General Ed building blocks

January 8, 2018

Dean’s Column by Ron Rosati, PhD

Welcome to the New Year at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture!

This Dean’s Column brings you information about one of campus divisions that serves all students, regardless of their academic major. The General Education Division is an important component of the NCTA Campus.

All students pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree or Associate of Science degree at NCTA will complete a set of General Education core courses as part of their chosen academic program area (i.e. Animal Science, Agronomy, Veterinary Technology, Agribusiness Management, etc.).

Students earning an AAS are required to have 20 credit hours of core classes in General Education. Those with an AS degree need 26 credit hours in the core.

Headed by Professor Eric Reed, division chair, the General Education courses range from English and Communications, to Mathematics and Chemistry, and Spanish and History to Interpersonal Skills for Leadership.

General education is an important part of the academic experience that builds students’ growth as citizens and professionals.

We often talk with employers about the skills they would like to see in our graduates. They often tell us about the importance of communication skills, problem-solving ability, professionalism, ethics and citizenship. The faculty in general education work hard to develop these abilities in NCTA students.

Instruction engages students in independent, critical, and creative thinking; promotes open mindedness and understanding; gives confidence and inquisitiveness to challenge assumptions and explore ideas and values; promotes the passing of sound judgment; encourages the consideration of ethical and practical consequences of actions; and facilitates wisdom.

Professor Reed is an associate professor of English, Speech and History. He is joined in this division by Tee Bush, associate professor of Mathematics and Horticulture; Dan Widdick, lecturer of Science, and Kelly Gordon, lecturer of Science.

The General Education Division is located on Second Floor of Agriculture Hall.

In addition to academic courses, the Division also hosts several student clubs or academic enrichment opportunities.  Professor Reed is sponsor of Phi Theta Kappa, a national two-year college academic honorary society.

He also is the advisor and instructor for NCTA’s new digital yearbook, and has served as advisor for AggieUp, a campus print newsletter. Reed shares co-director duties for the NCTA Dual Credit program with Dr. Brad Ramsdale, agronomy professor.

Tee Bush is advisor for the NCTA Horticulture Club, and she coordinates the campus-wide recycling program, now in its second year. Bush also participated in the coordination of the NCTA study abroad program in Costa Rica over the 2017-18 Winter break.

Both Reed and Bush hold Master of Science degrees and are in the process of completing doctorate programs in addition to their fulltime faculty workload.

Addition information about the General Education Division is available from Professor Reed at (308) 367-5276, or Ereed2@unl.edu.

NCTA Mission:

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture is devoted to a statewide mission of preparing students for successful careers in agriculture, veterinary technology, food and related industries. The college provides open access to innovative technical education resulting in associate degrees, certificates, diplomas and other credentials.