planning, environmental planning, silviculture and many other fields. 

When I’m not working outside, I educate landowners and businesses about the importance and function of soils and how soils play a role in their life or their job. I also do a lot of work with data entry; the information I obtain from my documentation gets entered into a national database. That information ultimately ends up on WebSoilSurvey, where a person can find soil information for any location within the United States.

I am very proud to say that I am an alumna of CAFES. The professors and courses fully prepared me for a career doing what I love. Every professor was willing to set aside time to help me with my goals. I was also very involved with the Crops and Soils Club, which helped me build my networking skills and allowed me to talk to people in my industry to determine what career I really wanted to pursue.  I will always be grateful for my professors and CAFES for helping me shape a future in a career I love.

Jason Cavadini 

Graduate Student
Anticipated M.S. in Agronomy (Soil Fertility and Soil Conservation) at Purdue University

Home: La Crosse, WI           
B.S. Crop & Soil Science (May 2011)  

When I decided to transfer to UW-River Falls to complete a Bachelor’s Degree, I had a good idea of what I wanted to accomplish after spending several years in the workforce. I appreciated the fact that my advisor was more than willing to spend time ensuring that I receive proper credit for my previous courses.

My education at UWRF was unique in that it provided a good mix of classroom, hands-on, and professional experiences. I developed leadership skills as an officer in the Crops and Soils Club and attended professional meetings where I presented research and developed the professional relationships that have been so crucial to my success today. In addition, I was a member of the Soils Judging Team, and took advantage of opportunities to travel across the country to evaluate soils in a manner similar to professional soil scientists. With the guidance of my advisors, I also gained experience in research, as an undergraduate, that set me apart from other students while seeking graduate programs.

All of these experiences led to a developing interest in soil fertility and soil conservation, and the roles they play in the future success of agriculture. Upon graduation I felt well-prepared for graduate school. I am now studying soil fertility and soil conservation in cover crops at Purdue University, where I’m pursuing a Master’s Degree in Agronomy. Ultimately I’d like to pursue a career as an agricultural consultant or an extension educator. The educational background that I have brought with me from UWRF has proven to be more than adequate over and over again during my time as a graduate student, and I am confident that it will continue to do so throughout my career.