Agricultural & Applied Economics
College of Agricultural & Life Sciences

Undergraduate Resources

Students are highly encouraged to explore, participate or engage in co-curricular and extracurricular activities for personal and professional development in addition to pursuing academic excellence! This page compiles the resources for various opportunities relevant to AAE and ABM students.

Academic Opportunities

Get started with study abroad and view the Major Advising Pages for AAE and ABM.

Attend an in-person or Zoom Study Abroad 101 and Funding information sessions – find all dates here.

Chat with a study abroad advisor through CALS Study Abroad Advising!
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Read about an ABM student’s recent experience of a study abroad program in the Czech Republic: https://blog.studyabroad.wisc.edu/archives/23845

Each year students must complete the General Application in WiSH in order to be matched to any open Departmental, School/College, and University scholarship applications. The CALS scholarship application window is usually November to February for the following academic year awarding. Work on your apps during the winter break!

  • Eligible current AAE/ABM students should apply to the Renk Scholarship. See past scholarship recipients’ profiles here (2024-25) and here (2023-24).

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The Pulver-Shaffer Scholarship is awarded annually for undergrads who have or had an internship, project, or study in the area of Community Development. Stay tuned!

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Connect with Undergraduate Academic Awards for nation-wide and campus-wide awards.

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The Wisconsin Agricultural and Life Sciences Alumni Association (WALSAA) awards scholarships for outstanding sophomores and seniors! The application period is in November to January every year.

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The GROWMARK Foundation provides scholarships to students pursuing agriculture and business-related degrees or certificates. Info for 2026 applications TBA. Contact recruiting@growmark.com for questions.

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The Midwest Food Products Association (MWFPA) scholarships open in early December and closes early April.

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There’s a CALS Internship Scholarship (links to 2025 app page, 2026 info TBA) for students who have an unpaid or underpaid summer internship! Application window: February to April.

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Sheboygan County Wisconsin Scholarships: many opportunities with various deadlines!
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Also check out the Sustainability Writing Awards – usually due around the last week of November.

Real-world experience in the classroom:

  • AAE 250: Trading Futures in Commodity Markets (new course in spring 2026!)
  • AAE 267: Career Development Seminar
  • AAE 375: Classroom Consulting (offered in fall 2025)
  • AAE 500: Capstone (offered every year, spring only)

Participate in CALS Case Competitions

Each semester, CALS hosts a Case Competition in partnership with a company or organization. Sponsored by the Renk Agribusiness Institute, these activities allow for teams of CALS undergraduate students from different majors to work together and provide recommendations on a real-world scenario.

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There’s an opportunity to experience real-world commodities trading through the CME Trading Challenge Enroll in AAE 250 and/or AAE 322 or connect with Prof. Sheldon Du if you’re interested!

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If you thoroughly enjoy/ed the course AAE 422: Food Systems and Supply Chains, check out the
Supply Chain Management Exploration Badge

Research in applied economics require technical skills in statistical coding (e.g., R, Stata, Python background) plus rigorous course selection in economics and math. Students should have completed at minimal, MATH 221, AAE/ECON 101, ECON 102 and ECON 310. Economics research is best suited for those wanting to pursue graduate school in economics/analytics or a career in economic academia.

See research topics and faculty associated with various areas of AAE in –

An additional resource for considering research in economics: predoc.org

However, AAE/ABM students can participate in research outside of applied economics! WISCIENCE offers Find-a-Mentor workshops and peer leader drop-ins.

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CALS has a Honors in Research Program for motivated students wanting to conduct their own original research and write a senior thesis.

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Prof. Steven Deller and a student, Charles Zumbrunnen completed a paper titled “A Trade Area Analysis of Wisconsin Retail and Service Markets: Updated for 2022”. Read it here!

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An AAE student published an article in the Equilibrium Vo. 15 about Warm Commodities in spring 2025. Equilibrium is an Undergrad Journal of Economics hosted by the Dept. of Economics.

Career Advising

Whether you’re just beginning your exploration, searching for a specific career path, writing resumes or prepping for interviews, there’re resources and support available for you at every step! On-campus resources available to all AAE/ABM students:

CALS Career Services   Career Exploration Center   Career Fairs and Events   Career Assessments

The State of WI Student Diversity Internship Program (SWSDIP) recruits students every year for multiple positions. Apps for 2026 will open in 2025 mid December.

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Check out the competitive Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago paid summer internship program. Internships postings appear in Oct.-Jan. for start in June.

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Promega has many internships in Madison! Great opportunities if you’re interested in research, marketing, sales or operations.
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Year-round marketing internship with Steelcase Inc.
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There’re many U.S. government internships and International Affairs-related jobs/internships that will be a great fit for AAE/ABM students! Also check out this article for a list of potential employers.
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Consider an intern abroad experience! Explore international internships through IAP and through UW Study Abroad.

Insight FS has an open position in Ixonia, WI for Grain Originator. Recruiter contact: Heidi Johnson, hejohnson@insightfs.com.

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Rain and Hail, a crop insurance company has an Insurance Specialist Development Program for full-time, permanent positions. See full details and apply here.

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Browse for various career opportunities all over the U.S. with Dairy Farmers of America.

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Also see job posting platforms AGcareers.com and goodfoodjobs.com.

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Interested in working at UW-Madison? See all currently open positions! Current student job openings are found here.

If you haven’t already, set up your Handshake & LinkedIn profiles! Stay up to date with AAE happenings on LinkedIn.

Use Big Interview for help with cover letters and interview prep.

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There’s a Women in Agribusiness (WIA) professional network! Students can apply for a scholarship to attend the annual WIA Summit.

Data reports of post-undergrad jobs/career fields and salaries for AAE/ABM students or CALS students and counterparts at multiple universities.

2023-2024

2022-2023

2021-2022

Extracurricular Opportunities

The Morgridge Center for Public Service has volunteer resources and opportunities specifically for UW-Madison students looking to get involved in the community through service. Filter search opportunities by major, cause, and interest areas. Or become a Badger Volunteer!

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Apply to join the Wisconsin Experience Bus Trip! This is an exclusive, no-cost leadership journey across the state, open to both undergraduate and graduate students.

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The Center for Leadership and Involvement (CFLI) is a great place to explore and connect with undergrad involvement in many areas! The CFLI also has a Leadership Certificate program and a Women’s Leadership Award.

The AAE department or UW-Madison does not directly endorse the organizations and companies presented here unless apparent or specifically noted. For each opportunity, please refer to the provided links and contact information for further details. The postings will be updated as frequently as the opportunities appear, so check back often!