NCTA Welcome Weekend with community
By NCTA Dean Larry Gossen, Ph.D.
Aggie students, welcome to Curtis and the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture!
The message I will share this weekend as we greet new students to NCTA is one that I can deliver with utmost sincerity and first-hand experience.
The residents of Curtis and Frontier County are some of the most welcoming, hospitable people I’ve encountered in a college community.
It’s true. My wife Fay and I experienced this generosity and kindness when we first arrived at campus in June of 2020.
Even behind the pandemic’s facial coverings requested at many indoor venues, smiling eyes were evident.
Handshakes may have been elbow bumps for a while, but neighbors, families, and retailers became friends and close acquaintances.
That’s the gift shared by small-town America. We care about each other.
So as our new students arrive, let’s make them welcome. Be the normal, good neighbors that Curtis residents are when newcomers are in town.
NCTA Curtis linkage
We are very glad that NCTA is part of the community, and that the community is part of us.
During New Student Orientation (NSO) this Saturday afternoon, evening and Sunday, freshmen and new students will gain insights into the strong linkage between campus and Curtis.
A Saturday evening welcome meal and campus tours/scavenger hunt around town and campus wraps up opening day.
On Sunday morning, Cowboy Church is at 10 a.m. in the Livestock Teaching Center. We also have provided a listing of area churches and service times in the NSO packet.
Orientation includes campus policies, and information of local resources such as emergency services and safety programs of the Frontier County Sheriff’s Office. Jo Bek, former Curtis resident and animal science professor emeritus, will share a mid-afternoon motivational message.
Students also meet at academic divisions for any questions before their first classes start on Monday. They can make a test run to navigate around to the various buildings and classrooms.
I appreciate the community clubs, churches and businesses who contributed to our Welcome Packets and are helping with the Welcome Picnic Sunday from 5-7 p.m. at the Student Activity Center (aka The Barn). See you there!
Fall Festival
Last week, we asked advisors and faculty sponsors of Aggie student organizations to mark their calendars for the Curtis Fall Festival on Sept. 16-18.
The Chamber of Commerce and Fall Festival Committee relies on volunteers from the community and college to help make a successful weekend. NCTA students usually help set up tents and games for Saturday, run games in the park, and help take things down afterward.
Josi Arnold in the Dean’s Office is the NCTA contact for Fall Festival. Thanks, Josi, for coordinating this!
As always, the community is invited to join us at campus for public events, to hold club meeting, and to eat at our dining facilities. We have a new schedule at Aggie Dining and some new menus items, too.
Aggie Dining:
Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., closed on weekends. Breakfasts are no longer served and will be available at Chandie’s Castle (deli).
Chandie’s Castle:
Monday-Thursday: 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday: 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Welcome to campus, Aggie students and Curtis friends. Let’s make it a great year!
NCTA Events:
August 20-21: NCTA New Student Orientation, campus move-in
August: 22: NCTA Fall Semester starts
August 24: Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory Open House, Whitman
August 25: WCREEC Water and Crops Field Day, 8 a.m. North Platte
August 26: Opening day of Nebraska State Fair, Grand Island
Part of the University of Nebraska system, the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture is a two-year institution with a statewide mission of preparing students for successful careers in agriculture, veterinary technology and related industries. NCTA is known for its affordable tuition, high job-placement rate for its graduates, and for the success of student teams in competitive activities including crops judging, ranch horse events, livestock judging, shotgun sports, stock dog trials, and intercollegiate rodeo. The college is consistently ranked as one of the best two-year schools in the nation.