CATA Update - 2013 Summer Conference
CATA Update - 2013 Summer Conference
Masters in Ag Education Program Enters Second Year
The first 18 graduates of the Master of Agricultural Education program will complete their coursework in December. Meanwhile, applications will be accepted through early July for the fall 2013 semester. Students in the ag education master's program at CSU, Chico take courses online from professors across the nation through the AG*IDEA consortium, as well as courses designed and taught through Chico State. Faculty at CSU, Chico and Cal Poly Pomona received a USDA grant last fall to expand the master's program to include an option in leadership and communication for professionals throughout the agriculture community. Dr. Mollie Aschenbrener at CSU, Chico and Dr. Kimberly Miller at Cal Poly Pomona are in the process of identifying content and coursework for the new option that will meet industry needs. For more information on the Master of Ag Education, contact Dr. Mollie Aschenbrener at maschenbrener@csuchico.edu or visit the program's website at www.csuchico.edu/ag-masters.
Agriculture Student Elected AS President
A senior animal science major has joined a growing list of agriculture leaders to serve as president of the Associated Students at California State University, Chico. After weeks of tabling, campaigning, and mingling with students, Taylor Herren was selected by majority vote to serve as the 2013-2014 AS president with the platform of "Your Voice, Experience, Our Story." During her year of presidency, Herren will supervise and direct the business and the offices of corporation, chair the Board of Director meetings, and help represent the corporation on campus and statewide issues.
FFA Field Day Sets Bar High
The California State University, Chico College of Agriculture and the Butte College Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources hosted their annual FFA Field Day on March 9, 2013, at the CSU, Chico University Farm; Butte College campus; and CSU, Chico main campus. The field day gave nearly 1,600 high school students from across California and into Oregon an opportunity to demonstrate their communication skills, technical competence, and leadership skills through various competitions. A total of 126 FFA teams competed in 22 different contests, including livestock judging, agriculture mechanics, agriculture sales, agriculture pest control, and many more.
College Receives Approval to Hire New Faculty
In response to five years of double-digit growth in agriculture enrollment, the provost of California State University, Chico has approved a hiring plan which will add three new tenure-track faculty in the College of Agriculture over the next year. Dean Jennifer Ryder Fox and the college's faculty have launched a search process to begin recruiting professors in agricultural business, animal science, and crop science. The new faculty will bring expertise in marketing, animal physiology and Western U.S. production practices, and agronomy to help meet existing student demand for new classes and sections while anticipating future needs.
CSU, Chico Meats Lab Continues to Grow in Reputation
California State University, Chico Meats Lab Technician Adam Knapp received multiple high awards in a contest facilitated by the California Association of Meat Processors (CAMP) convention in Davis, Calif., Feb. 22–24. Knapp took student meats lab employees to the convention, where they entered products into student contests as well. The convention consisted of educational seminars, tours, student contests, and the cured meats competition.
Stockdog Association Wins Club of the Year
On May 15, the annual student lunch was held by Dean Jennifer Ryder Fox to celebrate the conclusion of the semester and to announce the 2013 Star Students and Club of the Year for the California State University, Chico College of Agriculture. This year, the Chico State Stock Dog Association was chosen as the College of Agriculture's Club of the Year. The group dedicated to promoting the use of working dogs in the livestock industry will receive a $500 award from Superior Ag for their efforts in community service, agricultural literacy, and recruitment of new members.
Natalie Oelsner Places in Top Four at American Farm Bureau's Collegiate Discussion Meet
California State University, Chico sophomore agricultural education major Natalie Oelsner competed at the American Farm Bureau's National Collegiate Discussion Meet on Feb. 10 in Phoenix, Ariz. Oelsner qualified for the national discussion meet by placing first in the California competition on Dec. 1 in Pasadena. Participants are evaluated on ideas they contribute to the assigned topic discussion, which this year included immigration, public agriculture education, associate membership, succession planning, and finding ways to encourage young farmers and ranchers to return to the farm. They are judged on their ability to offer constructive criticism, communication techniques, and cooperation in the overall meeting setting while they discuss agricultural issues and brainstorm solutions to those issues.
The Farm Report
Of the approximately 800 acres at the University Farm, more than 380 acres are dedicated to forage and row crops. Annual crops such as sunflowers, safflower, corn, and alfalfa are used extensively throughout our curriculum to give students hands-on experience in every aspect of crop production. The directed work experience course actually puts students to work throughout the year and gives them a chance to earn a little bit of the profit if their crops do well. Students and alumni often refer to this experience as one of the defining highlights of their education. Another 192 acres of the University Farm are planted in orchards, including almonds, walnuts, pecans, olives, and peaches. Most of these were planted with industry support and donations of one kind or another, including the 10-acre high-density olive orchard, which is in its second year. The livestock units all had a busy spring with field days, sales, and a combined total of more than 500 new births among the beef, sheep, goat, swine, and dairy units. With enrollment growing across the board, but particularly in animal science, staff and faculty in each of these units are supervising more students than ever before.
100% Job Placement for New Teachers
Chico State's newest crop of student teachers have all received job offers for the 2013-2014 year. Colleen Bartlett will teach at Lodi High School, Shelby West has accepted a position at Atwater High School, Daniel Fishman will teach at Le Grande High School, Meaghan Garrison was hired at South Lindhurst, John Gladman is teaching at Liberty Ranch, Kimi Jo Olsen was hired at Lower Lake High School, Suzanne Perrin accepted a position at Bear Creek High School, Missy Ruble will teach at Liberty Ranch, and Derek Silva was hired by Galt High School. The College of Agriculture wishes all of our newly credentialed teachers great success in their teaching careers.
Keep Updated with Electronic Newsletter
If you don't already receive the College of Agriculture's electronic newsletter, The Pavilion, sign up today for quarterly email updates on all that is happening in the College of Agriculture. You can subscribe by emailing sdeforest@csuchico.edu.