Applauding Aggies in 2020

Sept. 29, 2020

Dean's Message from Larry Gossen, Ph.D.

We celebrated the “new” and “achievers” at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture this past weekend.

In a year of tumult, uncertainties and great challenges faced by many of us on college campuses, we do have cause for celebration. On Saturday, graduates with the NCTA Classes of December, 2019, and May and August, 2020, gathered with families and our campus staff and faculty for a small open house at the historic student activities center.

“The Barn” or old gymnasium is familiar territory to the graduates of this 107-year-old institution. Donning caps and gowns, our newest Aggie alumni gathered for a wonderful afternoon of celebration to honor their accomplishments.

In all, over 20 graduates and their families attended the reception. A highlight of the afternoon was hearing from University of Nebraska President Ted Carter, Regent Bob Phares, and Vice President and IANR Harlan Vice Chancellor Mike Boehm.

It was obvious from the reactions of our newest alumni and the time spent “hanging around” after the program was over that they enjoyed seeing each other again. For most, Saturday was the first time they had seen their classmates since mid-March when campuses shut down, and we connected virtually for nearly five months.

Congratulations to the graduates! And many thanks to all the faculty and staff who made the campus reception another special, memorable experience for our NCTA Aggies.

Bountiful harvest time

I have always enjoyed fall harvest time and while driving the countryside in southwest Nebraska, I see all the agricultural equipment in the fields and trucks full of beans or corn on the roadways. Also, I hear the bellowing of momma cows crying for their weaned calves in the corrals or pastures.  These sights and sounds highlight the importance of our farmers and ranchers to our country and the world to provide us with food, fuel and fiber.

Taking advantage of a little free time in my otherwise busy schedule, I recently had a break to sneak south of town and experience bean harvest up close and personal. Kirk McConville of Indianola was kind enough to let me ride along in his combine to see modern technology in action. Today’s equipment is a far cry different than the John Deere 55 combine that my dad and I used on our farm a few decades ago.

The real treat was seeing a draper head at work. I quickly understood how much more efficient the draper is compared to the auger header I was used to. Equally impressive was the accuracy of a GPS system that made steering the combine totally hands free!

Apply to NCTA for free

We have good news for the wallets and bank accounts of students applying to attend University of Nebraska campuses, including NCTA!  An initiative announced Monday by NU President Ted Carter encourages Nebraskans to fill out the online “common app” that all University of Nebraska campuses use for online applications. New applicants with a Nebraska residence can request a waiver of the $45 application fee.

Speak with Gaylene Stinman, NCTA’s admissions associate, for details, or request the waiver when applying online now between October 1-18. See https://ncta.unl.edu/apply-now for details, and click Nebraska resident applicants on the box on the right side of the page.

Discover Your Way

I’ll see some of you on campus at at our first “Discovery Day” of autumn next Tuesday, Oct. 6, as prospective students and their parents/families spend the day in Curtis.

As we like to say around campus – This is NCTA: Where your passion becomes a career!

A second Discovery Day event is Nov. 10. We will welcome students for campus tours, sessions with academic divisions, interactive learning programs, information on financial aid and student housing, and booths about the Aggie student clubs and teams.

Please pre-register at https://ncta.unl.edu/discovery-days for Nov. 10, March 2 and April 12 events.

Go Aggies!

Safe travels and good luck to our NCTA teams traveling this week for rodeo, ranch horse, livestock judging and shotgun sports.  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 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.