Rosie Diaz
Rosie Diaz is a fourth year Agricultural Business major from Santa Maria. It was not until high school that agriculture became a prevalent part of Diaz’s life.
Growing up in Santa Maria, Diaz was constantly surrounded by agriculture. It was her love for plants and animals that inspired her to get involved and identify the opportunities the industry had to offer. In her freshman year of high school Rosie made the decision to join the Santa Maria Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter.
Santa Maria FFA is a nationally recognized chapter with a large agriculture department. Diaz’s diverse involvement included raising beef cattle and rabbits for the county fair, serving on the chapter officer team, and participating on judging teams.
“Throughout my time in FFA, I developed a passion for agriculture. I came to the conclusion I wanted to do this long term as a career,” said Diaz.
Diaz’s first time in Chico was with her judging team for the FFA Field Day put on by the College of Agriculture at Chico State. She was initially drawn to Chico because of the beautiful campus and the University Farm.
After graduating from high school, Diaz attended Allan Hancock Community College in Santa Maria before transferring to Chico State in fall of 2022.
Within the College of Agriculture, participated in the FFA Field Day Leadership Team, serving on the Contest Coordinators sub-committee.
Diaz is also an active member of a data analytics fellowship funded by the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program, DA-FANH, focuses on teaching students how to enhance the nation’s career fields in food, agriculture, natural resources, and the human science professional and scientific workforce.
This fellowship has provided Diaz with financial support through scholarships and paved the way for research opportunities. In fall 2023, Diaz traveled to Nashville for the Women in Agribusiness Summit. This allowed Diaz to connect with industry professionals and learn about issues in ag policy through conference workshops.
Diaz is currently an intern for the USDA Farm Service Agency Office in Oroville, which has helped shape her future career goals. She hopes to work for the USDA or a private sector in the agriculture industry.
The Agriculture Business courses at Chico State have given Diaz applicable skills that she frequently uses within her internship. The Agricultural Policy class instructed by Dr. Christine Carroll is heavily related to the industry work Diaz does within the USDA office.
Her favorite part about the college is the welcoming environment that Chico State offers and the supportive professors. She commends the professors from the College of Agriculture for their dedication to their students and the continuous motivation they provide. Her connection with her professors is what Diaz will miss most about Chico.
In her free time, Diaz enjoys baking, cooking, reading, spending time with friends and going on hikes. Her favorite hiking trail in Chico is Yahi Trail in Upper Bidwell Park.
This past January, Diaz got the exciting news that she has been accepted into the Masters of Agribusiness program at Texas A&M. Upon graduation from Chico State, Diaz will be continuing her educational journey at Texas A&M in the fall.