Aggie campus 105 years of N150 celebration

Jan. 17, 2019

By NCTA Dean Ron Rosati, Ph.D.

CURTIS, Neb. – The University of Nebraska is celebrating its 150^th year in post-secondary education throughout 2019.

The land grant institution with its flagship campus at the University of Nebraska Lincoln was officially created on Feb. 15, 1869.

Here in Curtis, the institution that is now the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture had the good fortune to be a component of the University of Nebraska since its beginning.

First, a regional high school was created in Curtis by state legislation passed in 1911 establishing a vocational high school for students from rural areas and communities throughout Western Nebraska.

The Nebraska School of Agriculture, then the University of Nebraska School of Agriculture, operated for 55 years, from 1913 to 1968.

The boys and girls who made up those early Curtis Aggies studied production agriculture and home economics. Many lived with families in the community until the first dormitory was built. 

Then, in 1965, the University of Nebraska School of Technical Agriculture (UNSTA) began programs as a two-year college.

Early college courses were in production agriculture, land conservation, agricultural mechanics and soon the first of two nationwide accredited programs for veterinary technicians.

Curtis Aggies are tradition

In the late 1980s, the school evolved into the fourth (and current) iteration of its campus name – the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at Curtis.

Throughout its 105-year history, one thing has remained steadfast – our mascot and name.  We are the Aggies.

This year, throughout 2019, the N150 observance of the University system features educational forums, lectures, a statewide tour, photography exhibits and public performances at the various campuses.

The University of Nebraska system has four campuses offering baccalaureate and graduate degrees: The University of Nebraska Lincoln, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

The University of Nebraska has a unique campus in Curtis, the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, which focuses on a statewide mission of providing workforce development programs in agriculture and veterinary technology at less than the baccalaureate degree.

Although affiliated with the UNL Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) in the early decades, NCTA now operates as an independent college within the system.  NCTA continues to work very closely with the agriculture college at UNL. We are governed by the University Board of Regents with direct oversight by NU Vice President Michael Boehm.

In a future weekly message I will outline more of the N150 activities, along with historical information about the outstanding hands-on learning programs of the Aggie institution.

Some fun trivia for this week:  Early NU football teams came to Curtis between 1949 and 1951 for preseason training camps.

Although they were no longer the University of Nebraska “Bugeaters” team of 1892, the athletes did eat at the Aggie training table, a true “farm team”.

Until next week, we’ll say Go Bugeaters, Huskers, Lopers, Mavericks and Aggies!

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.

January Events:

21 – Frontier County 4-H Council, 7 p.m., NCTA Ed Center, Room 129

21 – Martin Luther King Jr. Observance, campus closed

22 – Jim Wand hypnotist show, 8:30 p.m., NCTA Education Center

24 – NCTA public movie of “Selma” at 6:30 p.m., NCTA Education Center