Student Success
Definition of Success
1 a: degree or measure of succeeding b: satisfactory completion of something c: the gaining of wealth, respect or fame 2: a person or thing that succeeds
California State FFA Judging Finals
Twenty-one Cal Poly students and dozens of volunteers planned and executed the annual California State FFA Finals competition, hosted on campus May 5. More than 2,000 students from across the state attended, competing in 21 events throughout the day in categories including agronomy, dairy cattle, farm business management, fl oriculture, forestry and vet science. “I had a great experience as an FFA member attending State Finals, which led me to choose Cal Poly for my education,” said Emily Herzog, a dairy science graduate who is seeking her teaching credential. “I wanted to be able to give back to the organization while I had the chance, before I get to bring my own students to this awesome event.”
Agriculture Future of America
Three Cal Poly students attended the Agriculture Future of America (AFA) Animal Institute from April 8 to 10 in Kansas City, Missouri. Dairy science junior Elise Regusci, animal science senior Morgan Wonderly and agribusiness sophomore Shane Stubblefi eld attended the institute along with nearly 100 students from colleges across the country with an interest in animal health. Students visited different businesses based in the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor, including companies specializing in animal health, nutrition and marketing, among others. Other opportunities for students to network with industry professionals included an industry panel and career roundtable.
National Agri-Marketing Association Team
Cal Poly’s National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) team placed in the semi-fi nals at the annual student marketing competition in April. NAMA is the nation’s largest association for professionals in marketing and agribusiness. Each year, the association holds a competition between student chapters from universities across the U.S. and Canada. This year’s NAMA team consisted of 22 students, seven of whom traveled to the annual contest in Kansas City, Missouri with their project advisor, Professor Christiane Schroeter. Over 36 universities were represented at the competition, and Cal Poly placed in the semi-fi nals, among the top 12 universities in attendance. “The competition was an amazing experience,” said agricultural business junior Taylor Corder. “The team was not only able to expand our knowledge and meet industry professionals, but also make connections with future leaders of the industry.”
BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Junior Advances to National Stihl TimberSports Championship
Will Kraemer, 21, a bioresource and agricultural engineering junior and president of the Cal Poly Logging Team, topped competitors from a dozen western colleges and universities at the highly competitive Stihl qualifi er in March. The collegiate lumberjacks were the best all-around competitors from each of a dozen teams attending the three-day Association of Western Forestry Clubs (AWFC) Logging Conclave hosted by Cal Poly. The competition is the largest collegiate timber sports competition west of the Mississippi. In the Stihl qualifi er, collegiate athletes competed in four disciplines: standing and underhand block chops with an axe, single buck with a cross-cut saw and stock saw, a speed-event done with a chainsaw. Kraemer won three and took second in the underhand chop. He will join the winners of four other regional qualifi ers (as well as three wild card selections) from campuses throughout the U.S. when the best lumberjack athletes — collegiate and professional — in the country return to Milwaukee from July 27 to 29 to thrill fans with amazing athletic performances in the Stihl TimberSports Series Championships. The event draws some 15,000 fans. The competition will air on ABC in October, with re-airs on ESPN2.
Dairy Challenge Team
The Cal Poly Dairy Challenge Team earned fi rst place at the 17th annual North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge, held April 12-14 in Visalia, California. The win marks the fourth time in fi ve years that Cal Poly has won the Dairy Challenge Platinum Award. The students assessed all aspects of a working dairy farm and developed a farm analysis that included a list of recommendations related to facilities, nutrition, fi nancials, reproduction and animal health. The Cal Poly team ranked fi rst in its division among eight teams. In all, 235 students from 28 states representing the top animal science and dairy programs in the U.S. and Canada competed at the event. The Cal Poly team members on the winning team were: Anthony Echeverria, Amber LaSalle, Matt Ruby, and Tony Lopes. The team was coached by Assistant Professor David Vagnoni, dairy science Lecturer Rich Silacci, and Assistant Professor Julie Huzzey. Students Hannah Neer, Elisabeth Regusci and Tate Nelson also competed at the event.
The Cal Poly Meats Team Wins the Norm Eggen Championship Cup
The Cal Poly Meats team brought home the Norm Eggen Championship Cup at the California Association of Meat Processors’ annual Cured Meats Competition, held Feb. 23-25 at UC Davis. Students competed in the collegiate class of 25 entries including UC Davis, Chico State and Fresno State. The award is named for former Cal Poly meats lecturer Norm Eggen, who taught in the 1970s and ’80s. Cal Poly students showcased fl avor-coated bacons, with the team developing, processing and producing the product from concept to completion. Coached by Jim Douglass, manager of Cal Poly’s J and G Lau Family Meat Processing Center, the Cal Poly Meats Team was comprised of eight students: animal science senior Veronica Staggs; animal science junior Connor Smith; graduate student Lane Koontz; animal science junior Kira Olson; animal science senior Catie Field; bioresource and agricultural engineering senior Toni DeMatteo; agricultural business senior Beaujena DeSilva; and graduate student Morgan Metheny. Staggs also earned the Grand Champion Award for her maple bourbon pecan bacon.
Cal Poly Student to Join the USA National Team in the International Soil Judging Contest in Brazil
Forestry and natural resources senior Braden Povah will travel to Itagui, Brazil, in August to compete with the U.S. team in the International Soil Judging Contest. Povah’s nomination to the team follows multiple accomplishments made by the Cal Poly Soil Judging Team in recent months. The team took fi rst place overall and won all fi ve of the top individual performance awards at the Region 6 Collegiate Soil Judging Contest, hosted by Chico State at Butte College, in Oroville, California in March. In addition, at the National Collegiate Soils Contest hosted by the University of Tennessee, also held in March, the Cal Poly team placed 12th overall, competing against 22 teams from across the U.S. Povah placed ninth in the individual competition, qualifying him to join the national team. This is the fi rst time a Cal Poly student will compete at the international contest. Seven students were on the team this year: Povah; environmental management and protection senior Brian Clark; environmental earth and soil sciences senior Jaclyn Supkoff; environmental earth and soil sciences senior James Smith; environmental earth and soil sciences senior Ryan Cunning; environmental earth and soil sciences senior Taylor Wigglesworth; and wine and viticulture senior Kyle Angelich.
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