Tarleton State University

AGRICULTURAL
&
CONSUMER SCIENCES
NEWSLETTER

2015
Alumni Breakfast

Alumni Story

Department Updates

Organizations

Current Students

New Things

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

The fall 2015 Agricultural Publications class is proud to present our latest project, the Agricultural and
Consumer Sciences Newsletter. This new publication is the product of many hours of hard work and
dedication from multiple students of varying programs of study. Students diligently wrote content, took
photographs, collected information and designed layouts in order to make this newsletter a success and
I am incredibly proud of their hard work. We are always looking for new story ideas so please feel free to
reply to this email with any ideas or feedback. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Laura Henson
Instructor

STUDENT CONTRIBUTORS
Eric Aars

Luke Rohrbach

Jamee Bell

Sara Sanderson

Sara Honeycutt

Lynna Scates

Savannah Hulsey

Jacob Sinclair

Hunter Inge

Jordan Smithwick

Eryn mahoney

John Sullivan

Jazz Mangham

Dixie Taylor

Shelby McCamey

Mackenzie Warrenburg

Aimee Nash

Shala Watson

Ryan Redder

Mason Wintters
Caitlin Woods

Agricultural and Consumer

Sciences Update
Dr. Rudy Tarpley
The Department of Agricultural and Consumer Sciences
continues to make a positive difference in the lives of our
students and service populations. This semester alone,
students and faculty in the department have enrolled over
190 freshmen through our transition classes, served as
interns and judges at the State Fair of Texas, traveled to
Jamaica in cooperation with the Knockalava Agriculture
School, held a departmental freshman/senior picnic,
hosted over 1,500 FFA members at the Collegiate FFA
Invitational Leadership Events, hosted 35 National FFA
Officer Candidates for intensive training on campus, served
multiple events at the National FFA Convention, held many plant sales at the Horticulture
Center, interviewed candidates for the open Agribusiness/Agricultural Economics faculty
position, and engaged our students through the departmental student professional
organizations (Agribusiness Club, Horticulture Club, Agricultural Communicators of
Tomorrow, Collegiate 4-H, Collegiate FFA). We will all continue to work hard as the
semester progresses.

UPDATES & EVENTS

The Horticulture Club won Most Beautiful Entry during this years Homecoming Parade.
The Horticulture Club was asked to design and install the main Parks and Patio display area for the
Texas Nursery and Landscape Association (August) in Dallas.
Spring FFA Contest Dates: April 7 - Invitational, April 13 - Area, April 21 - State
Summer Ag media summit in St. Louis, Missouri
Dr. Frank Ewell, Professor of Agricultural Economics for 30 years, retired at the end of the Fall 2014
semester.
CFFA this year is averaging around 150 members present at each meeting
The Fall 2015 student enrollment in Agribusiness (including Agricultural Economics majors) is 39%
larger than in 2014.

A NEW LOOK ON LIFE

BY SAVANNAH HULSEY
You really dont
think about being
handicapped until
you live with it
every day, said
Jason Craig, an
almost 23-yearold senior at
Tarleton State
University. A little
over five years
ago, Craig was in
a vehicle accident
that changed life
as he knew it
forever.
I came up on a car that was going slower than
the speed limit and when I tried to pass I lost control of
my truck. I hydroplaned and went off of a bridge and
flipped end over end into a tree. My truck landed on
its roof, and the guy that I had passed came over and
pulled me out of my truck. He stayed with me until
help arrived and the ambulance got there. The accident
left Craig in a wheelchair, unable to use his legs.
Whenever I first woke up and realized that I
couldnt move my legs, it freaked me out to the point
that I was trying to move. I really cant remember how
I felt, but I really thought that I would be able to walk
again, and didnt feel that what was happening was
even real. In just a matter of seconds, Craigs plans and
goals for his future changed dramatically.
I had to completely re-evaluate my entire
life on a basis of what I could do, and how I could do
it. My biggest plan was to play football and rodeo. I
knew in the back of my mind that that wasnt possible
now.Craig received tremendous amounts of support

Going into his senior year of high school,

Craig had to make some major lifestyle adjustments
and adapt to living without the use of his legs. He
relied on the support from his family and friends
to help him recover. I had to go back to depending
on my parents to drive me everywhere. Our first
vehicle was a handicap van that I was put in the
back and strapped in. My mom or dad took me
to school every day and picked me up. Eventually
I got a truck that was equipped with a lift for my
wheelchair and hand controls to drive. My dad took
me to a parking lot and I pretty much had to learn
to drive again.
Although Craig had floods of support and
encouragement, learning to live without the use of
his legs was still extremely difficult. He struggled on
a daily basis to do tasks he once found simple.
Just going to a restaurant or store that
does not have the accessibility for a handicapped
person is a challenge and you learn to deal with
it. It is a very tough transition and getting used to
living life in a completely different way is a big time
commitment.
Even though Craig could no longer
participate in playing football, that didnt stop
him from being a part of the team. My coaches
and team really made sure that I was involved
with everything during [the] football season. I left
the rehab facility to go to a few of the preseason
practices and when the season started I went to
every game. The team pushed me out on the field
through the banners and always made sure I was
still part of the team. It was hard for me to be on
the side lines and not playing.

I want to reach out to those

who need help getting back
on their path of success.

A NEW LOOK ON LIFE

After Craigs accident, his view on life
changed. He realized how important every second
of every day [was]. His new positive perspective
on life motivated Craig to keep pushing forward.
After my wreck, I thought that I could never be
happy again and I thought that I would live a life
in denial and depression. I quickly opened up my
mind and told myself that I refuse to let myself
down. Seeing how far I have come and how much
I have accomplished thus far motivates me to
keep going and to not let my past and being in a
wheelchair hold me down and keep me from being
as successful as I want to be.
One of Craigs goals is to start sharing his
story and inspiring other people. I want to reach
out to those who need help getting back on their
path of success. To be able to go and give support
and guidance for those people that think there isnt
a life out there for them or proving to them that
no matter how bad you think things are, no matter
how bad you think you have it, there is a new way
of life waiting on the other side. Have the mindset
that you will overcome the obstacle at hand and
never give up hope.
Aside from being handicapped, Craig
is just like a normal college guy. He enjoys
hunting, fishing, ATV riding, and relaxing with
friends and family. He also participated in many
organizations on campus. He was involved in
Student Government Association, Student Wide
Activities Team, Farmhouse Fraternity and
elected as the Vice President of Alumni Relations
within Farmhouse. The Alvarado native plans to
graduate this December with a Bachelor of Science
in Agricultural Economics, concentration on
Agricultural Business Management, with a minor
in Business. I realized that no matter what happens
in life, you can always recover and come out just as
good as, or even better, than you were before.

A STEP AHEAD OF THE GAME

BY AIMEE NASH
However, weather patterns make it a little bit
English businessman
more difficult to keep livestock compared to the cattle
and former record
producer Chris Blackwell and sheep industry in Texas.
Greens decision to attend Tarleton was made
is credited with saying,
fairly easy once his scholarship was awareded. The
I think Jamaica would
people that I have met here have so much motivation
thrive if we promote
for this industry. That is one thing that I want to take
agriculture as a way
back with me to teach back home. There are many
to bring people here.
students there who dont appreciate this industry for
With hard work and a
scholarship provided, one what it is, so to take that back home is something I
student is on his way to want to do.
In his time at Tarleton, Green has been
making that happen.
Denver Courage Green, 27, spent involved in working at the horticulture center, and has
the last few years working at Knockalva Agriculture been involved in playing intramural soccer, as well as
the club team, and has attended many boys basketball
School (KAS) in Ramble, Hanover, Jamaica. Upon
games. Attending a school as rich in tradition as
meeting Dr. Carter during a time of visitation and
Tarleton, one of his favorite of those is the beating
sharing an interest in pursuing further education,
of the drum. I love the dedication of the students
Green was awarded a scholarship by the Tarleton
here. The fact that they go in shifts to take turns and
State University, and his dream of improving the
participate early in the morning shows their love
Jamaican agriculture community was becoming
and dedication for their school. That is the kind of
a reality. I want to be able to inspire the young
motivation and dedication I wish to take back with
minds and hopefully develop some of the future
farmers of Jamaica, Green said. Thats what led me me to Jamaica.
Upon graduating
to wanting to do extension. To see a bigger picture.
After finishing up extension, I want to go back into in May, Green plans on
continuing his education
education more and into the college system.
at Tarleton in pursuit of his
The second oldest of four boys, Greens
masters degree. His future
parents spent a lot of time traveling from being
employed in the toy industry. After spending some plans also include going
back to his home country to
time studying business administration and losing
teach agriculture, as well as
interest after a short period, Green was sent off
work in extension to better
to a boarding school by his parents where only
the industry and educate the residents in that area.
agriculture was taught.
I wanted to do something different. In terms,
I think agriculture found me. I didnt really like it at
first, and after my first year in school, I didnt have a
very good average. I started paying attention more
during my next few years there. After spending
six years in school, thats how I got my agriculture
background.
Jamaicas agriculture excels in terms of crops
growing more vegetables in comparison to Texas,
and more specifically, Erath County, because of its
much more temperate climate.

Redesigning Agriculture
BY SARA SANDERSON
Hannah Miller, a Tarleton
State University agriculture
communications alumni,
is far from a typical
agriculture student. Miller
was one of a few rural kids
growing up in a very urban
setting in south Texas.
She often felt out of place
growing up with a cowboy
father, spending her time
in the show ring, and wanting to become a geologist. Her
high school, which was a part of the very urban setting she
grew up in, did not offer any agriculture classes or clubs to
join so Miller participated in her local 4-H serving as their
president. She also grew her interest in photography on
her yearbook staff, graduating as the editor-in-chief. She
was her senior class president, and a part of the Business
Professionals of America and National Honor Society.
Miller says, Many of these organizations allowed me to
develop myself as a leader.
The spunky high school graduate was not
interested in pursuing any type of agricultural career.
She began college in south Texas, not even knowing
Tarleton existed, but after a few years of studying rocks,
she decided she wasnt as passionate about geology as she
had thought. After beginning to blog about agricultural
issues, a random trip to Tarleton with a friend changed
the course of Millers life, as well as the agriculture
industry forever. On the visit, Miller happened to wander
into Dr. Tarpleys office, the head of Tarletons Agriculture
Services and Development department, where after half
an hour she was sold on the Agriculture Communications
program. In her words, I was planning to transfer before
I even walked off campus.
Upon arriving at Tarleton, Miller finally found
where she fit in. She says, I honestly hope every student
who walks on our campus feels that way. Her unique
drive to be involved and hardworking led to Miller
becoming a part of several different organizations on
campus. Miller claims to be the queen of being over
involved.

Just a portion of her activities included

Sigma Alpha, Agriculture Communicators of
Tomorrow, Society of Professional Journalist and
the head intern at Texas Social Media Research.
Miller immediately began pursuing her
passion for social media and marketing. Her
well rounded activities helped her to develop
leadership, writing, and marketing skills that
have led her to excellence in her different
opportunities. Miller spent three years as a
national officer of the National Agriculture
Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT), one of the
years as the national president. Her experiences
in National Agriculture Communicators of
Tomorrow (NACT) were a huge learning
experience. Miller humorously suggested the
NACTs officer teams projects were not always
easy, but helped develop teamwork,
Since graduating Tarleton in 2013, Miller
has began to pursue a Masters of Agriculture
in Agricultural Leadership, Education
and Communications from Texas A&M
University with an emphasis in agricultural
communications and marketing. She is also
working as the digital community manager at
Charletson Orwig. Miller describes her current
job as an opportunity to fuse my passion for
agriculture and social media into a big kid job.
She spends her time developing and sharing
the story of her agriculture clients. She also
spends some of her time blogging. In the future
Miller wants to continue to share the story of
agriculture The Millennial in me just wants
to be happy and have a nice herd of F-1s while
working in the industry I love.

EVER FORWARD, EVER ONWARD

BY JAMEE BELL
The foundation of Tarleton is undoubtedly
its dauntless yet spirited history and tradition. One
homecoming week in the early 1980s, Dr. Ted Ford,
along with other college of agriculture instructors,
began a tradition of their own within the Agriculture
Department that would bring agriculture alumni
from near and far together again. Under the awning
of the old womens gym, Dr. Ford recollects, was the
inaugural College of Agriculture Alumni Breakfast. 35
years later, a delicious pioneer breakfast with biscuits
and gravy, sausage, bacon and the fixings continue
to bring together many agriculture alum before the
Homecoming Parade. Before the sun breaks dawn,
the college of agriculture instructors work together to
prepare a warm breakfast to welcome home those who
once called the Ag building home.
This year, the breakfast was initiated with a few
words from Dr. David Drueckhammer, the interim
dean who then introduced the university President,
Dr. Dominic Dottavio. Not only were alum in for a
good breakfast, but a great time of game and laughter
as Dr. Ford proceeded by giving away prizes from the
furthest distance traveled, to the eldest alumni and
many others awards. This years homecoming theme
was Ever Forward, Ever Onward which holds a unique
meaning to each. Mr. Carl Chumney, a graduate from
the class of 1954 took the prize for graduating in the
earliest graduating class present. To Mr. Chumney,
also a former instructor, our homecoming theme of
Ever Forward, Ever Onward means that the quality
of the university continues to improve. For Warren
Maher, Ever Forward, Ever Onward is perseverance
by working hard and improving. Other alum said that
Ever Forward, Ever Onward is continuing to learn,
and continuing to support the youth by supporting
them, taking steps and continuing to progress and
evolving with the times and technology. To the most
recent Alumni, Aaron Norris, Ever Forward, Ever
Onward means to keep persevering no matter what.
He said, Setbacks and discouragement are a part of
life, but battling through those tough times will make
you a stronger person so just keep going.

Following the breakfast, the Agricultural

and Consumer Science department hosted its
first football tailgate which provided even more
opportunity for agriculture alum to mingle with
one another as well as with current students. This
time of reconciliation and shared memories show
where Tarleton has been and what it is becoming,
which are the most invaluable moments. From the
football team to Purple Poo, from the Rodeo Club
and Student Body President, everyones perspective
helps to tell the story of Tarleton Ever Forward,
Ever Onward.

AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATORS
OF TOMORROW

BY SARA SANDERON

There are many organizations students have the

opportunity to be a part of in the Tarleton Agriculture
Services and Development department. One of those
organizations is Agriculture Communicators of
Tomorrow (ACT), where students have the opportunity
to be involved in the local and national levels. Tarleton
State University has had an exceptional local chapter of
the National Agriculture Communicators of Tomorrow
(NACT) Organization with students on the national
officer team.
ACT is an
organization with a mission
to build relationships among
agricultural communication
professionals and college
students and faculty, to provide
professional and academic
development for members and
to promote agriculture through
communications efforts.
Tarletons chapter is achieving
this mission by promoting agriculture both on campus
and in the community. ACT helps with on campus
events, such as the Tarleton Halloween Carnival, that
are put on by different on campus organizations for the
community. As an organization, they are also preparing
to host a Farm-to-5K in the spring as a fund raiser and
agriculture awareness campaign.
ACT members have the opportunity to become
involved in a lot more than just a campus organization.
Many members travel with ACT to different conferences
throughout the year where they get to meet ACT
members from around the country, network with
major agriculture corporations, and visit different
parts of the country. Agricultural Media Summit, the
largest gathering of agriculture communicators, is one
of the conferences students can attend. Through these

Matt Hill, the current President of

TSUs ACT chapter, first heard about ACT in
his freshman orientation. He was drawn to the
organization by the passion of its advisor Dr.
Wayne Atchley, whom he said, is really focused
on ensuring our success and teaching us skills
through ACT that will benefit us for the rest of
our lives. Hill says in his experience with ACT
he has had the opportunity to develop countless
lifelong connections,
opportunities, and
friendships.
Alumni are invited
to be involved by
attending different
events that are open
to the community.
Hill also said, Alumni
are always important
to an organization,
especially for
guidance and advice. The chapter would love to
have an alumni speak to us during a meeting
so members can hear about how ACT was
beneficial to them as well as their stories from
their time as an active member. With a vision
to be the leading collegiate organization in
developing and strengthening agricultural
communication students through professional

BY LUKE ROHRBACH
& JOHN SULLIVAN
Block and Bridle is a nationwide organization
with the goal of promoting a higher academic future
with a more complete understanding of agricultural
science. Starting in the late 1960s, the Tarleton
State Block and Bridle chapter is one of the oldest
organizations on campus. With Dr. Jason Sawyer
advising the organization, Thomas Glascock, a senior
animal science major, currently serves B&B by leading
as president. Glascock has stressed the importance
of raising awareness and advocating for agriculture.
By holding events such as a Stock Show U clinic with
Sullivan Supply and informative booths around the
campus,
Block and Bridle continues to educate our
youth about the importance of animal husbandry,
and various other agricultural pursuits. To maintain
operations, Tarleton B&B has held fundraisers such
as goat roping events, cattle shows, and even a golf
tournament. Glascock stated that their membership
has a diverse skillset that can cover many aspects
of the industrys vast range. Not all members are
agricultural majors and membership is not required
to attend a meeting. They welcome anyone and
everyone to visit their meetings in room 110 of the Joe
W. Autry Building every other Wednesday at 7:30p.m.
Tarletons Block and Bridle has been and will continue
to be a beacon for following out their mission of being
Advocates for Agriculture.

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WEBSITE!
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html for information on all of our
programs for your future Texan.

AGRICULTURE FIELD MACHINERY

& FABRICATION LAB
In the Fall of 2016 the Tarleton Agriculture
Center will become home to the new Agricultural Field
Machinery & Fabrication Lab. This addition to the
Agriculture Department will support three 6,000 square
foot laboratory spaces, four classrooms that will hold
the Metal Fabrication, Agricultural Power Applications
and Agricultural Structures classes, one computer lab, as
well as office and meeting spaces. This, along with other
university projects have been made possible through the
Texas A&M System Permanent University Funds. An
additional $277,863 in donations have also contributed
to this development, which will impact many Tarleton
agriculture majors and as a result, the future of the
agriculture industry.
Assistant Professor Dr. Curtis Langley, believes
that through this expansion students will benefit by
having new technology and tools. According to Dr.
Langley, It [Agricultural Field Machinery & Fabrication
Lab] will get rid of the old technology in the labs that we
currently have and let us bring new technology, tools and
teaching components into the classroom. It is going to
get all of our Ag mechanics labs into one place and it
will be easier for students to find so we dont have labs
in three different locations, he continued. Dr. Langley
also mentioned that the Agricultural Field Machinery &
Fabrication Lab will also attract new students by saying,
If we have a new facility, students are much more apt to
want to come to that facility and learn Construction for
this project began in September of 2015 and is projected to
be completed and ready for students in January Spring
2017.

BY JAMEE BELL