College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Week is a chance for students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to learn about the agriculture industry, attend events and have fun. CALS Week will take place Monday through Friday.

Events of the week include meal packaging, competitions, guest speakers and a variety of food served on campus.

Michael Gaul, director of career placement in the Agriculture and Life Sciences Administration department, said CALS Week is a time to highlight the students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.  

“CALS Week really is just a celebration of all things College of Agriculture and Life Sciences,” Gaul said. “I think it’s a celebration of all the great things our students do.” 

Andrew Ernat, sophomore in horticulture, is on the CALS council as a representative of Horticulture Club and is one of five committee chairs that organizes CALS Week. 

“The most recognizable part of [the week] is the food on campus everyday,” Ernat said. “We have something on campus everyday to eat for free — open to all students.”

The weekly menu consists of pizza on Monday, hamburgers on Tuesday, pork chops on Wednesday, taco in a bag on Thursday and pancakes catered by Chris Cakes on Friday. Each meal has sides and drinks available and will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., except for Friday, when pancakes will be served from 9 a.m. to noon.

The 2019 CALS Week will kick off with a Hunger Fight with Meals from the Heartland hosted by Block and Bridle. From 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. students can go to the Iowa Farm Bureau Pavilion in Kildee Hall to participate. All students are welcome to participate in the service activity and walk-ins are also welcome. 

On 7 p.m. Monday at the Jeff and Deb Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center, Sigma Alpha will be hosting Mr. CALS. Tickets are $5 and ice cream will be available. 

“[There is a male] representative from each agricultural club to compete in various [categories],” Ernat said. “It’s almost like a pageant.”

Tuesday will be the CALS Olympics, also known as the CALS Amazing Race. It will take place at 6 p.m. in the Farm Bureau Pavilion. Teams can check in at 5:30 p.m.

At the CALS Olympics, students will participate in a competition that takes them all over campus in teams of four.

“They will go to eight different locations and read clues to get them to each location and then complete an event there,” Ernat said.

Ernat said he can’t disclose what tasks will be included as the unknown is “part of the game.”

On Wednesday, speaker Jim Knuth will be in 0127 Curtiss Hall at 7:30 p.m. Knuth is the senior vice president of Farm Credit Services of America. 

“I think [Knuth] is a very worthy speaker,” Gaul said. “He’s had a very successful career and he’s got tremendous allegiance to our students here at Iowa State.” 

From 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday the CALS Study Abroad Fair will be hosted at the Farm Bureau Pavilion. During the fair, students can learn about study abroad opportunities that can benefit them as students in CALS.

While CALS Week features the students and aspects of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, students belonging to any major are welcome and encouraged to take part in the activities.