News

Gearing up for Ag Week

Kyle Albers, from BLKHIL, participates in the steer wrestling competition on Saturday during the 47th annual Cyclone Stampede Rodeo. Also called “bulldoggin,” this event requires that a cowboy drops from his horse onto the running steer, stops the steer, and throws the steer to the ground. Photo: Laurel Scott/Iowa State Daily

Bethany Pint —
October 3, 2009

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council kicked off its Ag Week festivities this past weekend with the ISU Stampede Rodeo, and have more events planned this week for all ISU students and staff.

The “Plowing into the Future” theme of this year’s celebration reflects the college’s ability to prepare students for life after Iowa State, said Christine Weirich, co-chairperson for the event and senior in early childhood education.

“They give them the best education, the best experience while they’re at college, so they are better prepared for the future, for whatever job or internship they take on,” she said.

Through Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Services, Weirich landed an internship with the Iowa Farm Bureau’s “Ag in the Classroom” program.

She said this internship helped her realize her career aspirations, providing teachers with the resources to teach agriculture in their classrooms.

Ben Hershey, co-chairperson of Ag Week and senior in horticulture, said he has gained many valuable experiences through the college.

“I think Iowa State’s ag program does a great job of getting you ready for the real world,” he said. “They push for internships and field trips and extra-curricular stuff. Classes are great, but there’s so much more to learn from participating in the outside activities. The College of Ag strives and pushes students to get involved in those.”

Hershey has participated in two landscape design internships. Two years ago, he was exposed to the landscape of Milwaukee, Wis. This past summer, Hershey interned at Country Landscapes, Inc., in Ames.

Wendy Wintersteen, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, said Ag Week is important to the college.

“Ag Week is an opportunity to celebrate the diverse and many disciplines associated with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences,” she said.

Wintersteen said the majority of the college’s students at Iowa State are studying to go into an agriculture-related business, such as food industry or machinery.

Wintersteen said the college hosts Ag Week but not a Life Sciences Week. Wintersteen said she had not thought about a name change to reflect the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences but that it could change in the future.

“I think that’s a great question,” she said. “I think that’s something that we should sit down and talk about with the CALS Student Council.”

Ag Week events

All events are on Central Campus unless otherwise noted

Monday

Faculty breakfast: 7 – 9:30 a.m.

Kick-off barbecue: 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., free with an Ag Week T-shirt

Ag and Life Sciences club displays: 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Meet-and-greet with the dean: 10:30 a.m. – noon

Career fair information and services booth: 10:30 a.m. – noon

Land O Lakes booth: 10:30 a.m. – noon

Channel Bio booth: 10:30 a.m. – noon

ISU Study Abroad booth: 10:30 a.m. – noon