Aggies to work, Carter installation

Aug. 12, 2020

By NCTA Dean Larry Gossen, Ph.D.

CURTIS, Neb. – Paige Twohig added business skills and management to her associate degree in animal science and immersed herself at her college programs for a third year.

The combined degrees are helping this Aggie graduate of the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture utilize her skills in an industry she loves – Nebraska agriculture.

This summer the honor student and native of a family farming operation near Axtell began her career with Vet Care, a veterinary service in Broken Bow.

As assistant office manager, Paige assists the business with telephone calls, billings, ordering inventory, and ensuring proper product distribution to swine industry customers.

Paige is just one example of dozens of NCTA graduates who have entered the workforce after graduating in May.

Some of our newest alumni are back at the farm or ranch, a vital component of their family enterprise. Others are agronomists with local cooperatives or crops companies, feedlot managers, veterinary technicians or assistants in private practices, or as welders or irrigation technicians installing and servicing center pivot systems in Nebraska fields.

NCTA is known across the U.S. for educating students through hands-on learning experiences in the campus classrooms and laboratories. Our focus is agriculture and veterinary technology programs in a two-year setting resulting in an associate of science or associate of applied science degree.

First in state, nation

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture again in 2019 earned high marks by Wallet Hub, a financial analysis company, in an article by financial writer Adam McCann.

The overview of 700 community colleges and 19 criteria evaluated three main categories of costs and affordability, academic quality of education and career outcomes for graduates within the first 10 years in the workforce.

• NCTA topped the charts in career outcomes s #1 in the nation for earnings within the first 10 years since graduation compared to cost of the 2-year education.

• NCTA also ranked #1 in Nebraska among seven community colleges with scores ranging from NCTA’s 59.04 points to 47.3 points. Metrics compare cost of education, student outcomes and career outcomes.

See the methodology and complete article at: https://wallethub.com/edu/e/best-worst-community-colleges/15076/#rankings-by-state.

Congratulations Aggie graduates and alumni for dedication in NCTA academics and beyond into the workforce!

President Carter’s Investiture

The University of Nebraska will officially install Ted Carter as the eighth president of the NU system during a virtual investiture ceremony this Friday 2 p.m.

I look forward to celebrating President Carter’s investiture in viewing the online ceremony which will include video greetings from students, faculty, staff and alumni from across the University’s campuses. Details for viewing the livestream will be posted at https://nebraska.edu/president/investiture.

The ceremony will include remarks from Governor Pete Ricketts and will be led by Board of Regents Chairman Jim Pillen. President Carter will also be sharing his five-year strategy and his vision for charting the University’s course in higher education and leading the nation in these unprecedented times.

President Carter and the Board of Regents have been outstanding supporters of the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture and our Curtis community. From all of us at NCTA and our Aggie family, I extend a hearty note of appreciation and gratitude.

Semester starts August 24

NCTA begins the fall semester on August 24 with in-person classes on campus.  New and returning students will be moving into residence halls the Saturday prior. We will be hosting new student orientation in a remote format this year with informational speakers and campus “how to” details through the Canvas educational platform that NCTA uses for its academic communication and internal student programs.

I look forward to welcoming all of NCTA faculty and staff to internal training sessions next week, and to our Aggies students for fall 2020!

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 numerous 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.