Students are Set Up for Success Three Years in a Row with AGtivate

Article written by Damon Gallegos, Agricultural Communications Third Year 

In its third year of excellence, AGtivate: A New Student Experience, continued to provide a welcome addition to student success in the College of Agriculture. AGtivate’s mission centers around connection to place and people. We want students to feel welcomed into our College, our clubs, and our classes. By providing students this unique experience prior to the start of the semester, we are able to establish baseline expectations for both students and the College itself.

This annual event is planned and executed by a dedicated group of student leaders who fulfilled different roles within the program’s planning. The 2024 leadership team was led by Isabelle Alves, a third-year agriculture science and education major serving as chair.When asked about her goals for AGtivate, Alves noted, “I want students to receive a wide variety of opportunities to get to know each other, to further encourage collaboration with faculty and staff, and to strengthen community within the facilitator group.” 

The leadership team is made up of individuals coordinating tasks such as communications, student facilitator coordination and logistics coordination. The leadership team is guided to success by advisor and College Retention Specialist Denise Crosswhite. In addition to the leadership team, the program was supported and executed by 30 current student facilitators. This group spent considerable time attending a variety of meetings, including a training session that took place the day before. 

This year’s event was able to reach nearly 194 new students, over 60 percent of the incoming class of new first-year and transfer students. Students were put into groups  paired with two facilitators who led them through various activities and workshops. The day also included a wide range of speakers from major-specific faculty, staff, and students. In a reflection survey, students noted feeling better prepared for classes, understanding more of what was expected of them, and feeling like a valued member of the College of Agriculture community. All in all, students left the event with a stronger sense of purpose and belonging.

Benitez, who played a major part in the planning and scheduling of the event, said, “I learned a lot about how to understand a variety of individuals, from college students to faculty to high school students, as well as how to prepare students to be the best they can be and exhibit their highest potential.”

Second-year animal science major Hailey Knief had reflected on her experience attending AGtivate 2023. “AGtivate was a great experience, especially coming into the College of Agriculture not knowing anyone. It pushed me to talk to new people and start making relationships with people whom I’d be seeing the next four years,” she said.

Knief is now thriving on campus and finding many ways to contribute to the College and expand her experience at Chico State. She is currently an AG Ambassador, a member of the Line Dancing Club, and a member of the women’s water polo team.

“This was a great experience to start my journey at Chico State, because it made me realize how welcoming everyone in the College is! I would recommend this event to any incoming freshman or transfer student,” continued Knief.

AGtivate: A New Student Experience was funded this year with generous assistance from the College of Agriculture Student Learning Fee and the University Foundation’s Board of Governor’s Award.