Aggies back at campus

NCTA Dean’s Message by Larry Gossen, Ph.D.

We’ve had a tremendous kickoff weekend and first few days of our fall semester here at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.

I’ve appreciated the outstanding preparation by our NCTA faculty and staff to coordinate a smooth and welcoming atmosphere for New Student Orientation on Saturday and Sunday.

The Curtis Community shared in our kickoff, as well, by preparing welcome packets and helping with the community picnic Sunday evening.

Thank you one and all! Here’s to a terrific year for NCTA Aggies and our awesome Curtis community.

Kick-off week

Residence halls saw steady activity Saturday as Aggies arrived to unload belongings into their campus housing. What a super experience to greet new arrivals, their parents, and friends through the weekend.

Within 48 hours, all incoming freshmen and most of the returning students who want to reside on campus had filled the three halls.  Classes started at 8 a.m. Monday. The enthusiasm is palpable this week as nearly 250 Aggies are here. We can still register new students through Friday.

I should be able to report our tally of fulltime, parttime and high school dual credit students in early September once the University of Nebraska announces the official enrollments for the NU system.

Building the team

On Sunday afternoon, Associate Dean Jennifer McConville and I enjoyed welcoming all new freshmen students and those who are transferring from other institutions.

The annual New Student Orientation kicked off with a scavenger hunt around town in which small groups of Aggies explored the community and campus. Part of the search and acclimation to Curtis was to take photos of the group with a sign or building at the destination.

Emma Harms, a freshman from Sterling, Nebraska, came to Curtis early for the Aggie Livestock Judging Team orientation. “We had a great time driving around, piling out to get a photo of the Curtis sign, for example, and then going to the next place on our list.”

The livestock team members also shared a team-building exercise at an escape room, had several livestock judging workouts, and Saturday helped students move into the residence halls.

Join a club

Aggies are known for the community service in Curtis, and for building camaraderie through campus clubs and teams. Organizational meetings underway this week include Aggie Rodeo, Collegiate Cattlemen, Shotgun Sports, Collegiate FFA and 4-H, Stock Dog Club, Agribusiness Club and Ranch Horse Team.

Most clubs and teams are open to all students. Veterinary technology students will reorganize soon for their academic profession, the Student Technicians of Veterinary Medicine Association.   

Dual Credit closes Friday

High school students interested in dual credit (also known as concurrent) college courses have until Friday to register. Though NCTA classes started Monday, changes and additions may be made by high school students.

Dual credit classes are $69.50 a credit hour, which is half the rate of regular college classes. See the course listing of 11 opportunities for classes at https://go.unl.edu/udom. To register, contact Gaylene Stinman at gstinman2@unl.edu.

Vaccination clinics Aug. 31, Sept. 21

NCTA will offer its first Covid-19 vaccination clinic of the fall semester on Tuesday, August 31 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Student Union. The clinic is open to the public and is free of charge.

The 2-dose Pfizer vaccine will be administered by the Southwest Public Health Department, based at McCook. The second shot will be given three weeks later, on Tuesday, Sept. 21, at the same location and times.

Register at https://vaccinate.ne.gov or call SWPHD at 308-345-4223. A consent form is required for minors, ages 18 and under.

Aggies in GI

We hope to see many alumni and friends at the Nebraska State Fair during the 11-day run at Grand Island. Opening ceremonies are Friday, with contests and fair fun concluding Labor Day evening.

Watch for our Aggie students at livestock shows for 4-H this weekend, FFA contests on Labor Day weekend, Outback Cattle Dog trials Sept. 3-4, and serving beef at the Cattlemen’s Beef Pit Sept. 4. Vet Tech students are volunteers at the popular animal Birthing Pavilion, sponsored by the Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association.

Our recruiting duo of Andela Taylor and Rulon Taylor have an exhibit ready for Nebraska’s Largest Classroom at the Raising Nebraska building from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2. Youth can learn about Nebraska agriculture at interactive activities.

There’s something for everyone at the Nebraska State Fair!

I hope to see YOU down the road, or here on campus in Curtis, USA.  Go Aggies!

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.

NCTA Events:

Aug. 27:  Final day to register for Dual Credit classes

Aug. 27:  Nebraska State Fair opening day

Aug. 31:  COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic, 5:30-7 p.m., NCTA Student Union

Aug. 31-Sept. 2:  NCTA at Nebraska’s Largest Classroom, 9-5, State Fair Raising Nebraska

Sept. 3-4: Outback Stock Dog Trials at Nebraska State Fair