May tribute from NCTA

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

Scattered rain showers in southwestern Nebraska certainly have boosted Mother Nature recently, along with lifting our spirits here at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.

It’s been nice to see the sun shining again after rains.

“Always face the sunshine and the shadows will fall behind” – reads a small plaque shared by a friend.

That sentiment could be one of the inspirational images for our NCTA Aggie campus this spring. Students successfully completed their 2021 semester with determination.

A shout out to the faculty and staff at NCTA who no doubt had many conversations giving Aggies the boost to reach their goal.

As we graduated nearly 50 students on May 6, several voiced their gratitude about the teachers and mentors who helped them along their college journey.

For some, the journey was quite challenging. College isn’t high school. It is a period of transition. Moving away from home, perhaps for the first time. Communicating by social media or phone texts with high school classmates may be common. However, the 2020-21 year was anything but common.

With social distancing, facial masks, and travel restrictions, face-to-face, personal interaction had changed for all of society, not just those at a college campus.

NCTA was able to have in-person classes through the summer and fall sessions of 2020. And, we were back again in mid-January with in-person classes and events.

Thankfully, with extra precautions and frequent COVID testing on campus, most all safely educated and learned in fairly fine health.

Public and campus events for tours, programs, FFA and youth, and graduation all proceeded. BRAVO, to our team!

Aggie Alumni, Dean’s Open House

Registration is open online for the Aggie Alumni Day on Saturday, June 26.

All UNSTA, NCTA alumni and friends are invited to spend the day on campus, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Register at: https://ncta.unl.edu/aggie-alumni

Our campus community and friends in the Curtis area are invited to an Open House at the Dean’s Residence that afternoon, from 2-4 p.m. Fay and I will host a tour of our lovely home situated near Ag Hall on the NCTA campus.

Call Josi Arnold at 308 367-5200 for details about Aggie Alumni Day or Dean’s Residence Open House for the public.

Recognitions

Our NCTA students, staff and faculty had a highly successful academic year in 2020-21. A recap of highlights:

• This week we announced 54 students achieved academic merit to make the NCTA Dean’s List or Honor Roll. Ten had 4.0 GPA for the Dean’s List, and 44 earned 3.5-3.99 GPA for Honor Roll.
• In a ceremony on May 5, 26 Aggie students were inducted into the academic honorary, Phi Theta Kappa.
• Veterinary Technician student Melody MacDonald of Fullerton was named Aggie of the Year.
• Tiffany Dickau, a native of Elwood and now of Emmett, was the Class Valedictorian with a 4.0 GPA.
• Salutatorian of the Class of 2021 was Addison Villwok of Randolph.
• Dr. Eric Reed, unit lead of the General Studies department, is the 2021 recipient of the Bruntz Family Teaching Award for Excellence.
• Vicky Luke, assistant registrar and financial aid liaison, received the 2021 Excellence in Service Award.
• Dan Stehlik, agricultural mechanics lecturer, had been awarded the Post-Secondary Education Program Award in June 2020 from the Nebraska Agricultural Educators Association. His nomination was advanced this month to a regional competition with the National Association of Agricultural Educators.
• Josi Arnold, administrative associate in the NCTA Dean’s Office, was recognized by the University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) Staff Inclusive Excellence Award.

Congratulations to all for their dedication to education, academic excellence, and service to others.

We conclude this month of May with tribute for Memorial Day, joining communities and families across America in reflecting on the life and sacrifice of deceased service members. We are a grateful nation.

NCTA Events:

May 31:  Memorial Day observance, campus is closed.

June 7-10:  Nebraska Youth Range Camp, NCTA

June 8:  New Student Enrollment, 8:30 a.m., Ed Center

June 26:  Aggie Alumni Day, 10 a.m., Registration, 11:30 a.m. Luncheon

June 26:  NCTA Dean’s Residence Open House, 2-4 p.m.

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 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.