GUEST COLUMN: College of Ag more than cowboys
It is that time of year again for the students of the College of Agriculture to share with the university what goes on in our great industry. We have many great events planned this year and are inviting everyone to attend.
The theme of this year’s even is Stampede! While many of the Ag Week events will remain traditional, such as the rodeo and barbecue, we hope this week’s celebration will help USU students understand that the College of Agriculture is so much more than a cowboy stereotype.
There is a perception held by some students that associates a Western image with the college, but this just doesn’t allow enough room to appreciate the urban fields the College of Agriculture has to offer as well. Research fields like nutrition and food sciences and turf management (including landscape architecture and horticulture) fall into the college of Ag.
So whether you’re interested in learning more about golf course management or the modern production and uses of wool, Ag week will have it all. There will still be mechanical bull and now a greased-pig wrestle, but note that golfing on the Quad and a mud football game have found their way into the schedule as well.
This week is meant to celebrate, inform and show some appreciation for the students and faculty involved in the millions of dollars of important research and applied practice that goes into animal and plant production at this university. We especially encourage attendance at the open forum on Monday where students can dive deep into the mysteries of the college with questions to top administrators.
While the spotlight will be on the College of Agriculture, this year’s events will be ones the whole campus will want to be apart of … and after all, we’re all Aggies.
Here’s some highlights from the week’s upcoming events:
Today, Ag Week opens with a Stampede! The USU collegiate rodeo starts at 7 p.m. at the Cache County Fairgrounds. The cost is $3 in advance, $4 for non-students, and $5 at the gate.
Saturday, Sept. 24th, join us at the Ag Products of Utah barbecue. Gates open at 3 p.m. at the Ralph Maugh track. The cost is $7 for all-you-can-eat.
Monday, Sept. 26th, there will be a farmer’s breakfast for the cost of 50 cents on the TSC Patio from 8-10 a.m. At 10:30 am there will be a student open forum in the TSC Auditorium where students can ask questions about the many different research projects going on within our college. Ag T-shirts will also be selling for $5.
Tuesday, Sept.27th, keynote speaker, Rod Brown, former Dean of the College of Agriculture, will be here to explain the new USDA food pyramid. This starts at 10:30 am in the TSC auditorium. At 5:30 p.m, there will be having a mud football game at the Greenville Research Farm. The cost is $1 at the gate. This is going to be the game of the year!
Wednesday, Sept. 28th, is Ag Day on the Quad from 10:30-1:30. The space will be packed with tractors, displays, food and activities. That evening, STAB will be hosting a movie, “Batman Begins,” for the college in the TSC Ballroom at 7 and 9 p.m. Popcorn will be sold as a fundraiser for hurricane victims.
Thursday, Sept. 29th, there will be the Tour de Campus 5K run/walk from 11:00-12:00. Cost is $2 to enter. At noon we are holding an Ag quiz bowl in the Ag Science Building.
And finally on Friday, Sept. 30th, we will be wrapping up Ag Week with a Western variety show which features cowboy songs and poetry. It starts at 7 p.m. in the TSC Auditorium. Ticket cost is $5 for student and $10 for the general public. Tickets can be purchased in the USU Ticket Office
Josh Evans is a junior in agricultural education and serves as the public relations chairman for College of Agriculture Student Council. Comments or questions can be sent to joshevans@cc.usu.edu.