NCTA: Year in Review - Part 1

NCTA: Year in Review - Part 1

Six Agricultural Education majors from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture assisted with the Aggie exhibit booth at Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island. (R. Taylor / NCTA photo)
Six Agricultural Education majors from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture assisted with the Aggie exhibit booth at Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island. (R. Taylor / NCTA photo)

May 2021- Dec. 2021 Highlights

Dean’s Message by Larry Gossen, Ph.D.

The Class of 2022 has experienced many events from their final year together at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.

In reflecting upon my second academic year at NCTA, here are a few of the most memorable events from May through December 2021:

May 2021

  • Class of 2021 Valedictorian Tiffany Dickau; Salutatorian Addison Villwok
  • Aggie of the Year Melody MacDonald, Fullerton, a Vet Tech freshman
  • Castle Scholarship recipients freshmen Maddie Stone and Grace Strohl
  • 26 inductees to Phi Theta Kappa academic honorary. President Macy Zentner, Vice President Taylor Hendrix, Secretary/Treasurer Katherine Moyer, Student Senate representatives William Huebner and Alexxandra Malchow
  • Bruntz Family Faculty Teaching Award to Dr. Eric Reed
  • Excellence in Service Award to Vicky Luke
  • Ricky Jo Barnes-Wach, D.V.M., semi-retires from Veterinary Technology Systems

 Summer 2021

  • Summer session for 88 students on internships or in campus Vet Tech classes
  • Summer camps in Livestock Judging, Animal Science Discovery Day, Agronomy Youth Field Day, Youth Range Camps, and Nebraska Extension-Frontier County programs
  • Nathan Burnett qualified in saddle broncs to College National Finals Rodeo
  • First Ag Mechanics Boot Camp for High School Teachers
  • Aggie Alumni Association scholarships to Morgan Preston and Allison Wilkens
  • Aggie Alumni Day welcomed 100 guests to annual reunion, Dean’s Open House
  • NCTA cow-calf herd first summer at Ralph & Mabel Leu Ranch, Hayes County

 Sept.-Oct. 2021

  • Fall Semester population was 232 fulltime students, a 6.4% increase from 2020
  • Of the 232 students, 125 were new Aggies
  • Fifty high school dual credit or online students enrolled in fall coursework
  • NCTA met alumni, friends, future students at State Fair and Husker Harvest Days
  • Rodeo coach Jaden Clark and Aggie team started a weekly team roping series 
  • Ranch Horse and Aggie Shotgun Sports Teams each competed in fall contest
  • Students in Dr. Reed’s Human Relations classes organized a series of public events
  • NCTA recruiters, students traveled to Indianapolis for National FFA Convention & Expo
  • Discover Day at NCTA was Oct. 15. Ambassadors enjoyed giving tours to 40 students.

 Nov. - Dec. 2021

  • NCTA recruiters, students traveled to Indianapolis for National FFA Convention & Expo
  • Employers, ag industries, agribusinesses recruit Aggies at Campus Career Fair
  • Crops Judging Team and Coach Ramsdale travel to national agronomy meetings in Utah
  • District FFA events at NCTA brought nearly 800 participants to campus in November
  • Collegiate Cattlemen hosted a public agribusiness/entrepreneur panel at the Ed Center
  • Vet Techs hosted Spa Day for dogs and had a busy day of grooming
  • Discovery Day Nov. 15 brought 53 students and their families to learn about NCTA programs
  • NCTA recruiters attended nearly 30 college fairs in Nebraska and out-of-state
  • Ag Business Club and students held a community soup supper and cornhole tourney
  • Aggie Student Ambassadors gave student campus tours throughout the fall semester
  • The National Association of Agricultural Educators recognized Dan Stehlik and NCTA with the 2021 NAAE Outstanding Postsecondary Agriculture Program award in Region 3.
  • The Aggie Stock Dog Team honored two longtime coaches/mentors with the Kelly Popp (and Eddie Merritt) Memorial Stock Dog Trial. Kelly and Eddie helped start the NCTA club.
  • Fifty-five Aggies made the Dean’s List or Honor Roll at NCTA for fall semester
  • Deferred maintenance projects were completed or underway. NCTA received $3.1 million in state appropriations in 2021 from the Nebraska Legislature

As you can see from these brief highlights, NCTA students and our campus had a very busy second portion of 2021. We will continue our academic year in review for January through May 2022 in next week’s message from the dean.

Have a safe and healthy Memorial Weekend as we pay tribute to those who gave their lives in military service and honor our loved ones in time with family and friends.

NCTA Events:

May 30: Memorial Day, NCTA offices closed

June 6-9:  Youth Range Camp, NCTA

June 8:  New Student Enrollment, NCTA Ed Center

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.