Cal Poly Freshman Named Treasurer of California FFA State Officer Team
For Immediate Release
April 20, 2017
Contact: AnnMarie Cornejo
05-756-2427; ancornej@calpoly.edu
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly freshman Armando Nevarez, a bioresorce and agricultural engineering major, has been elected treasurer of the California FFA State Officer Team. He will serve alongside five colleagues in 2017-18, traveling the state and representing the organization.
Nevarez, a first-generation college student form Holtville, California, will take a year off from his studies at Cal Poly to fulfill his duties as a state officer. He was elected to the position April 24 in front of more than 7,000 people at the FFA state conference held at Fresno’s Selland Arena after an intense five-day interview process.
California has more than 300 high school FFA chapters and more than 700 FFA advisers and agriculture teachers. High school seniors and college freshman can apply to be on the state officer team. Nevarez and the team will help make decisions that govern the state chapters and design and implement the Made for Excellence and Advanced Leadership Conferences held to inspire agricultural students for future career opportunities.
San Luis Obispo resident Luke O’Leary, a freshman at Texas A&M, was named the 2017-18 state president. Other state officers elected to the team are Vice President Jasmine Flores of Atwater, Secretary Genevieve Regli of Ferndale, Reporter Hunter Andrade of Tracy, and Sentinel Robert Marchy of Turlock.
“FFA has given me a lot of direction in life,” Nevarez said. “Agricultural education doesn’t tell you what to do; it prepares you for what you want to do. Serving as an officer will strengthen my leadership skills and allow me to advocate for what I believe in.”
The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences provides academic scholarships to California FFA State Officers to encourage their enrollment in a major within CAFES and honor their commitment to agriculture.
Cal Poly agricultural education Professor Sherri Freeman said the opportunity offers an unparalleled Learn by Doing experience.
“Armando will have the opportunity to meet with industry representatives, legislators, administrators, and students to discuss current agricultural issues and promote agricultural education,” Freeman said. “I believe that he will blossom into a more confident leader with greater potential to impact our students once he returns to CalPoly. Armando is sharing the message that Cal Poly has outstanding programs that helped prepare him to become a State FFA Officer.”
About Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Cal Poly is a nationally ranked, comprehensive polytechnic university. Its College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences is comprised of expert faculty members who take pride in their ability to transform academically motivated students into innovative professionals ready to solve the complex challenges associated with feeding the world in sustainable ways. Students have access to state-of-the-art laboratories, including ranch land, orchards, vineyards and forests, all of which provide the basis forCal Poly’s Learn by Doing methodology. It is the fifth-largest college of agriculture in the country, with 4,000 undergraduate students.
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