Aggies reap community spirit

Sept. 21, 2017

Dean’s Column by Ron Rosati, PhD

The autumn atmosphere is upon us at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture!

Campus crops are slowly maturing and Brad Ramsdale, agronomy professor, reports that soybean harvest should be underway in about 10 days, around the first week of October.

Fall colors and chillier evenings are sure signs of a change of season for the college campus. Jackets and sweatshirts are the norm these brisk mornings.

For those who participated in the Curtis Fall Festival this past weekend thanks for sharing another hospitable time for our Aggie students. It was great to see so much participation in the events by the students, staff and faculty.

The NCTA curriculum includes attention to the development of student values such as respect, integrity and kindness. We emphasize leadership, citizenship and service in each of our academic divisions through a “Learning Communities” program. Professors encourage their students to sign up for volunteer activities which provide students real world experience with citizenship and community development.

Last weekend, we started with students, staff and faculty literally pitching in to erect tents and booth areas in the city park. Students helped set up, coordinate games, take tickets, and operate rides in a variety of local fun and fellowship.

The Agribusiness Management club and Veterinary Technology student club entered floats in the annual festival parade on Saturday. Out at the Curtis Gun Club, the Aggie Shortgun Sports Team sponsored a fun sporting clays contest with great support from out-of-town guests and locals.

Congratulations to the Curtis community and the many volunteers who hosted another festive event celebrating our local town and its people!

Aggie students on traveling teams also had a busy weekend off campus. The fall weather was ideal for the students to be outdoors, competing and representing the college.

Aggie Rodeo Team – Our proximity to North Platte allowed most of our Aggie Rodeo team and club members to attend the collegiate contest Friday and Saturday.  Mid-Plains Community College hosted their annual MPCC Stampede at the Wild West Arena.

Students enrolled in the NCTA Rodeo Seminar class taught by Taylor Rossenbach were: Quentin Anderson, Trysta Duvel, Cade Francis, Sydney Goracke, Ty Hermelbracht, Nate Letcher, Spencer Lofing,

Kylee Miller, Alyssa Nowicki, Maeson Roberts, Tara Spatz, Rio Whited, Riley Abbott, Trey Baum, Baily Holt, Erica Mowery, and Cash Talamantez.

Aggie team ropers competed strong with Maeson Roberts of Neosho, Missouri, and Quentin Anderson of Pierce winning second place in the short round and second in the average.

Logan Dibbern of Amherst and Trey Baum of Elgin finished 6th in the average.  Cash Talamantez of Bayard and Ty Hermelbracht of Rosalie finished 10th in the average.

Aggie Livestock Judging – The team placed fourth overall at the Tri-State Fair and Rodeo in Amarillo.

The 2017-2018 team is comprised of second-year students Joe Calvo of Bassett, Wyatt Duskie of Ionia, Kansas, Nathan Lashley of Curtis, Dean Fleer of Pierce, and Katharine Schudel of North Loup.

Placings individually were:  Joe Calvo, 14^th, Dean Fleer 20^th, and Katharine Schudel 24^th. As a team, the Aggies placed 4^th overall, 3^rd in Swine, 4^th in sheep and goats, and 5^th in placings and oral reasons of live cattle.

Aggie Shotgun Sports Team – The team traveled to North Platte on Sept. 13 for a practice at the Lincoln County Wildlife Gun Club in a warm up to their fundraiser shooting clay targets at Saturday’s Curtis Fall Festival.

Team members included: Shawn Barger, Robert Binfield, Ryan Busch, Cade Francis, Tyler Heidemann, Slim Lincoln, Alan Matejka, Alyssa Nowicki, Kaylee Rasmussen, Alan Rooney, Mckenna Schmidt, Rilee VanDonge and Bryce Wert.

They will compete in sporting clays, trap and skeet at the Prairie Classic on Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in North Platte.

Events in September:

20 - 5:30 p.m., Aggie trap club skeet practice, North Platte

21 – Rodeo Club dance, Student union

21 – Opening Doors Through College program, 1 p.m., Ed Center

23- Aggie Shotgun Sports meet Mount Marty College, Grand Island

25– Intramural Football, 6:30 p.m., Football field

26 – Nebraska FFA Edge Conference, 8 a.m.-noon, Student Union

NCTA Mission:

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture is devoted to a statewide mission of preparing students for successful careers in agriculture, veterinary technology, food and related industries. The college provides open access to innovative technical education resulting in associate degrees, certificates, diplomas and other credentials.