A College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences alumna will complete her iMBA at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign later this year, and along with it an Agribusiness and Sustainable Food Production Economics Certificate. 

Rachel Rosentreter graduated from the Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communications program in 2019, beginning her full-time career at Bayer shortly after. After a few years, she decided to pursue her iMBA through the Gies College of Business, a premier online MBA program.  An attractive degree on its own, the opportunity to complete the program with an accreditation in agriculture ultimately pushed her toward it. 

“I work for an agricultural company and plan to be in the agriculture industry throughout my career,” Rosentreter said. “When I heard that ACES was partnering with Gies, it secured my decision of pursuing my iMBA through the U of I. I felt that getting an MBA that also allowed me to explore topics in agriculture related directly to my personal and professional journey.”

The partnership that Rosentreter referred to was launched in 2024 when faculty and staff from ACES and the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics began creating courses for a certificate aimed at agribusiness and sustainable food production economics, which could be applied toward the Gies iMBA. Rosentreter is among the first cohort to complete the certificate. 

“I’ve enjoyed learning more about topics outside of midwestern production agriculture,” she said of the certificate coursework. “Whether this has been production agriculture in countries like Brazil or others, researching a specific crop of interest for a whole class to really understand the ins and outs, or getting to hear from many different outside speakers, there have been many great learning opportunities.” 

The certificate is tailored to early- to mid-career professionals and is offered in a flexible, online format. The 12-credit-hour program consists of four credit-bearing graduate courses and six Coursera components, and it can be completed in as little as two semesters. 

“The ‘go at your own pace’ and being able to work when you need to has been beneficial for someone like myself who works full time and also travels for work often,” she explained of the format. “The certificate classes have been very engaging and discussion-heavy, which I have also enjoyed. I’ve learned a lot from my classmates, even when having to watch the recording because I couldn’t attend a live session.”

Although the credit earned through the certificate can be applied to one of three Gies College of Business online master's degree – the iMBA, iMSA, or iMSM – or an ACES online master's degree, it can also be completed as a stand-alone graduate certificate for those looking to develop skills, earn advanced credentials, and progress in their career. 

Created to cover global food production and the distribution of agricultural commodities and food products, the courses allow students to dive into financing and risk management in agricultural production and explore various contemporary challenges in the food and agriculture sector.

For Rosentreter, the certificate and the investment have already shown return in her career and in her personal life. 

“I’m in classes I’m passionate about with the certificate and not just getting through a class to check a box. The content directly impacts my work or personal life since I work in agriculture but also grew up on and still help on the farm today.” 

Similar to the College of ACES, this certificate is not limited to those with a background or an interest in working in agriculture. The four graduate courses that make up the certificate – Global Agriculture and Supply Chains, Risk and Decision-Making in Agriculture, Agriculture as an Asset Class, Modern Issues in Food & Agriculture – are structured to address real-world issues like the agricultural supply chain, food production, and environmental topics. The content is delivered by industry veterans who share not only their extensive knowledge but also offer personalized insights tailored to your unique goals. 

While the focus of the certificate directly applies to her career and background, Rosentreter recognizes the cross-disciplinary nature of the subject matter and encourages anyone with an interest in learning about agriculture to consider pursuing the certificate. 

“It has allowed me to open my thoughts to consider global agriculture, environmental impacts, or how certain changes will impact farmers and companies,” she said. “Even for those who aren’t in agriculture, these classes are amazing opportunities to broaden perspectives and to help everyone understand the importance of agriculture in everyday life.” 

If you are interested in learning more about the Agribusiness and Sustainable Food Production Economics Certificate or another graduate certificate in the College of ACES, you can visit https://acesonline.illinois.edu/.