University News

WIU Agriculture Again Participating in College Aggies Online Competition

September 27, 2017

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MACOMB, IL – As part of the annual College Aggies Online competition, students in Western Illinois University's School of Agriculture will hand out chocolate milk as runners cross the finish line in the Old Stompin' Ground Runaround Saturday, Sept. 30 and the Fallen Soldiers 5K Saturday, Oct. 14.

This is the third year WIU students have competed in the national scholarship portion of the College Aggies Online program. WIU has won the competition, and the $2,500 top prize, the past two years. One of the competition's challenges is to promote the dairy industry.

The WIU club is comprised of students in the "Communicating Agriculture Issues" class, taught by School of Agriculture Instructor Jana Knupp. WIU students will attend both upcoming running events to not only give out chocolate milk, donated by Prairie Farms, but also explain the nutritional benefits of drinking it after a run.

"Experienced runners are often looking for us after the race, because they already know the benefits of chocolate milk," said Knupp. "Often new runners are surprised to learn that chocolate milk is so good for them after a run."

Students will ask runners to participate in a short survey about their exercise and diet plans while giving away the half pints of milk.

"We know runners are looking for a good, post-run nutrition source, and chocolate milk fits that bill," said WIU agriculture student Nathan Hilleson, a senior from Lee, IL. "We want to continue to offer participants this knowledge, so they can take advantage of the benefits."

For more information, contact Knupp at (309) 298-1246. Learn more about the College Aggies Online program at collegeaggies.animalagalliance.org/.

To register for the Homecoming race, visit wiu.edu/alumni/race.php. To register for the Fallen Soldiers 5K, visit bit.ly/2hxtioC.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing