World Grain - March 2009 - 71

SUPPLIERNEWS

Twenty-two graduate from SMS

In January, 22 students from 16 countries graduated from the Swiss School of Milling. Photo courtesy of Buhler.
ST. GALLEN, SWITZERLAND - The
Swiss School of Milling (SMS), St. Gallen,
Switzerland, recently announced that 22
young specialists from 16 different countries
received their diplomas on Jan. 29. This was
the culmination of their 10-month training
to become grain milling technologists and
their six-month stay in Switzerland.
SMS said the packed curriculum of the
52nd course was characterized by its broad
range of theoretical subjects and its strong
practice orientation. Michael Weber, the
head of the SMS since August 2008, addressed the graduates during a ceremony.
"This training was a lesson for life," he said
in his address. "Today, you are all winners.
But remember that you will also no doubt
face failure one day. That's the way it goes.
But the important point is that you stand up
again and try over and over again."
The SMS was set up 52 years ago by the
global Buhler Technology Group, which
continues to offer its substantial support.
Since its foundation, more than 1,000 students have been trained at SMS to become
grain milling technologists.
Lorenz Buhler, head of sales of the grain
processing division of the Uzwil, Switzerland-based Buhler Technology Group, said
he is convinced that the young experts are
now excellently equipped to hold their own
in the current difficult environment. "We
need innovative, well-trained specialists like
you," Buhler said in his address to the new
graduates. "I am convinced that the field of
grain milling continues to offer room for new
72

opportunities and business fields, and this in
all parts of the world. The training you have
received enables you to further advance the
milling industry."
He then presented the Dr. René Buhler
Award, which goes to the best in class of each
course. This year Nurudeen Oke from Nigerian Flour Mills in Nigeria was the recipient.
Students awarded their diplomas as grain
milling technologists were: Sunday Akinola
(Nigeria), Bobby Ariyanto (Indonesia), Edwin Carrillo Pallares (Colombia), Shiran
Davidovich (Israel), Mary Gleason (U.S.),
André Gonçalves de Aguiar (Brazil), Virgilio Ignacio (Philippines), Hidenao Ishikawa (Japan), Kenichi Kanai (Japan), Wataru Kaneko (Japan), Angelos Koutsoukos
(Greece), Sin Sing Eric Ngo (Singapore),
Nurudeen Oke (Nigeria), Adewale Oladimeji Oyemade (Nigeria), Sharad Parag
(South Africa), Udik Pribadi (Indonesia),
Karthik Sreerama (India), Zakayo Sumari
(Kenya), Tiago Texeira da Silva (Portugal),
Kohru Tokumoto (Japan), Levente Varga
(Ungarn) and Rémy Vulliermet (France).
Gleason, the only female graduate, returned to Kansas State University (KSU)
in January and will graduate from KSU in
May with a degree in Milling Science and
Management and a minor in Agriculture
Economics.
"A college education is more than the
classes and exams taken during one's academic career," Gleason told World Grain.
"While these are essential for gaining
knowledge, a variety of hands-on experi-

ences are a key ingredient to becoming a
well-rounded and prepared individual. I
felt that my education would be greatly
enhanced through interaction with another
culture. The educational opportunity offered by Buhler at the Swiss School of
Milling was described as a hands-on learning experience in a fully functional mill. I
believe that in milling it is best to learn by
doing, and I felt that by attending the Swiss
School of Milling I would definitely get that
opportunity."
Gleason was the first beneficiary of a
Buhler-sponsored program for KSU students. She was deemed the most deserving
by a selection committee and her SMS tuition costs were paid for by Buhler.
Gleason noted that half of her time at
SMS was spent on theoretical material and
the other half was hands-on milling. "Most
mornings consisted of lectures with practical lessons in the afternoons. We had lectures in flow sheets, machines, electrical
engineering, aspiration and pneumatics,
plant engineering, nutrition, cereal science
and baking. We had practices in laboratory,
machines, milling, electrics, aspiration and
pneumatics and baking."
She noted that she took advantage of
travel opportunities to an elevator, pasta
press, industrial bakery, several mills and
many of the departments at Buhler.
"I truly enjoyed not only learning about
the culture in Switzerland but also about
all the cultures represented by my fellow
classmates," Gleason said.
March 2009 / World Grain / www.World-Grain.com

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World Grain - March 2009

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