From daily barbecues to milk-chugging competitions, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will celebrate its students and faculty this week.

The theme for this year’s celebration, “We are outstanding in our field,” has been in the works since April.

“It’s a way to let the university know that we’re still a big part of Iowa State,” said Lindsey Crawford, senior in agriculture and life sciences education and president of the CALS Council.

The week is a way for CALS personnel to interact with each other.

“It allows students to meet other students and faculty,” said Leah Henkes, junior in dairy science and co-chairwoman of the CALS Week Committee.

One of the new activities that will highlight the week’s events is the CALS student dance. The dance will take place Wednesday at the Maintenance Shop, from 9 p.m. to midnight. Alpha Zeta, a national agricultural honorary, professional society, is sponsoring the dance.

Crawford said the dance is a way to increase student involvement and have fun.

Other events CALS students can become involved in are the Ag Olympics, which will take place at 1 p.m. Monday, and a softball tournament at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

Britney Heim, junior in agriculture and life sciences education and co-chairwoman of the CALS Week Committee, said the Ag Olympics will consist of teams of two men and two women, representing the various clubs in the CALS. The teams will compete in milk-chugging, hay-bale moving, water-pail carrying and egg-tossing contests, among others.

The daily barbecues held on Central Campus as part of the celebrations are free to all ISU students. CALS Week T-shirts will be sold for $10 at the barbecues. The money raised from the T-shirt sales will go toward CALS club allocations and the cost of the barbecues.

Heim said that CALS Week is a way of showcasing the importance of agriculture.

“Agriculture impacts everyone at some point in their daily lives,” Heim said. “It’s good to remind people of that.”