Laying the groundwork for student success

This fall, the University of Minnesota hosted the Region V Soil Judging Contest in Crookston, Minnesota. The event was months in the making and spanned more than 30 miles of the Red River Valley. The result was a substantive, hands-on learning experience for more than 60 students and 15 coaches and faculty mentors from eight universities across the Midwest and the Great Plains. Nic Jelinski, PhD, pedologist and faculty mentor of the UMN Soil Judging Team, organized the weeklong contest.