13th Ag Bowl Sept. 7 at SMSU

The 13th annual Ag Bowl — presented by Ralco — is set for Saturday, Sept. 7 at the Schwan Regional Event Center and SREC parking lot on the campus of Southwest Minnesota State University.

Ag Bowl is a celebration of agriculture in Minnesota and features numerous events for both kids and adults. The sponsors of this year’s Ag Bowl include Ralco, Titan Machinery, HyVee, CHS, Minnesota Corn & Soybean Growers Association, Lyon County Corn & Soybean Growers and their check-offs, Midwest Ag Enterprises, Action Track Chair and Action Sports.

Starting at 3 p.m., activities for all ages begin, including pig races, a petting zoo, tractor displays, hay rides, cow pie bingo, face painting, mechanical bull riding, inflatable games, farm bingo, hay maze, crafts and a free football clinic hosted by SMSU football coaches and staff from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The popular kids pedal pull also returns and will take place with registration starting at 4 p.m. for ages 4-11. The pig races are set to begin at 4 p.m.

The Ralco “Get To Know Your Food” Zone is back serving food and beverages from 3:30-6 p.m.

The day is capped by the SMSU football game versus Minnesota State starting at 6 p.m.

Proceeds generated by the Ag Bowl will fund scholarships and programming for worthy student-athletes and young people who will dedicate their careers to business success in agriculture, environmental science and the food industries.

SMSU’s educational programs in agriculture, environmental science and food arts and sciences develop young people who spend their careers working to grow the economic success of the agricultural industry. In acknowledgement of these efforts, the University has been the recipient of three NCAA Civic Engagement Awards for Ag Bowl.

Southwest Minnesota State University is proud of the fact that it is located in southwest Minnesota, where agriculture provides the cultural and economic foundation for the region. To inquire about any of the six SMSU ag programs, email Agriculture@SMSU.edu.

SMSU ranked 7th nationally for affordable bachelor’s degrees

Southwest Minnesota State University has been ranked No. 7 in the country for its affordable bachelor’s degrees by Best Value Schools.

SMSU is the only Minnesota university ranked in the category, which considers cost versus value of schools. The methodology includes degree investment return; student and alumni evaluation; cost value; matriculation; and academic success. Those weighted categories are scored against the net price to come up with the rankings.

“As college costs continue to rise, many budget-conscious students consider affordability a major factor in choosing a school,” wrote Best Value Schools. “The rankings include some of the best schools offering a full range of programs that fit your needs, along with reasonable tuition and financial aid opportunities.”

In its SMSU synopsis, Best Value Schools stated that SMSU has the same tuition rate for nearly all its students, in state and out of state; offers banded tuition, allowing students to take between 12 and 18 credits per semester and pay only the 12-credit rate; and 80 percent of students receive some form of financial assistance.

“One of the factors that makes SMSU attractive to students and their families is the fact that it’s an excellent value, and we’re very happy to be recognized for that,” said SMSU President Kumara Jayasuriya. “Ninety-nine percent of our recent graduates find jobs or enroll in grad school, and they aren’t burdened with overwhelming student debt.”

More about the rankings can be found at: www.bestvalueschools.com.