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Transcript of Agriview Spring 2015
C o l l e g e o f A g r i C u l t u r e , f o o d & e n v i r o n m e n t A l S C i e n C e S • S p r i n g 2 0 1 5
Cal Poly Students Mix It Up with Middle Schoolers
Tasty LessonsCal Poly Students Mix It Up
with Middle Schoolers
Dear CAFES Alumni and Friends,As we head into the final weeks of the academic year, I continue to be excited about the incredible momentum we’ve gained as a college and a university.
Across campus there are many exciting projects underway as Cal Poly continues to look to the future. Within CAFES, we’ve worked hard over the last year to prioritize our most critical projects — those that will most move the needle. The CAFES Strategic Vision will set the stage for this (see opposite page). The result of months of important work by key representatives in the college and on our external advisory councils, it represents the collective thinking of students, staff, faculty and external advisors. Although the tactical action plans will be developed in the fall, this is a momentous step for the college in terms of setting our sights on where we want to go.
At the same time, we’re making significant progress on enhancing key programs. When the Wine & Viticulture Department became a reality in 2013, a holistic, multi-disciplinary center was identified as a must-have to meet the program’s goals of immersing students in a three-pronged curriculum of grape cultivation, winemaking, and the business of wine marketing and distribution. Over the last six months, significant effort has been focused on developing the Cal Poly Center for Wine & Viticulture. The facility programming — the planning of the labs and meeting, research, teaching, and hands-on learning spaces — was recently completed with input from faculty, staff, students and industry experts. The facility is set to break ground within the next three years. (For more information, see page 18).
At the end of the day, it’s about the students. In this issue of Agriview, we highlight some of the amazing work they’re doing as they embody the Learn by Doing experience.
Andrew J. Thulin | deAn
FROM THE DEAN
Sowing Seeds of ChangePLANS TAKE ROOT TO ENRICH CAFE’S PROGRAMS AND EXPAND FACILITIES
Dean Andy Thulin (right) welcomes visitor Sonny Ramaswamy, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Read more about Ramaswamy on page 7.
ON THE COVER: Mesa Middle School student Sarah Wasil (left) collaborates in the kitchen with Cal Poly student Michaela Clauss during a session of Pink and Dude Chefs, a Cal Poly outreach program. Read about the program on pages 10-13.
SPRING 2015
3 News & Notes Strategic planning; Faculty News; Advancement update; By the Numbers; CAFES On the Go
6 Learn by Doing Strawberries go to market; U.S. Department of Agriculture director visits; two pre-veterinary students start Doggy Days nonprofit
10 Cover Story The Pink and Dude Chefs outreach program gets middle schoolers excited about cooking and nutrition
14 Program News Animal science and dairy science programs merge
15 Student Success Meeting with Sacramento legislators; operating the Western Bonanza Junior Livestock Show; wins in the Rose Parade, Dairy Challenge, Young Farmers and Ranchers meet, Oral Undergraduate Research Symposium, and national lumberjack contest.
18 Facilities News Center for Wine & Viticulture is in the planning and fundraising stage
AGRIVIEW is published for alumni and friends by the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences (CAFES).
Dean’s Office 805-756-2161
Communications Team Haley Marconett [email protected] | 805-756-2933
AnnMarie Cornejo [email protected] | 805-756-2427
Editor Jo Ann Lloyd [email protected] | 805-756-7266
Publication Designer Shirley Howell [email protected] | 805-547-0120
Printer Journal Graphics, Portland, Ore.
Stay Connected on:
CAfeS.CAlpolY.edu 3
NEWS & NOTES
THE COLLEGE REFINES ITS STRATEGIC VISIONThe College of Agriculture, Food &
Environmental Sciences (CAFES) Strategic
Vision and Planning process continued
with a meeting of the Steering Committee
on Jan. 22-23. The committee refined
the goals and objectives drafted last fall
and began generating strategies to tackle
those goals.
In small groups dedicated to the four
overarching Vision and Planning Goals
— Students; Faculty and Staff; Industry
and Community; and Leadership — the
committee brainstormed strategies
that will be leveraged to accomplish
the college’s goals over the next five to
10 years.
The resulting strategies were
distributed to the larger CAFES
community using an electronic survey.
The results of the survey were discussed
at a meeting of the Strategic Visioning
Project Team on March 10. The strategies
were further defined using feedback
generated by the survey. Glenn Tecker,
the outside consultant who facilitated
the process, synthesized the results of
the meeting into the final Strategic Plan.
The final Strategic Plan will be launched
to college stakeholders this spring.
Over the next few months, volunteers
from the CAFES community will be
recruited to help marshal the knowledge
and resources necessary to address the
strategies and achieve the objectives and
goals that were developed in fall 2014.
Achieving these strategies will be
key to the realization of the CAFES’ Big
Audacious Goal: To be the intellectual
and experiential hot house, cultivating
and nurturing people who creatively solve
problems in agriculture, food, health and
the environment.
Focused on the FutureVolunteers gathered to brainstorm at the launch of the strategic planning process last fall.
™
4 AgrivieW • Spring 2015
NEWS & NOTES
Aydin Nazmi Bill Hendricks
FACULTY NEWSAYDIN NAZMI REAPPOINTED TO SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD
Nutrition Professor Aydin Nazmi was
reappointed to the Governor’s Science
Advisory Board. Nazmi, director of Cal
Poly’s Center for Solutions Through
Research in Diet & Exercise (STRIDE) and
associate professor in the Food Science
& Nutrition Department, will serve on
the Developmental and Reproductive
Toxicant (DART) Identification Committee.
Its members are expert scientists
appointed to identify chemicals that cause
developmental and reproductive toxicity.
HENDRICKS ON SUNSET COMMITTEE
Bill Hendricks, head of the Recreation,
Parks & Tourism Administration
Department, visited Sunset Magazine
headquarters in January as one of 12
advisory board members in the Western
U.S. to serve on the committee for the
magazine’s first Sunset Travel Awards.
The awards, to be announced in June,
will recognize achievements in lodging,
dining, cultural tourism, outdoor adventure,
environmental stewardship, and more.
WHERE WE’VE BEEN
Fork and Bottle: Members of the CAFES
advancement team attended this February
event, organized by the Modesto Chapter
of the Cal Poly Alumni Association. More
than 200 guests raised money for student
scholarships through a silent auction.
Unified Wine & Grape Symposium:
Students, faculty and staff traveled to
Sacramento in January for this annual
event — the largest wine and grape
industry trade show in North America.
World Ag Expo: In February, students and
faculty participated in this event at the
International Agri-Center in Tulare, Calif.
CAFES On the Go
Wine and viticulture senior Zachary Merkel and Gianna Gallo (WVIT ’14) attended the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium (above).
Earth science sophomore CJ Chew (below, left) and agriculture science senior Jake Odello met potential Cal Poly students at the 2015 World Ag Expo.
VISIT US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!Keep up to date with CAFES’ latest
news via social media. We have a lot
going on and want you to be the first
to know about it! Follow us on Twitter
@CalPoly_CAFES and on Facebook.
CAfeS.CAlpolY.edu 5
THE CAL POLY
ORGANIC FARM
was ranked
among the top
20 university
farms in America by the independent
website Best College Reviews.
The 11-acre farm in the
Horticulture & Crop Science
Department is certified organic
by the California Certified
Organic Farmers and is managed
by students, faculty and staff.
November 2014 marked the farm’s
20th year of organic certification.
The farm provides a place for
undergraduates to Learn by Doing
20ENDOWMENT UPDATES
CAFES LEARN BY DOING ENDOWMENT
Thanks to available matching funds from
the founding members of the College
of Agriculture, Food & Environmental
Sciences (CAFES) Learn by Doing
Endowment, for a limited time, individuals
can establish a $25,000 CAFES’ Learn by
Doing Endowment for only $12,500.
“The endowment‘s founding
partners joined forces to make financial
commitments that enhance and protect
the hands-on nature of the college’s
programs,” said Russ Kabaker, Cal Poly
assistant dean of advancement and
external relations. “These industry leaders
realize Learn by Doing’s value to the future
of agriculture, food and the environmental
sciences in California and beyond.”
If your company has a gift-matching
program with Cal Poly, the cost to you
could be as little as $6,250 to establish a
$25,000 Learn by Doing Endowment, said
Kabaker. To learn more, contact him at
805-756-3269 or [email protected].
THE IVAN A. WOOD MEMORIAL EARN BY DOING ENDOWMENT
Created with a bequest of $50,000 from
Ivan Wood, a friend of Cal Poly, the
endowment, which will be used to support
student technicians in the Dairy Science
Department, will fund up to 150 hours of
paid internship hours for students each
year into perpetuity.
AdvancementB Y T H E N U M B E R S
organic and sustainable farming practices. Dozens of varieties of produce are grown
each year, including green onions (shown), broccoli, squash, kale and carrots.
CAL POLY’S AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATION bachelor’s degree
was ranked eighth best in the nation based on a peer-reviewed study
of 40 such programs by researchers at the University of Arkansas.
“Our ranking is a testament to the work we have been doing for
many years to build our reputation in agricultural communication,”
said J. Scott Vernon, Cal Poly agricultural communication professor. “We continue
to evolve to meet the changing demands of the communication landscape. Our
students deserve it, our alumni appreciate it, and the agriculture industry expects it.”
The program prepares students to become professional communicators
in agriculture by encouraging enrollment in diverse courses such as digital
communication, graphic design, journalism and technical agriculture. In the fall, a
course focusing on digital video and social media management will be offered to
help prepare students for careers in online and visual communication strategies.
8
JUNE 13: Spring Commencement: Mustangs Forever, 5 p.m.
JULY 16: Cal Poly Alumni Salinas Rodeo Mixer, 4:30-7:30 p.m., California Rodeo Museum. Hosted wine, beer and barbecue. $25 without rodeo ticket; $50 includes rodeo ticket. For details, contact Jordan Albiani at 805-756-2161or [email protected]
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
LEARN BY DOING
6 AgrivieW • Spring 2015
Ripe and ReadyFIRST STRAWBERRIES FROM CAMPUS CROP GO TO MARKET
Gerald Holmes (left) and Cal Poly research associate Ryan Brantley (right) deliver berries and smiles to Vons produce manager Mike Chew in San Luis Obispo.
The first strawberry harvest by the Cal
Poly Strawberry Sustainability Research
and Education Center blossomed into full
production in March — proving to be an
abundant one.
The red, juicy, heart-shaped fruit is
now available for purchase at Vons in
San Luis Obispo and at multiple campus
locations, including the twice weekly farm
stand. The Cal Poly-grown fruit is also
being incorporated into student dining.
Director Gerald Holmes, researcher
and Professor Kelly Ivors and a small staff
of student assistants planted more than
an acre and a half of the fruit on university
farmland adjacent to Highway 1 in
November 2014.
“This first harvest shows that we
can successfully grow strawberries at
Cal Poly,” Holmes said. “The research
that follows will be invaluable to future
strawberry growers and the industry.”
The Cal Poly Strawberry Sustainability
Research and Education Center, in
the College of Agriculture, Food &
Environmental Sciences, focuses on
applied research that incorporates both
teaching and learning experiences for
Cal Poly students, faculty and California
strawberry farmers. The center is a joint
partnership between Cal Poly and the
California Strawberry Commission.
In 2013 the California Strawberry
Commission donated $1 million to create
the Cal Poly Strawberry Sustainability
Research and Education Center — a one-
of-a-kind concept rooted in the hands-on
learning model that defines Cal Poly.
Cal Poly faculty and students are
studying various fumigants used by
farmers to eradicate pests such as insects
as a way to provide an ecologically
superior method of growing strawberries.
CAfeS.CAlpolY.edu 7
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE’S DIRECTOR ADDRESSES
The director of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and
Agriculture visited Cal Poly in February and
spoke on the future of the industry.
Sonny Ramaswamy presented
“Setting the Table for a Flatter, Hotter,
More Crowded Earth,” which focused
on the challenges that the must be
overcome to feed, clothe and shelter a
global population expected to exceed
9 billion by 2050 without wreaking havoc
on the environment.
During his visit, Ramaswamy toured
Cal Poly’s agricultural facilities, including
the new Strawberry Sustainability Research
and Education Center and the Irrigation
Training & Research Center.
Ramaswamy was appointed director
of the U.S.D.A’s National Institute of
Cultivating Plans for Our Changing PlanetFood and Agriculture (NIFA) in 2012.
He oversees the award of NIFA funds
for a wide range of extramural research,
education and extension projects that
address the needs of farmers, ranchers
and agricultural producers.
Ramaswamy is a strong supporter
of the College of Agriculture, Food &
Environmental Sciences’ (CAFES’) research
and has dedicated millions of dollars to Cal
Poly through NIFA in past years for research
to help combat future obstacles such as
climate change and water shortages.
CAFES Dean Andy Thulin followed
Ramaswamy’s campus visit with a
meeting at Ramaswamy’s Washington,
D.C., office in March to discuss
potential funding opportunities.
“NIFA and Sonny Ramaswamy
strongly believe in Cal Poly’s unique
Learn by Doing philosophy and the
value we bring to California’s — and
the country’s — agricultural industry,”
Thulin said. “We are excited to
continue to strengthen our partnership
with them.”
Visiting VIP Sonny Ramaswamy (left) with Gerald Holmes, director of Cal Poly’s Strawberry Sustainability Research and Education Center
8 AgrivieW • Spring 2015
Cal Poly animal science majors Megan Parry, 20, and Sasha Greenlee, 20, have transformed their shared passion for
veterinary medicine into a community service project benefiting the pets of the local homeless population in San Luis Obispo County.
They spend one weekend each month offering basic veterinary services at the Prado Day Center in San Luis Obispo, a place that provides day-to-day services for the homeless such as meals, showers and laundry facilities.
In May 2014 Parry and Greenlee founded the nonprofit, Doggy Days at Prado Day, to collect donations of dog food, flea medicine, and other basic care items. In addition, student and faculty volunteers hold a veterinary clinic one weekend every month.
TWO PRE-VET STUDENTS TREAT A LOCAL HOMELESS SHELTER’S FOUR-LEGGED RESIDENTS
LEARN BY DOING
have taught Parry and Greenlee how to give a physical, draw blood, give vaccines and various other clinical skills.
Because the homeless clientele is often mobile and difficult to reach, the Cal Poly volunteers make a point of offering as much veterinary care as they can on a client’s first visit.
“We can’t always contact the owner and do a recheck, so we do as much as possible in that moment,” said Parry.
Professor Kim Sprayberry, who assists when needed, said that the students’ experience through their voluntary effort is invaluable. Following Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing motto, the students get firsthand experience but also learn valuable life lessons that cannot be taught in the classroom.
“The students take what they’ve learned in anatomy, physiology, nutrition, companion animal care, and
COMPASSION FOR CANINES
“There is a need in our community, and so far we really like doing it,” said Parry, a senior from Cupertino, Calif. “It has been so rewarding to see people learn to trust us.”
They have mostly treated dogs. Cali, a sweet and affectionate pit bull terrier, is one of their favorite clients.
Cali’s owners, Debbie and Joe Ramirez, both homeless, found her hid-ing under a car in search of shade one hot summer day. She has been by their side every day since. Until recently, Cali had never been to a veterinarian.
“A lot of people wonder why the homeless have pets if they can’t even take care of themselves,” said Greenlee, a sophomore from Pleasanton, Calif. “We see it differently. These pets are the only reason some of these people are alive.”
A combination of animal science courses, past work and FFA experiences
CAfeS.CAlpolY.edu 9
Animal Science students Sasha Greenlee (left) and Megan Parry with satisfied clients Joe Ramirez and his dog, Cali
dentistry right into the immediacy of an open-air exam room,” Sprayberry said.
Certain procedures, such as administering the rabies vaccination, must be done by a licensed veterinarian. Sprayberry and Professor Jennifer Staniec assist with those treatments.
Donations of medications, specialty foods and shampoos, coupled with low-cost medications and supplies purchased through Cal Poly’s Veterinary Clinic, are dispensed on site.
The students, said Sprayberry, are also getting a lesson in compassion.
“They experience the gift of being able to communicate with the warmth of a smile, eye contact, a handshake or hug, and giving care to an animal whose love for the client is about all that person has in the world,” Sprayberry said. “This is a large part of what veterinary medicine is all about — caring for others by caring for their pets.”
This is not the first time that Cal Poly students have aided Prado Day Center. Five years ago, Cal Poly students helped build dog kennels at the day shelter so that people have a safe place to keep their pets while accessing services.
“We could not do what we are doing without Cal Poly,” said Grace McIntosh, deputy director at Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County, which operates the shelter. “For a lot of our clients, their pets are the only family they have. These students are not just taking care of animals; they are caring for the shelter residents’ loved ones.”
Sasha Greenlee administers medication (above) and a heartfelt hug (opposite) during a monthly visit to the Prado Day Center.
COVER STORY
CULINARY EXPERIENCEHUNGRY FOR A
MIDDLE SCHOOLERS DEVELOP AN APPETITE FOR NUTRITION AND COOKING LESSONS, THANKS TO PINK AND DUDE CHEFS
The shrill ring of the final school bell on a Friday afternoon is followed by a scurry of excited middle school students scrambling
to embrace the weekend.But nearly a dozen 7th-graders stay
back, equally enthusiastic to head to an afterschool program that has become a highlight of their school week.
Nutrition graduate student Jessie Bierlich (below) with Mesa Middle School taste-testers Fabian Rodriguez (left) and Julian Reyes
10 AgrivieW • Spring 2015
CAfeS.CAlpolY.edu 11
CULINARY EXPERIENCEMIDDLE SCHOOLERS DEVELOP AN APPETITE FOR NUTRITION AND COOKING LESSONS, THANKS TO PINK AND DUDE CHEFS
The program, Pink and Dude Chefs, is a Cal Poly initiative that connects college students with local middle school students to provide nutrition education and hands-on culinary skills.
The 12-week program, part of Cal Poly’s Center for Solutions Through Research in Diet and Exercise (STRIDE), is now being taught at Mesa Middle School in Arroyo Grande, Calif., but has been taught at other middle schools in San Luis Obispo County and nationally.
The program is one of several offered by STRIDE that focuses on obesity prevention by providing real-life learning experiences — a vital step toward a healthy future.
The facts about childhood obesity are startling. It’s an epidemic that is plaguing the nation. In 2012, more than one-third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The percentage of children aged 6-11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7 percent in 1980 to nearly 18 percent in 2012.
“Given that obesity costs the nation more than $200 billion per year and comes with untold public health consequences, I think that our energy in teaching kids about food, nutrition
Mesa students Julian Reyes and Renee Regnier get a hand from food science junior Brianna Bender (right).
and cooking are well directed,” said Aydin Nazmi, director of STRIDE and a nutrition professor in the Food Science & Nutrition Department. “We have already shown improvements in culinary self-efficiency, nutrition knowledge, and nutrition behavior among program participants.”
Pink and Dude Chefs goes straight to the source to educate and empower.
The students are taught a gamut of skills needed to live a healthy, nutritional lifestyle: kitchen safety, how to read nutrition labels and recipes, and basic cooking techniques.
“Middle school students are at a pivotal age of making choices on their own,” said Jessie Bierlich, a Cal Poly student pursuing a graduate degree in nutrition and teaching the Pink and Dude Chefs program this year. “They’re not quite adults but no longer kids. The goal is to provide them tools they can carry throughout their adulthood.”
One recent Friday afternoon, the students gathered around a collection of cereal boxes such as Honey Nut Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, studying the nutritional labels of each. Within minutes the students identified the total calories and the amount of sugar per serving in each cereal. To some, it came as a shock.
Volunteers from the Cal Poly Health Ambassadors, a STRIDE program focused on campus-community outreach efforts to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors, moved among the students to assist and encourage them. Many are majoring in nutrition, with plans to pursue careers in the medical field, corporate wellness and education.
“I love promoting health and wellness because they’re important in
everything you do in life,” said Cori Glazer, a second-year nutrition major.
The middle school students, only a few weeks into the course, are already armed with an arsenal of new nutritional knowledge. However, it’s in the kitchen that their new-found skills really shine.
The class meets each Friday to explore a new recipe. During this class, students will make two varying white bean macaroni and cheese recipes, one with yams and the other with red peppers.
“They’re teaching us for the future,” said Haley Razo, 12, who often cooks breakfast and lunch for her family.
At first, students gawk at the jarred red peppers, but before long, while chopping them for the food processor, they give them a try.
“My rule is simple: You have to try it. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to eat any more of it,” said Bierlich.
The students make the recipe from start to finish: measuring out ingredients such as noodles, white beans, cheese, peppers and yams; chopping the yams and red peppers; and using the food processor to puree the bean and yam mixture.
As the two batches of macaroni and cheese cook on the stove, the students take turns gathering around the large stainless steel sink to wash the dishes they used to prepare the food.
Pink and Dude Chefs is gaining nationwide traction. Cal Poly partnered with researchers from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., to conduct a comprehensive
12 AgrivieW • Spring 2015
COVER STORY
Mesa student Zac Brewer and program volunteer Savannah Rodriguez perfect their purée (above).
CAfeS.CAlpolY.edu 13
evaluation of the nutrition education program at several sites in Nashville.
In addition, STRIDE now offers an online curriculum that provides an innovative train-the-trainer series that empowers anyone, regardless of their culinary experience, with the skills necessary to launch the program in their own community.
“Pink and Dude Chefs is a perfect outlet for Learn by Doing because it reinforces concepts taught in coursework, gives students a broader perspective of society by putting them into communities with a disproportionate risk of health problems, and gives students the opportunity to develop leadership skills,” Nazmi said.
Bierlich focused her graduate thesis on the food and vegetable intake of middle school students and how their preferences change with the program as they study nutrition and develop culinary skills.
She has been teaching and facilitating the program since last fall and said she is constantly surprised by the students’ willingness to try new ingredients.
“What I love to see is when the kids have an initial reaction to an ingredient or recipe and are resistant to it,” Bierlich said. “I’ve seen students do it with tofu or a specific vegetable and then they try it and they like it. They are more willing to try it in a fun environment when they have control over the taste or flavors.”
As the two-hour class neared its end, the students gathered around Bierlich to taste their latest creations. They discussed the flavors, the textures and the differences between the two recipes.
Not one student complained.“I thought they both tasted about
the same,” said Julian Reyes, 13. “They
were a little bland, but if you can make it better, it’s not that disappointing. If you ruin it — that’s disappointing.”
Other dishes that the students will make include baked chicken fingers, sweet potato fries, spaghetti squash salad, and an apple crisp.
At the end of the course, the students will celebrate their new culinary skills
Mesa student Fabian Rodriguez learns the importance of measuring ingredients carefully (below).
by holding a family fiesta — preparing an entire meal for their families.
“It is amazing, and incredibly rewarding, to watch them develop confidence in themselves,” Bierlich said.
14 AgrivieW • Spring 2015
PROGRAM NEWS
Cal Poly’s dairy science program is being integrated with the animal science program, known as the largest and
best-regarded in the state. The purpose of the merger is to strengthen the dairy science program to ensure that Cal Poly is delivering what the industry needs.
The merger will enable both programs to leverage the resources and talents of the other while preserving the integrity of the dairy-specific curriculum. The new administrative structure will be effective July 1, 2015, and will not impact students currently enrolled in either program.
The dairy industry is the largest sector of California’s agriculture industry, and in today’s hyper-competitive environment, the industry needs human talent that has a basic grounding in such diverse fields as nutrition, environmental and regulatory affairs, food safety, water use, animal health and welfare, nutrient management, reproductive physiology, business and marketing.
Cal Poly’s job is to deliver a program that exposes students to these areas and prepares them to contribute to the continuing success of the dairy production and processing industries.
The newly merged Animal Sciences Department will offer two degree programs, one in dairy science and one in animal science. The department will also offer minors in dairy science, equine science, meat science and processing, poultry management, and rangeland resources.
“Reducing administrative overhead and taking advantage of the synergies between the faculty of both programs
will create a stronger program — one that better prepares students to enter the dairy industry ready to make an immediate and positive impact,” said Andy Thulin, dean of the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences. “We know that we play a critical role in developing tomorrow’s talent to ensure the continued strength of the dairy industry in the state of California. This change will enable us to provide our graduates with the foundation they need.”
DAIRY AND ANIMAL SCIENCE PROGRAMS TO MERGE
A Good Mix
The integration of animal and dairy sciences is expected to strengthen both programs and enable a more efficient use of resources.
STUDENT SUCCESS
CAfeS.CAlpolY.edu 15
included a waterfall with recirculating
water, the griffin’s wings, a drawbridge,
jumping fish, flickering candle flame and a
quill. Smith and Do helped with the flowers
along the top of the book as well as the ink
quills and the candle.
This is the fourth consecutive year
that the float has earned the “Californian
Grown” designation by the California Cut
Flower Commission. To be so designated,
at least 85 percent of the flowers and plant
materials used must come from California.
Lynch said that the chance for her
students to participate in creating such
large-scale flower arrangements was
priceless, as was the team’s comradery.
“Cal Poly has so many alumni who help
make the float,” said Lynch. “It makes you
feel really good to know that Cal Poly is still
in the hearts and souls of our alumni.”
CAL POLY’S GRIFFIN FLOAT SNAGS ROSE PARADE TROPHY
Cal Poly students in San Luis Obispo and Pomana collaborated on “Soaring Stories.”
For the 53rd time since 1949, the only
student-built float earned special honors
at the 126th Tournament of Roses Parade
held New Year’s Day. “Soaring Stories” won
the Lathrop K. Leishman Trophy for the
most beautiful non-commercial float.
The float was constructed by students
from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and their
counterparts at Cal Poly Pomona.
“Soaring Stories” depicted a fairytale
castle and mythological griffin springing to
life from the pages of storybooks, reflecting
the parade theme, “Inspiring Stories.”
Two floral design students, Kirsten
Smith and Sara Do, traveled to Pasadena
with horticulture Professor Melinda Lynch to
assist with the fresh-flower arrangements.
In a first for the universities, the back
of the float included a wall of living flowers
instead of cut flowers. Animated elements
ROSES TO THE TEAM!
DAIRY CHALLENGE TEAM TAKES FIRST PLACE IN NATIONAL COMPETITIONA team of four Cal Poly students took
first place at the 14th annual North
American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge
held April 9-11 in Liverpool, N.Y.
The Dairy Challenge is a two-day
competition for students representing
dairy science programs at North
American universities. Students were
asked to evaluate an operational New
York dairy and develop a farm analysis
that included a list of recommendations
for nutrition, reproduction, milking
procedures, animal health, housing and
financial management.
The Cal Poly team ranked first among
eight competing teams that evaluated
the same dairy. Cal Poly’s team included:
Anthony Alamo of Turlock; Preston
Fernandes of Tulare; Amy McBirney of
Morgan Hill; and Russell Pate of Visalia.
Dairy science Professor Stan Henderson
coached the team.
“The challenge was a culmination of
all the hard work that we have put into
school for the last four years,” said senior
Pate. “We took what we have learned
and applied it to a real-world situation at
a competitive level.”
The Cal Poly team advanced to the
national competition after a successful
performance at the Western Regional Dairy
Challenge in Tulare, Calif., in February.
“Cal Poly’s success in the Dairy
Challenge can be attributed to the
knowledge and talent of our students,”
said Henderson. “Cal Poly students
have won this competition for the past
three years, more often than any other
university in North America.”
TOP HONORS
16 AgrivieW • Spring 2015
STUDENT SUCCESS
STUDENTS TALK AG ISSUES WITH STATE LEGISLATORSIn March, students in AG 452, Issues Facing California Agriculture, met with
legislators and top policymakers and made team presentations on issues
affecting California agriculture such as water, immigration, education and
consumer preference at the California Farm Bureau Federation in Sacramento.
The 20 students were hand-selected by the College of Agriculture, Food
& Environmental Sciences’ deans and 10 department heads with the intent of
exposing CAFES’ top students to key issues affecting the agriculture industry and
the political process tied to it.
The class, envisioned by George Soares (Agribusiness, 1966), founding
partner at Kahn, Soares & Conway in Sacramento, has been taught at Cal Poly
since 2003 and replicated at Chico State, Fresno State, and Cal Poly Pomona.
While in Sacramento, the students met with Soares and California
Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross.
“The field trip is a life-changing experience for many students, who learn
about new professional and career opportunities they were otherwise unaware
of,” said Mark Shelton, associate dean and co-instructor of the course.
A CAPITOL VISIT
SENIOR TAKES FIRST PLACE IN ORAL UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONTESTCal Poly environmental soil science
senior Patrick Michelsen won the Oral
Undergraduate Research Symposium
Contest held during the 2014 International
Annual Meetings of the American Society
of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of
America, and Soil Science Society of
America in Long Beach.
Michelsen won for his presentation
of a paper titled “Environmental
Ramifications of a 120-Year-Old Railroad
Bridge Painted in Lead Paint.” The
study focused on the influence of wind
and water flow in the distribution of
lead — a known human toxin — in the
soils, plants and sediments of Stenner
Creek, which surrounds Trestle Bridge, a
structure constructed circa 1894 at Cal
Poly. His findings demonstrate wind’s role
in transporting lead to the soils directly
under and downwind from the bridge.
The paper, developed for a course
titled Soil and Water Chemistry (SS 423),
was co-authored by Cal Poly soil science
alumni Craig Stubler and Chip Appel.
YOUNG FARMERS AND RANCHERS MEET PRODUCES WINS FOR CAL POLYCal Poly students excelled at the California
Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers
Collegiate Discussion Meet in March,
with Kenna Lewis, a third-year agricultural
communications major, claiming the title of
2015 California Champion.
Agricultural communications majors
Harrison Reilly, Riley Nilsen, Ariana
Joven and Kenna Lewis also delivered
a stellar performance in the face of
fierce competition, ultimately earning
the Outstanding Team award. Lewis will
compete in the national event in Kansas
City, Mo., in February 2016.
Students taking AG 452 commemorate their visit to Sacramento in March.
CAfeS.CAlpolY.edu 17
STUDENTS RUN POPULAR WESTERN BONANZA SHOWCal Poly’s annual Western Bonanza Junior
Livestock Show — the largest student-run
exhibition of its kind on the West Coast
— was held Feb. 13-15 at the Paso Robles
Event Center.
Western Bonanza began as a senior
project in 1985 and has grown to be one
of the largest and most successful student-
run jackpot shows with more than 500
exhibitors and 2,000 entries.
Exhibitors from Arizona, Oregon,
Nevada and Idaho showed their animals in
beef, swine, sheep and goat categories.
A management team of 30 Cal Poly
students and more than 100 committee
members hosted the show — a free event
open to livestock enthusiasts and the public.
“The fact that Cal Poly students are
running Western Bonanza is really an
integral part of it,” said Vanessa Alexandre,
Cal Poly agribusiness senior and swine
chair. “These kids are going to the show
and looking at youth their own age (who
are) running it, and it gives them something
to aspire to.”
UPSTANDING
The Western Bonanza Junior Livestock Show offers young exhibitors an opportunity to show their animals (right).
TOP U.S. COLLEGIATE LUMBERJACK ITALY-BOUNDSam Mulholland-Wong, a fourth-year
forestry and natural resources major,
will represent the U.S. in the first-ever
rookie/collegiate Lumberjack World
Championships in Florence, Italy, in May.
Mulholland-Wong was named top
collegiate lumberjack in the nation after
dominating five of the top athletes in the
sport at the National Stihl Timbersports
Collegiate Championship in June 2014.
HELP US BUILD IT!The university has committed space
and some infrastructure to develop
the Center for Wine & Viticulture. We
invite you to join our effort by making
a gift today.
A variety of giving opportunities
are available, including the naming of
the center and supporting vineyards,
labs, classrooms, lecture halls,
scholarships and endowed faculty.
Learn more by contacting Grant
Kirkpatrick at 805-756-2173 or
The vision keeps getting bigger and better. It wasn’t that long ago — summer 2013 — that Cal Poly formally established the
Wine & Viticulture Department. The program has already grown to become the largest wine and viticulture program of its kind in the nation.
Now comes the next big step in hands-on learning for Cal Poly students: the Center for Wine & Viticulture.
The vision includes a 22,000-square-foot learning facility with crush, fermentation, barrel, bottling, teaching and meeting facilities. There will be sensory, enology and viticulture teaching labs and a commercial-grade bonded winery that will allow students to gain a comprehensive understanding of vineyards and grape cultivation, the winemaking process, and the business of wine marketing and distribution. This unique three-pronged curriculum will give students insight into the realities of the entire wine industry.
The center will be a teaching facility as much as a working winery.
NEW FACILITIES
On the Horizon
“Industry leaders and even parents have pledged their support,” said Marianne McGarry Wolf, interim head of the Wine & Viticulture Department. “They are the visionaries — the ones who saw what the program would become and now envision what it will be in 10 years.”
Cal Poly’s Central Coast location gives students access to some of the best growing conditions and internship
PLANS EMERGE FOR A CENTER FOR WINE & VITICULTUREopportunities in the industry. The many wineries to the north and south of campus provide an ideal environment in which students can learn, experiment and conduct research with world-class viticulturists and wine makers.
“The new center will provide state-of-the-art Learn by Doing experiences,” said Andy Thulin, dean of the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences. “That academic edge, coupled with real-world internships, will give Cal Poly graduates the knowledge and tools necessary to enter — and lead — the multidimensional wine industry anywhere in the world.”
In a recent study published by the Wine Institute, California ranked as America’s top wine producer, making 90 percent of all U.S. wine and generating more than $61.5 billion in economic impact. There is an urgent need for new talent in the wine industry, and that need will increase with even greater demand in the coming years.
Cal Poly can help fill that void, and the new Center for Wine & Viticulture will help do so in a first-rate manner.
The Wine & Viticulture Department envisions a 22,000-square-foot center that serves as a teaching facility and a bonded winery.
18 AgrivieW • Spring 2015
WE’RE COMMITTED TO
ARE YOU?Help support our educational foundation by funding the Learn by Doing
Endowment. The endowment was founded by 10 agriculture leaders who
recognized — and benefitted from — the distinct advantage of a hands-on
education. With an initial $1 million pledge, they’ve also committed to
matching each $12,500 endowment gift to double your impact and support
Learn by Doing in the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences.
Learn by Doing ...
GIVE BACK TODAY!Contact Russ Kabaker
805-756-6601
cafes.calpoly.edu/support-learn-doing
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, California 93407-0250
Strutting Their StuffStudents from Arizona, Idaho, Nevada and Oregon participated in Cal Poly’s annual Western Bonanza Junior Livestock Show at the Paso Robles Event Center in February. Read more about the successful student-run event on page 17.