Aspire to Grow

The college hosted the fifth annual Aspire to Grow Conference in February, exploring innovation in food, agriculture, and natural resources. The symposium, focused on the theme of perseverance and the role diversity of thought and experience plays in achieving this, was attended by students, staff and faculty from across the university, as well as from area community colleges and high schools. Featured speakers included Hilary Graves, vineyard and grower relations manager at Booker Vineyard; Boris Coto Calvo, head of field solutions at Bayer Crop Science North America; Alexandra Roberts, food safety manager at Rice Fruit Company; Roxanna Smith, senior relationship manager of Agribusiness, Food and Hospitality at Wells Fargo Bank; and Heidi Vasseur, senior manager of fertilizer, plant nutrition and seed compliance at Nutrien. The Aspire to Grow Conference, sponsored by Nutrien Ag Systems, aims to inform and empower students from across campus about the many and varied career opportunities in these industries. It also creates a forum for students to learn from and network with companies for which diversity and inclusion are an essential part of their visions. The event is planned each year by students.