Future Aggies invited to Discovery Day on Nov. 10

Nov. 4, 2020

By Mary Crawford, NCTA News

CURTIS, Neb. – Brook Bradford and Kylee Bosard have known for several months where they wanted to begin their college career in January.  They’ve applied and been accepted as incoming freshmen.

Each made a campus visit last month to “Discovery Day” at NCTA in Curtis. That sealed the deal.

“When I got to see students actually processing cattle and working hands-on with livestock, I knew that was what I was looking for in a college,” said Bradford of Burwell. “I am that type of person who likes hands-on programs.”

The next NCTA Discovery Day for students, parents and visitors is Tuesday (Nov. 10). Gaylene Stinman, enrollment associate, is coordinating the day’s events for high school juniors, seniors, or transfer students.

Aggie Ambassadors will give guided tours, and guests participate at interactive classrooms. A lunch is served during the morning and afternoon sessions.

Kylee Bosard has had her eye on the Nebraska School of Technical Agriculture since she was a sophomore at Kearney High School.

Interest in horses and agriculture prompted the Discovery Day visit with her mother, Dellene.

“I have challenges with dyslexia so the one-on-one with professors and the hands-on programs were important to me,” said the KHS senior who is completing her last classes, which include participation in the high school FFA program. “A big push for me also is the availability of careers for students who major in equine industry management.”

Once Mrs. Bosard had the chance to see the programs in-depth and converse with equine professor Joanna Hergenreder, Kylee was able to share what she’d been so excited about for the past two years.

“When she came to Discovery Day, that really opened her eyes, as a parent, on what the college offers,” Kylee shared in a telephone interview.

Now, within the next 10 days, the daughter-mother plans to return to solidify housing, course registration and other enrollment details.

The scenario for Brook Bradford is a bit different.  The native and graduate from Hillsboro, Kansas, has been employed in agricultural trucking. He moved to Burwell and works in the region, this week hauling corn for a producer who farms near Cedar Rapids.

After hearing about NCTA programs and that out-of-state tuition is the same as that of Nebraska residents, he vigorously pursued college enrollment.  He plans to begin in January in livestock industry management and possibly, agribusiness.

“I am keeping options open on a second area of study,” Bradford says of his pursuit of an associate degree.

From an active FFA program in high school, he intends to participate in FFA Alumni and club activities as an NCTA Aggie. He also is considering the Collegiate Cattlemen and maybe the Ranch Horse Team.

“Tuesday’s ‘NCTA: Where your passion becomes a career’ Discovery Day is the last for 2020,” Stinman said. Discovery Days will continue March 2 and April 12, 2021.

Registration for the day, which includes lunch, is requested at: https://ncta.unl.edu/discovery-days.

Due to COVID-19 guidelines, attendees are asked to bring a facial covering in case they are unable to physically distance during the sessions.