AGRI 320
Syllabus
Dr. Mari Loehrlein
MM-Loehrlein@westernonline.wiu.edu
Fall 2014
2 credits
Office Hours: M W 10:50 AM –11:50 A.M., TH 1-3 PM or by appointment
AGRI 320 IS A HYBRID COURSE. There will be online quizzes, PowerPoints to view,
Dropboxes for some assignments, and Discussion Board interactions. There will also be
mandatory classroom activities, and mandatory outside-the –classroom activities, including
a Career Fair, Resume Review and Mock Interview with WIU Career Development Services,
and an Etiquette Dinner.
WESTERN ONLINE: Go to http://wiu.edu, drag down menu for TOOLS, select WO
(Log-in using your e-com student id and password, these are the same as you used to get your
WIU e-mail account.) UTECH: If you need help, contact UTECH in Stipes 126, or call 2982704, or email them at support@wiu.edu.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Agriculture 320 is designed to assist students in developing
adaptive and transferrable skills that aid them in being successful upon graduation. Topics
include resume preparation, letter writing, interviewing, appropriate attire and etiquette, and
personal finance.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
1. Construct a professional resume and cover letter
2. Research a specific company prior to an interview
3. Utilize resources to obtain a desired position
4. Identify professional jobs and expected salaries for their chosen profession
5. Interview for a position using proper interview etiquette
6. Develop an E-Recruiting profile with WIU Career Development
7. Research and understand proper dining etiquette and professional attire
8. Calculate a budget using the expected starting salary
RESOURCE: The Career Development Center
(http://www.wiu.edu/student_services/career_development_center/) at WIU will be your go-to
resource for information, materials, and advice. They will conduct a mock interview with you,
including a resume review.
COMMUNICATION:
You may visit with me during my office hours. Otherwise, email through WesternOnline is the
preferred form of communication. Use the EMAIL feature under COMMUNICATION in
WesternOnline to email me.
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AGRI 320
I will communicate with the class in person or through WesternOnline throughout the course. If
there is pertinent information that I must convey, I will use the NEWS feature, which appears on
the HOME PAGE of the course. I may also EMAIL class members using the WesternOnline
email feature.
WEEK 1
August 25-29
Make an appointment with Michelle Howe at the WIU Career Development Center
(309.298.1838; Email: careers@wiu.edu) for a Resume Review and Mock Interview the weeks
of October 20-24 and October 27-31 are reserved for our two classes.
***You MUST email a final draft of your Resume and Cover
Letter to CDC 2 WEEKS BEFORE your Mock Interview***
CDC personnel may not have time to discuss your interview and resume all in one sitting, but
they will critique them via email and will have time to point out a few things during your mock
interview.
Michelle Howe is a School of Agriculture graduate and is particularly familiar with Agriculturerelated jobs, so she is the preferred person for you to interview with. If she is unavailable for
your time slot, someone else will be available.
Please note the following tips and requirements concerning your Resume Review and Mock
Interview:
 Your interview must take place in person.
 You must e-mail a Resume, Cover Letter, and Job Description for a job for which you are
applying to Your Interviewer at CDC 2 weeks in advance – including the name of
Company/Organization to whom you are applying.
 You must “CC” me, Dr. Loehrlein, when you email your Resume, Cover Letter, and Job
Description to the Career Development Center.
 Your interviewer will make corrections on your resume – YOU MUST Give me a copy
of the resume with their corrections on it.
 Please conduct a Company Profile in advance of your interview.
 You must fill out a Mock Interview Feedback Form at the end of the interview. Please
solicit this feedback from your interviewer. The Mock Interview Feedback Form is on
WesternOnline. You will submit the Feedback Form with your Mock Interview SelfAssessment Assignment.
 Allow at least 30 to 45 minutes for the Mock Interview.
Western Online: Students are required to use the course website at:
www.westernonline.wiu.edu and all assignments will be submitted through the website. Course
notes, handouts, and additional material will be posted throughout the semester on this website.
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AGRI 320
COURSE ASSIGNMENT BREAKDOWN*
Graded Items and Assignments
Points
Assignments
Job Descriptions
Resume – 1st draft
Company Profile
Cover Letter
Thank You Letter
STAR Interviewing
Etiquette Report
Etiquette Dinner
Mock Interview Self-Assessment
eRecruiting
Final Resume
Tax Form
Take-Home Pay
Budget
TOTAL
20
20
30
25
25
20
25
15
20
15
50
10
10
10
295
Discussion Posts
Introduce Yourself
Job Site
Post Company for Profile Assignment
Salaries
TOTAL
5
5
5
6
21
Quizzes
Quiz 1 – Resume
Quiz 2 – Letters
Quiz 3 - Salary, Dress, Etiquette
Quiz 4 - Personal Finance
TOTAL
20
20
20
20
80
Final Exam
40
GRAND TOTAL
436
*Subject to change with notice at the instructor’s discretion.
PLEASE refer to individual assignment handouts for all the details.
Assignments are due on the day specified.
Assignments turned in one day after the due date will be receive 50% of the grade, those
received two days late will receive 10%, and after that they will be graded as ZERO.
NO EXCEPTIONS!
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AGRI 320
Grade Scale:
A = 93 - 100%
A- = 90 – 92.99%
B+ =88 – 89.99%
B = 83 – 87.99%
B- = 80 – 82.99%
C+ = 78 – 79.99%
C = 73-77.99%
C- = 70 – 72.99%
D+ = 68 – 69.99%
D = 63 - 67.99%
D- = 60 – 62.99%
F = <59.99%
Written Assignments:
 Should be typed using 12 pt. font, double-spaced, 1 inch margins, unless otherwise
specified. Resumes may be formatted differently – please refer to course resources for
details.
 Assignments submitted on Western On-line should be submitted as a Microsoft Word
document, unless otherwise specified.
ATTENTION EDUCATION MAJORS
You are required to receive a grade of a "C" or better in this course in order to meet new
requirements. With the new university +/- grading system, receiving a "C-" or below will
require you to retake this course or find a substitute course to meet School of Agriculture
graduation requirements.
ADA COMPLIANCE
“In accordance with University policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), academic
accommodations may be made for any student who notifies the instructor of the need for an
accommodation. For the instructor to provide the proper accommodation(s) you must obtain
documentation of the need for an accommodation through Disability Resource Center (DRC) and
provide it to the instructor. It is imperative that you take the initiative to bring such needs to the
instructor's attention, as he/she is not legally permitted to inquire about such particular needs of
students. Students who may require special assistance in emergency evacuations (i.e. fire,
tornado, etc.) should contact the instructor as to the most appropriate procedures to follow in such
an emergency. Contact Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 298-2512 for additional services.”
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