From barn to field to restaurant floor, our various programs in agricultural science, animal technology, and culinary arts provide LBCC students with hands-on experience to prepare them for their future careers. Students in our culinary program get an opportunity to hone their skills in real restaurant settings, while animal technology students get to practice looking after everything from horses to cattle - all in two years!

Jenny Strooband had a student once who’d never left the Willamette Valley. The student grew up in Falls City, west of Monmouth (population: 947 in the 2010 census). She came to Strooband’s Equine Science program at Linn-Benton Community College essentially just because she liked horses.

Soren Skinner grew up in the kitchen. “My happiest memories, since the age of two, were those spent cooking with my family.

Skinner’s father worked for several years as a cook. “He worked a lot to support us when I was a kid. That time spent in the kitchen with my family was precious,” said Skinner.

Taryn McAllister was in the right place, at the right time, to become Lake Oswego Hunt Club’s next barn director. But without her associate’s degree in animal technology – horse management, she may never have had the chance.

“I was a product of the judging team when I was a student at LBCC,” said Rick Klampe, one of two coaches for the Linn-Benton Community College livestock judging team. “I went on to win a national competition as an individual.”

Students in the Agricultural Science Department at Linn-Benton Community College can follow an animal science track, or an animal technology track. While most students in animal science transfer to pursue a four-year degree, those in the animal technology programs do not. They go straight to work after graduation.

Every Wednesday at noon our legislators and legislative staff members are invited to join virtual presentations from some of Oregon's various community colleges on zoom for "Workforce Wednesday." Each week, colleges will share real-life examples and updates about that week's corresponding theme. Collectively, Workforce Wednesdays will provide a quick snapshot of how we are putting Oregonians back to work and are serving as the state's economic recovery first responders.

LBCC encourages our legislators to join the Community College Caucus! This bipartisan group is comprised of legislators who want to support the work of colleges, and engage in issues affecting students and institutions, in order to build a stronger community. The caucus meets monthly depending on the legislative schedule and what issues are currently under consideration, and is open to any member who would like to participate. We welcome staff members as well! For more information or to become a part of this group, please contact Jennifer Boehmer, LBCC Executive Director of Advancement, at boehmej@linnbenton.edu

LBCC asks for your support of HB 2907, the bill that seeks to fully fund community colleges. Especially now as our communities are seeking ways to rebuild from the wildfires and the pandemic, community colleges are critical to reviving Oregon's workforce. When the destructive wildfires damaged the state’s communities, community colleges provided emergency aid and food through our programs. During the state’s economic downturn and increased workload on healthcare responders, community colleges trained frontline workers to help ease the load. LBCC, like all community colleges in Oregon, serves some of our most marginalized populations, who have already suffered disproportionately due to COVID. Without additional federal and state support, colleges will struggle, and our students will bear the brunt of these challenges. We ask for your support.