Rulon Taylor, recruiter with the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, visits with youth at the 2021 Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic in February. (A. Taylor / NCTA photo)
Spring outreach from the Aggies Wednesday, March 3, 2021

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

It is almost spring and college outreach is in full swing. High school students are making college visits and filling out financial aid and scholarship applications.

Here at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture our recruiters and the enrollment and admissions staff have been busy all winter. The pace is steady and very productive.

Our team has enjoyed hundreds of conversations with high school students, often with parents and school counselors and teachers.

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NCTA student Hayden Baker, left, and Kelly Schatz, ag producer, are sleeved up and practice A.I. techniques on reproductive tracts before working on live cows in the Red Barn. (Emily Grote / NCTA Photo)
NCTA, ABS teach A.I. at the Red Barn Tuesday, February 23, 2021

By Malina Lindstrom, student writer

In the past nine years, Doug Smith and Larry Rowden have taught more than 570 students armed in long red, plastic sleeves how to artificially breed a beef cow in the “Red Barn” at the college in Curtis.

Maddy Carr of North Platte is one of their pupils.

“I have watched our vet back home A.I., and I thought it would be really neat to learn and be able to do it on my own cows in the future,” says Carr.

She is a Veterinary Technology and Agriculture Production student at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.

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Officers of NCTA Collegiate FFA (L-R) Taylor Hendrix of Colorado, Gillian Brinker of Alaska and Taylor Sayer of Nebraska, assemble in the office of NCTA Dean Larry Gossen. The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture is observing National FFA Week Feb. 20-27. (Kenna Graves / NCTA Photo)
FFA influences NCTA Aggies Monday, February 22, 2021

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

National FFA Week evokes significant meaning and wonderful memories for me, personally, and for many of the individuals in my sphere of family and friends.

The majority of my life’s career has been associated with FFA youth, their families, school systems and agricultural educators throughout the U.S. Some of my favorite memories are while I served as the State Advisor and worked throughout Nebraska with leaders of the FFA State Officer Team.

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Field trips are valuable for learning about new technology in the cattle industry. A Beef Cattle Production class from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis gained management tips from the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic.  (D. Smith / NCTA Photo)
Cattle technology at the show ring Saturday, February 20, 2021

By NCTA News

KEARNEY, Neb. – College classes sometimes are best taught around the livestock producers who invest in the genetics, nutrition, technology, land resources, and overall management for their cattle herds.

“Since moving to Nebraska in the fall of 2019, I’ve had many opportunities to learn about the beef industry, specifically in Nebraska,” says Lucinda Overweg, a native of White Lake, S.D.

“The Cattlemen’s Classic in Kearney was one of those opportunities,” adds the Aggie sophomore, a Livestock Industry Management major at NCTA.

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Sophomore livestock judging students at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis recently competed in two weekend contests at Valentine and Kearney. Aggie students are, from left, Avery Bermel, Jose De la Cruz, Lauren Nichols and Melody MacDonald.  (Smith / NCTA photo)
Livestock team doubled up at weekend contests Friday, February 19, 2021

By NCTA News

CURTIS, Neb. – Hard work keeps some of the freezing temperatures at bay for livestock evaluation students at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.

“Some low temperatures and snow did not deter this team,” said Coach Doug Smith. “Early mornings and miles to travel is what the team experienced last weekend.”

The freshmen and sophomore students on the NCTA Livestock Judging Team traveled to Valentine on Friday, Feb. 12 for the Heart City Bull Bash Judging Contest.

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Kaylee Springer, left, and Gaby Campisi are veterinary technician students at NCTA, applying technical skills and career training at the VT animal care laboratory. (Crawford / NCTA News photo)
Connecting to CTE careers Wednesday, February 17, 2021

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

Building student success. Building academic environments. Building stairsteps to a career.

All are components in our statewide mission at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis.

This month, we join partners in secondary and postsecondary education across Nebraska and the nation in observing Career and Technical Education month.

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Directors of the Nebraska Association of County Extension Boards recently visited NCTA for a campus tour and business meeting, and meal with Dean Larry Gossen. (Photo by Hilary Maricle / NACEB)
Partners across Nebraska Wednesday, February 10, 2021

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

Refreshing. Impressive. Friendly. Amazing. Unique. Partners.

Those are just a few of the words mentioned in early February by 14 visitors to the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis.

The executive board of a state group which represents Nebraska Extension and county extension boards met at NCTA for a tour of campus, a board meeting, plus evening meal at Aggie Dining here at NCTA.

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NCTA Stock Dog Club members will host public this weekend. (Photo by Annie Bassett / NCTA))
Monthly stock dog trials begin Feb. 20-21 Wednesday, February 10, 2021

By Mary Crawford, NCTA News

Stock dogs and livestock take to the arena this weekend on Feb. 20-21 for the first public trial of the 2021 season at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.

Due to severely cold weather, the trial had to be moved from Feb. 13-14.

Dog handlers meet at 8:30 a.m. daily at the heated, indoor arena of the NCTA Livestock Teaching Center in Curtis. Contests starting at 9 a.m. are open to spectators, free of charge.

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FFA members participate in Career Development Events at a Veterinary Technology classroom at NCTA in February. (E. Grote/ NCTA photo)
Welcoming friends to campus Wednesday, February 3, 2021

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

Sharing the good news about career opportunities in agriculture and our college programs which help students achieve their goals is a team initiative by all of us at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.

This month, as Aggie students are immersed in their fourth week of second semester classes, we are heartened by the in-person conversations and interactions with our consumers, those students and their families pursuing higher education.

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Rulon Taylor, left, and Andela Taylor, right, joined the NCTA recruiting staff in 2020. (Annie Bassett / NCTA News photo)
NCTA in 2020 – Part 2 Tuesday, January 26, 2021

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

Winter has definitely arrived at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.  Thank you to the Curtis community for assisting our students and staff during the snowstorm this week. We appreciate the work and services in keeping our campus community healthy and operating safely.

Last week, I shared reflections of 2020 in Part 1, so today we continue with the Part 2 of the NCTA Year in Review featuring the graduating Class of 2020, the Fall semester, recruiting, in-person events, communications, alumni, and recognitions.

Read NCTA in 2020 – Part 2