AgriLeader | Spring 2021

AgriLeader

Volume 20 Issue 2, 2021

a new season of

HOPE

AgriLeader

Letter from the editors Let’s talk about 2020.

We both thought it was going to be perfect and clear, like 20/20 vision. However, COVID-19 made things extremely blurry.

From canceled internships to completely virtual learning, our perfect vision of 2020 quickly clouded over.

Going into the Fall 2020 semester, we were scared about the uncertainty ahead. Questions flooded our minds. Could the university shut down again?

How will classes be the same? Will we even be able to produce the Spring 2021 AgriLeader?

While all these uncertainties danced around our heads, there was also a glimmer of hope.

Yes, COVID-19 changed the world as we knew it, but some things changed for the better.

Students, staff and faculty alike began thinking of creative ways to do things. Whether it was organizing the first-ever virtual AGLS Career Fair or creating a unique virtual international experience with the TAMU Lion Queens, people came together to create hope.

When brainstorming what this issue of the AgriLeader would be, we kept coming back to this broad idea of hope. The idea that positive outcomes can happen during change and transition.

Hope. That was our magazine.

These pages are filled with stories of hope.

Stories of a student finding a new passion during quarantine, sacred Aggie traditions becoming more accessible online and hope in the future of the agriculture industry with three Aggies leading Texas major livestock shows and rodeos.

Changes came for the AgriLeader too, causing this issue to be the longest issue in history and spanning over the entirety of 2021.

While our vision of 2020 changed drastically, it also gave us hope for the future.

Here’s to the new year and a new season of hope.

Mackenzie Weadock ‘21 & Kaydee Free ‘21

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TABLE

OF

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professor's perserverence

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22

14

A walk in the park with a snake

A season of discovery

Leading in uncharted territories

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23

16

Preparing future teachers

Aggie takes on American Idol

Meating needs during adverse times

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Learning as they grow

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Post cards from the internet

4

Cover photo by: Halee Sanderson

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Positivity in uncertainty: Fish Camp goes virtual

CONTENTS

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Change strikes close to home

36

37

Lights, camera, action- The Superior way!

Grad school drop out

45

32

The past, present and future of Texas Aggie Rodeo

Impact stories

38

Aggie bosses in the barns

5

Spotlight

A walk in the park with a snake By: Hannah Chambers ‘21 People commonly see dogs of all shapes and sizes walking around Wolf Pen Creek with their owners. One may not expect to see a woman walking around with a bull snake in her arms.

“People are either really interested or running the other direction,” Addison Regennitter ‘19 said about to her reptilian companion, Toro.

Regennitter earned her Wildlife and Fisheries Science degree from Texas A&M University in 2019 and is completing a master’s degree in Natural Resources Development. In 2017 she began working with a nonprofit called The Urban Interface, which housed two snakes, various rehabilitated birds of prey and a few pigeons.

First learning about falconry and as a teen, Regennitter said working with The Urban Interface helped check off a long-time bucket list item while incorporating her new career aspirations of conservation and education.

“So, no pun intended, I got two birds with one stone,” Regennitter said.

Regennitter assisted in caring for the birds and helped with educational programming. She said program days were her favorite.

“It was like getting a day off from class just to go do something fun, and educate people and have all of the birds with you,” Regennitter said.

Out of the flock―consisting of two hawks, an owl and a peregrine falcon―a merlin named Circe became Regennitter’s favorite. Only reaching six or seven inches in height as an adult, she often served as the first bird new volunteers trained with.

“She was the sassiest and loudest bird that we had,” Regennitter said. “She would do a little war cry…it was super loud but really cool because she was so small.”

All of the birds, known as ambassadors, needed rehabilitation because of direct or indirect contact with humans.

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Photos provided by: Ted Preston

Circe arrived with an unknown injury which led to the amputation of the tip of her wing. Hermes, a great horned owl, became blind in one eye after getting hit by a car. Pandora, a Swainson’s hawk, imprinted on humans, meaning she no longer associated with her species. The other ambassadors came with similar stories.

However, the ambassadors did not lose their purpose, even if they could never return to the wild again.

“You were able to see that hope that they did have a purpose after their rehabilitation, even though they were non-releasable,” Regennitter said. “We could still use that as an excellent opportunity to, not only teach people about the animals themselves but their interactions with humans.”

The doors to The Urban Interface closed in May of 2019 when the executive director moved out of state to pursue a new career opportunity.

Regennitter said she looks back on her time with The Urban Interface fondly because she learned new skills and met people she still connects with today.

All of the birds, and snakes, relocated to other rehabilitation groups and continue to do educational programming. To see Hermes in action, visit Lone Star Wildlife Rescue in Bellville, Texas.

Residents of Bryan-College Station can find every species The Urban Interface housed, besides Toro, in the area. Regennitter said their mission included, not only teaching about the animals but connecting people with where they live.

“I feel like that was the important part of the education aspect,” Regennitter said. “Not just, ‘Hey, look at this cool animal,’ but, ‘Hey, look how cool this animal is and how it interacts with its environment in this way that is beneficial for all of us.’”

The Agricultural & Natural Resources Policy (ANRP) Internship Program provides students from the Agriculture & Life Sciences with the unique opportunities to witness and participate in the policymaking process.

Aggies from all academic disciplines within the college are impacting public policy at all levels of government.

ANRP’s flagship program in Washington, D.C. gives students the chance to intern on and off Capital Hill, including Congressional offices and Ag-focused special interest groups.

Every other year, Aggies make themselves at home in Austin during the legislative season, where their internships have a direct impact on the state of Texas.

Students interested in taking their education abroad participate in ANRP’s international program in Rome, Italy and intern with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Ultimately, students that participate in the ANRP Internship Program are positioned to be the next generation of leaders for agriculture and natural resources.

Aggies impact policy. @tamupolicyinterns

@tamuANRP

anrp@tamu.edu

anrp.tamu.edu

Greetings...

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Photo taken by: Yimmi Fontenont

...

from Namibia

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Feature

Postcards from the internet By: Yimmi Fontenont ‘20

Arriving to class to find a lecture being taken

over by a study abroad presentation could be considered a rite of passage for students in the Department of Agriculture Leadership, Education and Communications at Texas A&M University. Aggies sitting room AGLS 115 are certain to hear a pitch about why they should participate in one of the many study abroad programs the university offers. From Costa Rica to Poland and everywhere in between, the department has a multitude of experiences waiting for students who dream of seeing the world.

For many years, ALEC faculty have taken students to the Republic of Namibia for the Namibia Photojournalism and International Agricultural Development study abroad program. Students are challenged to communicate their experience through photography and journalism while exploring this African country to gain a new perspective on agricultural issues specific to the vast wildlife population, arid environment and many other elements that make the country unique.

The group of all female students for the 2020 trip, led by Tobin Redwine, Ph.D. and Jack Elliot, Ph.D., named themselves the TAMU Lion Queens. The group was looking forward to visiting the Namib desert, and going on a safari through Etosha National Park. However, Redwine and Elliot had to deliver difficult news that their hope to experience Namibia in-person was over as the coronavirus pandemic shook the world.

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“Until the official announcement was made, Redwine and I were very optimistic that we would be able to go,” Elliot said.

Elliot and Redwine, along with teaching assistant Nicole Dietzel ‘10, Ph.D. and program coordinator Jessica Spence ‘18, began considering alternative options for the lion queens.

“As soon as we learned that this was an opportunity for students to maintain the scholarships they earned for the study abroad, that was powerful to us, so we decided, ‘okay what do we need to do?’”

Elliot said.

With a mission to provide their students with opportunities to grow and learn, and a passion to educate others about Namibian agriculture, the very first Virtual High Impact Experience at Texas A&M University was created.

“It took us about three days to come up with the first draft of the plan, based off of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle, to show that we were going to be doing more than just a class,” Redwine said. “We were going to be very interactive and purposeful about deploying a high impact experience that incorporated virtual elements but also incorporated standalone asynchronous learning as well.”

Instead of packing their bags on May 11, 2020, the lion queens logged onto zoom and a unique adventure began.

The faculty leaders mailed a lion queen kit to the students, including an Aggie VR device that allowed students to explore Namibia virtually, a wildlife bingo set that the queens played against one another and homemade postcards.

The lion queens experienced a new world without leaving American soil, from connecting with the university’s Namibia partners to speaking with the international agricultural development NGO staff. The students actively participated in each discussion and learned a lot.

“Each student made the personal decision to engage, be engaged with each other and to be engaged in the activities,” Spence said.

A month into COVID-19 lockdown, the lion queens found themselves looking forward to each early morning Zoom and interactive game. The lion queens engaged in the chat box with one another, getting creative while creating a photography portfolio and forming a special bond.

“I’ll forecast this right now, the 17 women that were in our class are going to remember that experience more than they will remember almost any other experience in their college career,” Elliot said.

Eleven days later, the Virtual High Impact Experience ended on May 22. This first-of-itskind experience was a huge success.

Art by: Hannah Chambers Quote by: Carley Smith

Dedicated leaders and engaged students created a home away from home without ever leaving home.

Although the closest the lion queens may have been to a lion was through a computer screen, this experience allowed them to globally connect during the pandemic.

“Life doesn’t have to be super exciting to be super exciting,” lion queen Carley Smith ‘20 said.

Though photos of Namibian sunsets were not captued the lion queens will always remember postcards from the internet and their pride.

Photo provided by: Jessica Spence

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Connection

Preparing future teachers By: Megan Murphy ‘21

COVID-19 brought trials into everyone’s lives, but arguably teachers have faced one of the most wearisome: educating youth during a pandemic.

Tim Murphy, Ph.D. is the program leader of Agricultural Science Teacher Education at Texas A&M University. He guides undergraduate students looking to teach agricultural education.

“I think COVID-19, the response to COVID-19, has had at least three major effects on our undergraduate program,” Murphy said. “It has affected our ability to complete our program updates, the instructional program here on the campus of Texas A&M, and perhaps most importantly, our student teachers engaged in the instruction of secondary agriculture students across the state.”

COVID-19 took over the year and affected everything starting in the spring, including the agricultural science program.

“Over the summer, there was a lot of concern that school districts across the state would close to our student teachers, simply not allow them on their campuses this fall,” Murphy said. “One superintendent told me that student teachers are essentially like long-term substitute teachers, and there was no way the school could remain open if they didn’t allow long-term substitutes.”

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Photo provided by: Laurie Wieghat

It took negotiations with each district and studiously watching what national and state legislation allowed. Thankfully, by the end of the summer, every district partner did allow the student teachers to participate in the fall semester.

Although, it did not make it an easy journey for the student teachers.

“The difficulty this semester is that we simply don’t know, day to day, whether our students will be oncampus or at a distance,” Murphy said.

The student teachers have been juggling online courses here at Texas A&M with their program at their respective high schools. Many of these high schools cannot provide the same resources and support that they are enjoying through Texas A&M, adding another challenge the future educators must learn to manage.

“While I am sure they would have rather not had to face these challenges, these future teachers will have experience in delivering instruction both in-person and in virtual learning environments,” Murphy said. “They will be the most flexible new teachers I think we have ever produced.”

Even with hardships on the horizon, these future educators dare to battle these challenges, dare to strive forward on this uncharted path and dare to hope for a better future to instill in their pupils.

Connection

A professor’s perseverance

By: Harlea Hoelscher ‘21

For agricultural systems management professor Colonel Russell McGee ‘86, the challenges 2020 created was just another chance to persevere and show what Aggies are capable of.

As a former member of the Aggie Band and later commissioned into the Marine Corps as a Cobra helicopter pilot, McGee came back to College Station in 2008 and became a professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.

Reflecting on his time at Texas A&M, McGee said he can see some of himself in his current students. He easily related to them because he has been in their shoes. He remembered sitting in class and wishing the professor would be more straightforward.

While he prefers face-to-face interaction with his students, McGee said Zoom has made distance-learning more interactive and effective. In the Fall 2020 semester students had the option to come to class in-person or catch their lecture online.

While he was happy with the progress made through online learning, McGee said it was hard to get to know his students. Getting to know students through a camera made it harder to recognize them on campus.

“I hated when something was talked about for an hour when it could be covered in five minutes, and I think that reflects my teaching style,” McGee said. As a small department only graduating 40-50 students a year, agricultural systems management After campus shut down in March of 2020, professors get to know each student on some level.

McGee stayed true to his methods and continued This enables professors to offer job placement and to educate students. McGee said the transition help students build their futures. was seamless as he was already teaching online courses. He still came up to campus “It really makes my day when I am able to connect and filmed his lectures, just without a student with an employer,” McGee said. “The students in the classroom. small size of the major enables me to be familiar enough with the students to connect them with an McGee also said one of the best employer.” things he has noticed in light of the pandemic was more McGee continues his work to educate Texas A&M participation in class with a students as successful additions to the workforce Zoom option. as well as stressing the importance of effective networking.

Photos taken by: Harlea Hoelscher

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Spotlight

Photo taken by: Kaydee Free

Leading in uncharted territories By: Kaydee Free ‘21

Student leader Cullen Eppright ‘22 adapted to the new normal of the Fall 2020 semester as he planned for the AGLS Career Fair.

Eppright currently serves as the vice president of finance for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council, better known as COALS Council, and executing the biannual AGLS Career Fair comes with the gig.

The Fall 2020 AGLS Career Fair moved from an in-person event to a completely virtual one due to COVID-19 guidelines. This shift threw COALS Council and Eppright into uncharted territory to plan the first-ever virtual AGLS Career Fair.

Planning a large event like the AGLS Career Fair takes lots of time and effort from the leaders.

Eppright said COALS Council typically starts planning the AGLS Career Fair in April. In the beginning, Eppright hoped the pandemic would conclude before the fall semester rolled around.

“We were made aware early on that we were probably going to have to go virtual, which was extremely helpful,” Eppright said. “People think that a virtual fair is just video conferencing but, in reality, there are a lot of moving parts.”

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It took The Fall 2020 Virtual Eppright AGLS Career Fair had: almost two months during the summer to get all of the details finalized students in attendence before opening up registration to the employers.

However, he did not do it alone.

Eppright’s team of companies in attendence Bennett Folsom ’21 serving as the finance co-chair for COALS Council and AGLS Career Coordinator Whitney Hinze ’13 helped make the event possible.

1,067 & 58

With so many campus events canceling, it would have been easier for COALS Council to follow suit, but Eppright saw the need for the AGLS Career Fair.

“The mission of COALS Council is to be the liaison and representatives of the students,” Eppright said. “There are still graduating seniors who need jobs and Aggies who need internships.

The students are counting on us to provide this resource.”

to network with over 50 different companies.

The positive feedback from both students and companies was overwhelming.

Eppright said he learned so much from this unique experience, especially how to serve as an adaptable leader in times of uncertainty. He is now better prepared to host the virtual Spring 2021 AGLS Career Fair which will take place on February 4, 2021.

“There are still graduating seniors who need jobs, and Aggies who need internships.

The students are counting on us to provide this resource.”

The virtual format provided some benefits. Due to the versatility of the virtual format, the AGLS Career Fair attracted more diverse companies, including more lifescience based employers. Which Eppright said is something COALS Council actively worked towards.

The AGLS Career Fair took place on September 24, 2020, on hireaggies.com.

More than 1,000 students attended the fair

“The theme of leadership right now is that you have to be adaptable,” Eppright said.

“Whether you’re a leader in a student organization, a professor in the classroom or an executive in the private sector, you have to adapt and overcome.”

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Sudent (C.O.A.L.S.) Council is a professional organization that serves as the liasion between students, faculty, and the Dean in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

To Learn more about how C.O.A.L.S. Council can support yourself or student organizations visit: Instagram: @coals_tamu Website: www.tamucoalscouncil.com Twitter: @TAMUcouncil Facebook: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council

Spotlight

Meating needs during adverse times By: Layne Mustian ‘21

Clacking from round-toed boots echoes through the halls of the Rosenthal Meat Science Center.

The glass trophy case reflects a pair of vintage Wrangler jeans and a pearl-snap button-down advancing through a chilly corridor.

Anyone who frequents Rosenthal knows exactly who sports such an ensemble — Ryan Yeatts ‘20, senior animal science major. Known for his passion and dedication to strengthening the meat science program at Texas A&M University, Yeatts set out to form a professional organization for students to develop leadership skills while gaining knowledge about the meat science industry.

During his time competing on the Figthin’ Texas Aggie Meat Judging Team in 2019, Yeatts noticed a disconnect among students looking to establish a career in the protein industry and a lack of opportunities to aid them in reaching their goals.

“I spotted a hole in the department for these students,” Yeatts explained. “We needed a group to promote meat science opportunities.”

In early Spring of 2020, Yeatts, along with a group of hardworking peers, drafted a constitution and bylaws for the Texas A&M Meat Science and Technology Association. They presented the new organization to the university and received a green-light of approval shortly after.

However, Yeatts faced a roadblock when COVID-19 forced Texas A&M to close its doors and move online.

“COVID-19 played a massive role in us creating the organization,” Yeatts said.

Yeats emphasized the determination he and his officer team felt as they worked diligently to organize and promote MSTA. His team leveraged the convenience of Zoom and other video platforms as they crossed item after item off their to-do list in preparation for their very first meeting.

“It became a game of long-distance communications,” Yeatts explained. “We all had to rely on each other more than ever.”

In August of 2020, Yeatts and his officer team successfully hosted the inaugural meeting of MSTA through Zoom. The virtual aspect of the meeting attracted an overwhelming number of students and faculty members.

In fact, an increased interest in MSTA from people across the country prompted Yeatts to open the organization to students from other universities, former students and professionals in the industry.

Photos provided by: Brenyn Burkholder

“We underestimated how much alumni wanted to give back and how many industry professionals wanted to help our students,” Yeatts said.

Yeatts said he plans to utilize MSTA as a platform to promote professional development, enhance meat science education and expand students’ industry connections.

“My biggest goal is to give back to students,” Yeatts said.

FOUNDATION

With a go-getter attitude and strong work ethic, Yeatts embodies the characteristics of a trailblazer, leaving an impact on people across the Texas A&M campus and the meat industry.

Students can join MSTA by visiting their website at tamumsta.wixsite.com/tamu and connecting with the organization through its social media channels.

Ensuring the promotion of youth agriculture for years to come!

- SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED ANNUALLY - HONORARIUMS AND MEMORIALS ACCEPTED SAN ANGELO STOCK SHOW & RODEO FOUNDATION 200 W 43rd Street - San Angelo, TX 76903 Office: 325.853.7785 Fax: 325.653.3270 www.sanangelorodeo.com

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Positivity in uncertainty: Fish Camp goes virtual By: Harlea Hoelscher ‘21

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Feature

The Aggie Spirit attacts many young people to

Texas A&M University. Following the excitement of acceptance into the Aggie Family, Aggies take part in learning the traditions that make Texas A&M such a special place. Fish Camp provides an opportunity to learn these traditions, meet other incoming freshmen and hear first-hand experiences of camp counselors while creating lifelong friendships.

they will probably ever have to make as a leader,” Burroughs said.

In a normal year, incoming Aggies take busses from College Station to Lakeview Methodist Conference Center in Palestine, Texas. During their time at Lakeview and under the guidance of upperclassman as counselors, freshmen break into groups of around 120 students. Along with this, each camp divides further into discussion groups that allow the campers to make deeper connections with their counselors and peers.

Fish Camp serves as a student-led orientation in July to introduce freshmen to the opportunities and traditions awaiting them at Texas A&M in the fall. Freshmen can meet new friends and gain an experience unlike any “Fish camp is not a place, it is the other. people” The global pandemic cast a spell of uncertainty over Fish Camp 2020 plans, but the directors set a goal to give Aggie freshmen the experience they deserved and could look back on with happy memories. The adopted virtual format provided unique opportunities to freshmen and showed them what it means to truly embody the Aggie Spirit.

Bradley Burroughs, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Recreational Parks and Tourism and advisor to Fish Camp directors, said leaders never thought Fish Camp would be canceled.

Directors followed the pandemic closely and planned accordingly. When another spike occurred in late June, they decided to switch to a virtual format.

“Directors had to make the toughest decision

The format needed to be adjusted significantly due to COVID-19. Originally, the plan remained to hold Fish Camp in person.

Directors re-adjusted and created a plan to give incoming freshmen an unforgettable and exciting Lakeview experience from the comfort of their homes.

“There were freshmen coming in that already lost their prom and graduation,” Burroughs said.

“Directors knew they could not miss out on Fish Camp.”

Fish Camp staffers set a goal to ensure freshmen left the online camp with the same sense of comradery they would find in Lakeview.

With a decision made to move virtual, the staff and directors came together to provide an experience like no other. Macey Hammerstrom ’21, an agricultural economics major and Fish Camp 2020 Camp Reineke co-chair, stressed the importance of ensuring freshmen knew they belonged at Texas A&M. “We wanted to show them they still have a support system within the Aggie Family,” Hammerstrom said.

The constant changes and uncertainty left Fish Camp leadership with a lot of questions, but they showed perseverance through extreme adversity.

Burroughs loved to see how the student leaders grew throughout the process and was impressed and proud of the effort put forth to make Fish Camp 2020 a possibility.

“As an advisor, it’s cool to see these creative, innovative, futuristic and positive leaders say, ‘this is bigger than us and we’re ready to serve,’” Burroughs said.

“Fish Camp is a collaboration to welcome freshmen to Texas A&M and tell them, ‘we’re excited you’re here, and we can’t wait to see what you do,’” Burroughs said.

Moving to an online format had the potential to take away from the experience an Aggie freshman normally receives, but leaders said going virtual allowed for more intimate discussion groups and closer relationships.

In her last year of Fish Camp leadership, Hammerstrom stressed the importance of creating an experience for freshmen to get the opportunity to build connections and set themselves on the right track for college. She set a goal to give them the same experience she had, despite a global pandemic and no matter the location.

“Freshmen still needed us regardless of COVID,” Hammerstrom said.

Overall, many positive “We’re excited you’re here, and we The Spirit of Aggieland takeaways occurred did not suffer in 2020, can’t wait to see what you do” through Fish Camp and new Aggies made 2020. Directors, chairs countless memories even and counselors got to during an unconventional work together and build their leadership skills Fish Camp. Aggie freshmen did not need to be in while still providing an unforgettable experience Lakeview to create timeless memories and gain to the students. new friends during their Fish Camp experience.

Burroughs said from the outside looking in Fish Camp may look like dyed hair and piercings, but it truly embodies so much more.

“Fish camp is not a place, it is the people,” Hammerstrom said.

Photos provided by: Fish Camp 2020

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Connection

A season of discovery By: Kaitlyn Nowell ‘20

Many people would not describe 2020 as a year of discovery, but Preston Collins ‘20 has a different mindset than most people. The university studies, agricultural leadership student decided to look at life during a pandemic with a different perspective and pursue his dream.

Growing up with parents who majored in music, Collins spent his time playing multiple instruments, traveling with various bands and developing a passion for music production. His passions only grew when the sudden changes in 2020 gave him more than enough free time to fill.

After moving back home for the remainder of the spring semester, Collins began working with friends remotely on new music ideas.

Eventually, he began producing entire songs from his bedroom and uploading them online.

“Music essentially saved my sanity in quarantine,” Collins said.

For Collins, music always served as a coping mechanism. When quarantine began, he knew exactly where to go and how to distract himself. Instead of constantly worrying about the unknown, he worked on unfinished projects, discovered new artists and indulged himself in his hobby.

“Producing music is just something to use as a creative outlet to express myself,” Collins said. “It’s like a giant puzzle for me. Most people do sudoku, I write a song.”

Collins talked about producing music for years but never had the time available to actually begin the process. With a new daily routine, the young artist began writing down ideas, putting together lyrics and compiling new music rapidly.

Even with its challenges, quarantine became a way for Collins to discover and develop talents he previously put aside.

“I discovered that it was something that I could actually see through,” Collins said. “The more it progressed, the more I realized I actually have the skills to see this all the way through. Which is something I never thought before.”

Instead of dwelling on all the things he lost in his final spring semester at Texas A&M, Collins decided to focus on something he never made time for. He continues to write and produce music.

“This was truly a time of discovery for me because I figured something out,” Collins said. “I figured out I could do something that I was always running from, and now I’m no longer running.”

Collin’s work can be found on Instagram @jpcdrums and on SoundCloud @user-228196484 During Fall 2020 he released two songs, “Blurred in the Morning” and “I’m Not Fine,” and continues to produce more.

Photos taken by: Kaitlyn Nowell

Spotlight

Aggie takes on American Idol

By: Jazmin Guerra ‘21

Animal science major Taylor Graves ‘20 walked around the Texas A&M University campus lost in thought after auditioning for Season 18 of American Idol the day before.

“I was walking to biochem here thinking to myself, ‘I just got a golden ticket from Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Ritchie,’” Graves said. “Like, why am I here?”

As she entered the live audition, Graves said she took a mental picture of the room setup.

“I walked down the stage, I grabbed the microphone and said, ‘Howdy, my name is Taylor Graves. I am 21 years old and I am from College Station, Texas,’” Graves said.

Graves faced many challenged in her life, including living with high-functioning autism. She said this moment helped her realize she is good enough to accomplish her dreams of becoming a singer/ songwriter.

“My dream in life is to be able to make a comfortable living making music,” Graves said. “I don’t want to be famous or anything, I just want to make money doing what I love.”

When Graves writes and performs her songs, she transports to a new level of confidence and serenity.

“It’s like this bubble of comfort and just good vibes are placed around me, and I am one hundred percent at ease and in the moment,” Graves said. “That is when I produce my best work. When I am by myself with my guitar and everything else just doesn’t exist.”

“When I am by myself with my guitar and everything else just doesn’t exist.”

Graves said she remembers going into this bubble when she stood in front of the judges the first time before receiving her golden ticket.

She mentioned how anxious she felt prior to the audition, but this did not stop her from singing her heart out.

She said she would not feel bad or disappointed if she received a no because she knew she did everything she could to prepare for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Luckily, this was not the case.

A couple of weeks after receiving her golden ticket, Graves flew to Hollywood where she embarked on the most exciting journey of her life.

“When it was my time to sing, they actually asked me, ‘Why should you be the next American Idol?’” Graves said. “And, I was like, ‘I think that I should be the next American Idol because I believe that God has given me a gift. He has given me high-functioning autism, but along with that he has given me music, and they work hand in hand.’”

“To show other people that, no matter what you are struggling with in your life, if I can do this you can too.”

While she went home after Hollywood Week, Graves was not disappointed. She felt proud and thankful to be on American Idol. To use it as a platform to reach out to the autism community and create awareness.

“Even though I did not make it too far into the competition, I am proud of myself,” Graves said.

“Because I know that this is just the beginning.”

Graves knew she wanted to use this platform to spread awareness about high-functioning autism.

“I am here to be a spokesperson for the autism community,” Graves said.

Check out her music on Youtube @Taylor GravesMusic

Photos taken by: Halee Sanderson

Copies & More

Digital Printing Design Wide Format Posters Staked Outdoor Signs Engineering Copies Binding Business Cards Laminating Mounting 2307 Texas Ave. S. On Campus @ MSC

copycorner.com 694-COPY

desktop@copycorner.com plans@copycorner.com

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AgriLeader

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Learning as they grow By: Rilee Hall ‘23

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Feature

Five years ago, Meagan Deen’s ‘03 interest in

flowers sparked, or in this case, bloomed. She began to appreciate them a little bit more and found herself eager to learn about them as well.

With two young daughters, she saw this new found interest to be an opportunity for a fun, family project. In a little flower bed space right outside of her front door, she planted seeds, watched the flowers grow and watched the smiles on her daughters’ faces grow too. Her entire family fell in love. For Deen, her husband Luke and their two daughters, six-year-old Emily and four-year-old Mary Elizabeth, this was not only the beginning of a new passion, but a new family hustle.

Deen graduated from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University in 2003. Deen received her degree in agricultural communications and journalism. For her, becoming an Aggie was a dream because she would follow in her grandfather’s footsteps. Upon arrival in Aggieland, Deen’s goal was to become a veterinarian.

However, plans changed and she found herself sitting in a classroom with Tracy Rutherford,Ph.D., former Texas A&M professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications. Deen felt at home with great instructors, friendly classmates and courses she enjoyed. After graduation, Deen was determined to put her degree to work. She landed a job involving digital writing for healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

Planting the basics In 2015 the floral research began. Deen looked to Erin Benzakein, New York Times best-selling author and one of the nation’s leading flower farmers. She wanted to learn all about the floral industry. She followed Benzakein on all of her

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social media platforms and started seeing dozens of beautiful flowers she had never even heard of before.

After scratching the surface, Deen immediately began to wonder what she could grow. Benzakein resides and grows her flowers north of Seattle, Washington, where the climate is much different from that of Canton, Texas. Deen knew things were going to be slightly different for her.

During this time, Deen had a full-time job in an office specializing in digital marketing, so having a small seed project to enjoy with her two daughters seemed like the best idea. They planted sunflower and zinnia seeds, both types able to withstand the heat of a Texas summer, in a small bed space with drip water irrigation right outside of their front door. As the flowers grew, the family enjoyed watching the hummingbirds come in and the bees swarm. The sunflowers eventually grew to be as tall as their house, Dean said.

“I was happy to be doing something that my family and I could do together,” Deen said. “And I was happy to be doing something so involved in agriculture.”

The next year, after learning more about growing flowers, they expanded by building raised beds and planting a wider variety of seeds and ornamental grasses in hopes of being able to design floral bouquets.

With the help of her daughters, Deen was successful

and began selling their bouquets at the local farmers market. She quickly realized that, like her, many people have a passion for flowers.

Deen was especially touched when a young man who bought a bouquet of her flowers told her how the floral display he purchased inspired his mother to make a home-cooked meal. She invited their entire family over for dinner with Deen’s bouquet as a centerpiece.

“It was very touching to know that our flowers had this impact,” Deen said.

Blooming into a business

as she was trying to become established during COVID-19.

Local customers were able to subscribe for a Deen and Daughters Flower Farm floral arrangement through social media and have it dropped off on their front porch with zero in-person contact.

“While COVID has been devastating, I think people really wanted something fresh and beautiful in their home while they were tucked away,” Deen said.

“It was very touching to know that our flowers had that impact.”

Deen quickly noticed the success from selling their floral bouquets at the local farmers market. She loved seeing how much joy the flowers brought other people and how much joy it brought her daughters, her husband and herself. With all of those things in mind, Deen decided to do even more and she figured it was now or never.

“I had to take a leap, I couldn’t keep growing flowers out of my front door in these little patches,” Deen said.

Thankfully, Deen and her family had enough land to keep expanding at home. Her father helped her put down a silage tarp to prepare the soil for tilling.

Once the soil was tilled in the middle of November, he helped her create the rows that would occupy her new flower farm.

What started as a 160 square foot growing area quickly turned into a 3,000 square foot field of flowers.

When growing flowers, timing is essential. In the fall, Deen and her daughters plant seeds and bulbs, for flowers that can survive in the colder months.

Those flowers include tulips, ranunculus and larkspurs that flourish once they make it through the winter and bloom when spring arrives. A similar pattern applies to the other seasonal flowers they grow, such as the summertime sunflowers.

Deen’s first “big and official” year of sales consisted of a lot of summer flowers, and those sales were made in the form of subscriptions from customers.

As they are known on social media, Deen and Daughters Flower Farm built most of their customer base through Facebook and Instagram. In a normal year, social media would be a big influencer for any business, but it was especially helpful for Deen

When things began to get back to the slightest amount of normalcy, Deen partnered with a handful of boutiques in Canton where she dropped off her flowers for customers to stop by and pick up. Some of these boutiques presented her with the opportunity to sell her arrangements as well.

“This was an experimental year―our preliminary year in this big field to see if we could grow, what we could grow, if we could sell, what we could sell and how we could sell,” Deen said.

Whether it was daughters purchasing flowers for their mothers, husbands for their wives, families sending flowers to their ill elders or families wanting an arrangement to simply serve as a colorful and fresh piece of home decoration, Deen and her daughters sold nearly everything they cut.

“It has been a really eyeopening experience that my entire family has enjoyed, and people love flowers,” Deen said.

With the field expansion, greenhouse and hoop house additions come a wide variety of opportunities Deen is eager to explore. At the top of her list are weddings and other public or private events.

The flower farm is located in Canton, which is only 60 miles from downtown Dallas and 30 miles from Tyler. The close proximity to two big cities brings a whole new market with an abundance of business growing possibilities.

“ It has been a really eye-opening experience that my entire family has enjoyed...”

It is for those reasons Deen and Daughters Flower Farm will continue planting, growing and selling, all while sharing their passion for flower farming.

A bouquet full of ideas

The American floral industry is only growing and Deen plans to grow with it. While the floral industry is worth $7-8 billion, it is small compared to many, having 80% of flowers imported to the U.S. Just like locally grown produce or locally raised beef, locally farmed flowers will be fresher and, as a result, have a longer vase life.

The field-to-vase movement is becoming larger as more people get involved in flower farming. To keep up with the industry, Deen has an endless amount of ideas for the future of the farm.

Deen and Daughters Flower Farm is currently 100% field grown. This means all of their flowers are grown outdoors in a raw, unaltered environment. The only time the flowers spend inside prior to harvest is when they are first planted. The seeds are started inside their bathroom under grow lights.

“I hope to grow enough that we can move that out of the house,” Deen said.

Deen hopes to expand their flower field to include greenhouses and hoop houses. The houses will provide season extension for what is being grown, protection from damaging winds and shade during notorious Texas summers. By controlling more of the environmental factors, the flowers will be able

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to grow better for a longer period of time, allowing for an increase in sales.

Deen plans on cultivating her floral design skills to create an even larger outlet for weddings and events, such as graduation ceremonies. Along with pursuing floral design as a skill for herself, she would like to host floral design workshops for other flower enthusiasts to come learn at and enjoy.

Hosting workshops is something already on Deen’s mind. Before COVID-19 caused the country to nearly shut down, she was in the first steps of planning a workshop with a friend and fellow local business owner.

“I’m friends with the local yoga instructor and studio owner,” Deen said. “We have talked about doing something like flowers and yoga workshops.”

Bringing in people who are more familiar in certain areas of the floral industry is something she has thought about doing. Deen said she realizes it is okay to ask for help and she is more than willing to do so if it allows for people of all ages to attend workshops and learn more about the industry.

Educating people and being involved in the agricultural education sector of flower farming is important to Deen. For this reason, she hopes to start having field tours that allow people to visit the farm and see the day-to-day activities of growing beautiful flowers for people to enjoy. She would like for people to come and pick their flowers to put into their own designs and arrangements.

The local high school in Canton has floral design classes within their agricultural science department.

The floral design class has shown their support for Deen and Daughters Flower Farm by purchasing sunflowers for their students to make arrangements with. For Deen, this sparked the idea to eventually start providing jobs on the farm for the local high school students who wish to expand their floral knowledge.

designs. Deen said you can find her daughters helping in every aspect they can, inside or out. Her husband also plays a big role in the family business by handling the mechanical side and helping Deen with the dirty work, such as hand clearing beds when the season is over.

“As long as there are creative ideas, there are a lot of different paths to take,” Deen said.

At the end of the day, when she is able to look out of her window and see all she has done with her family right by her side, there is no doubt in her mind that it is worth all of the hard work. The flower field is a place of smiles, laughter and love for her family as they learn while they grow.

She enjoys educating her current customers by including a branded tag with all of their arrangements they sell that list special care instructions. She even includes proper flower food with the arrangements.

“We are juggling a lot and learning the best methods. We do a lot of trial and error,” Deen said.

With multiple plans for the future, Deen is setting herself and her family’s business up for success.

For now, she wants to stay steady by increasing the local subscriptions she provides and start selling flowers to local grocery stores and florists in the Canton area.

Flowers and family

What started as a small seed project quickly turned into much more. Deen’s daughters were her inspiration. Seeing their smiles and how much they enjoyed the flowers led her to turn the hobby into a passionate business.

Some mornings are spent outside harvesting flowers, others are spent inside soaking the flowers in conditioner to prepare them for the mason jar Photos provided by: Meagan Deen

Feature

The past, present and future of Texas Aggie Rodeo By: Abigail Waller ‘21 and Mallori Christian ‘21

Founded in 1919, the Fightin’ Texas Aggie

and steer wrestling. He ended his career in 1966 but remained a member of the team until he married in 1972.

Wagner served as a member of the Texas Aggie Rodeo Team for many years. During his freshman year of college, he participated in bareback riding

“It was truly such a humbling experience,” Wagner said. “Several of my students had made it to the finals that year so they were able to be with me that day which was really special.”

Rodeo team is part of the Southern Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. They compete in collegiate rodeos during the fall and “I started in 1995 when some of my students came spring semesters against rival schools throughout to me and asked if I would be their coach,” Wagner the region. The rodeo team reflects on the past as they work toward the future of Texas Aggie Rodeo. said. “So, I took it over and have basically been doing it ever since.”

The Texas Aggie Rodeo team has come a long During Wagner’s coaching career, the Texas Aggie way with the help of their coach, Alfred “Al” Rodeo team went from Wagner ‘69, Ph.D. Wagner is having no scholarship money a familiar face to see roaming “I started in 1995 when to having over $2 million in the halls of the Horticulture endowments annually due to some of my students and Forest Science building at the growth of membership.

Texas A&M University. Wagner came to me and asked if earning his Bachelor of Science I would be their coach.”

“We started out with eight or in agricultural education. In so students and now we’ve had 1972, he returned to school 38 ride this year,” Wagner said. to earn his master’s in food science. He found his way back to Aggieland a third time to work as a At the college finals in 2016, Wagner was awarded food technology specialist with the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service. At the time, the position the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Coach of the Year, making him the first Texas A&M required a Ph.D., so Wagner agreed to work there coach to win a national rodeo coach title. while earning his doctorate in food science.

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Baylee Jankowski ‘20, a former rodeo team member, graduated from Texas A&M with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural communications and journalism. She was a member of the team for three years, served as secretary for two years and competed in barrel racing and goat tying.

“Dr. Al was and still is always there for us,” Jankowski said. “Whether I couldn’t make it to his office to enter for a rodeo, needed an interview source for a paper or just needed someone to talk to, he was always there to help us in any way that he could.”

Wagner served as a voluntary head coach for the Texas Aggie Rodeo team for 26 years. The job of coaching and guiding a collegiate rodeo team is not an easy task, especially for someone as busy as Wagner. Without a coach or sponsor, there would be no team and college students would not be able to compete in rodeos. The rodeo team fundraises and holds rodeos each year to make money to continue the program.

Each year the team puts on an All-Aggie Rodeo where current team members, alumni, faculty and their families can compete. Last fall, Texas Aggie Rodeo hosted their 100th annual All-Aggie rodeo.

The rodeo team set up a social for alumni and students where they held a silent auction.

“Dr. Al went out of his way to help us and to make the weekend a success,” Jankowski said. “We were also able to present him with a cup that had a buckle on it, identical to the ones we awarded to the winners of the rodeo to honor it being the 25th year he had been the advisor of the Texas Aggie Rodeo team. That was pretty special to be a part of.”

Photos provided by: Al Wagner

The rodeo team is trying to find a replacement for Wagner so he can retire.

The money being used for this position is from the many fundraisers held by the rodeo team. This will allow the team to continue to compete and have a future.

“I’m hoping we’ll get the practice facility on campus and a paid coach,” Wagner said. “Then I can step down and turn it over to that person and know that this can be in good hands.”

Though this would be very advantageous for the rodeo team, it is just a small step in the right direction. There are many things to think about for the coming years. The team will continue to look for ways to gain the funds they need to improve their club. Anyone wanting to support the team can contact Wagner or the Texas Aggie Rodeo team on their social media pages.

Photo provided by: Whitney Thurmond

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Connection

Change brings new perspectives

Photo taken by: Halee Sanderson

By: Ben Reichert ‘20 After a tough five months of adjusting to the constantly changing aftermath of COVID-19, the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences went through an administrative restructuring of the academic advising system. Rebecca Thompson ‘20 witnessed this transition first-hand.

Thompson currently serves as an academic advisor for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University and has since July of 2018. She graduated as a non-traditional student in August of 2020 with a Bachelor’s of Science in university studies, leadership.

“I became an academic advisor because I wanted a more direct connection with students and to serve them,” Thompson said.

advising tasks from advisors so that they can just focus on advising students.

“I will be able to better advise students on certain things I wasn’t able to before. I will have a broader base knowledge of everything in the college. I won’t have to tell students to go talk to another advisor if I don’t know an answer,” Thompson said.

With the old advising system, academic advisors struggled to move up the career ladder. Advisors would stay in the same positions for extended periods of time Thompson said.

“I became an academic advisor because I wanted a more direct connection with students and to serve them”

“It was hard to progress through our career, with centralized advisors there should be a clearer picture of that,” Thompson said.

Thompson helped shepherd students and the department through the transition to a centralized advising model.The purpose was to transition to a centralized advising system, meaning instead of having advisors at the departmental level, every advisor would advise at the college level.

Even more so, new relationships were built.

Advisors from different departments are working in tandem under the seven new advising centers.

Working at the college level, each advisor will be more knowledgeable about everything but still have very specific majors they would advise.

The transition to the new advising structure came with uncertainties, however through the changes friendships, new perspectives and positive outcomes arose.

“Our main job now is just to advise students,” Thompson said.

This reorganization takes away all of the non-

“We now work with advisors that we normally wouldn’t cross paths with,” Thompson said.

“The friendships I have gained along the way since we have been through these tough times together have been great,” Thompson said.

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Connection

Photo provided by: Kennady Johnson

Lights, camera, action―The Superior way!

By: Kendra Elder ‘20

Wake up, grab a cup of coffee and watch “Superior Sunrise” with Texas A&M University graduate, Kennady Johnson ‘19.

Johnson graduated with her Bachelor of Science in agricultural communications and journalism.

From a young age, Johnson looked up to successful women in the western industry like Pam Minick host of “The American Rancher.”

“I grew up rodeoing and competing in rodeo pageants,” Johnson said. “I would always tell everyone I wanted to be like Pam Minick one day.

Here I am working beside her.”

Johnson works at Superior Livestock as the “Superior Sunrise” host and associate producer for “The American Rancher” which aires on RFD-TV. Superior Livestock is well-known for marketing purebred and commercial cattle on the internet and TV across the United States.

On sale days, Johnson wakes up extra early to get ready and prepare her questions for guests appearing on her show. She spends time researching the guests, setting up her cameras and getting her mobile studio ready for live air.

“With each guest, we talk about their operation, family history and lifestyle in the agriculture industry, in addition to the cattle markets and industry events,” Johnson said. “It was nice seeing our customers this summer and having a bit of normalcy after a spring of Zoom interviews.”

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When not busily hosting her own show, she spends time behind the scenes of “The American Rancher.”

The show highlights ranchers from across the country and tells their stories to a large audience.

“As associate producer, I take the footage that has been filmed and put the show together using Adobe Premiere,” Johnson said. “It consists of applying rancher’s testimonials, selecting b-roll footage and finding the right music to add.”

She explained how using reliable sources like YouTube videos and seeking mentors with years of experience helped her grow as a professional.

“Learning how to use Adobe Premiere was trial and error,” Johnson said. “I watched a lot of YouTube videos and spent time shadowing the producer of American Rancher, Roger Lindley.”

Johnson’s time at Texas A&M taught her how to tell stories in unique ways.

“The ALEC department taught me how to use pen and paper, video documentations, photography and news to tell the story of agriculture,” Johnson said.

She advises those interested in broadcast journalism to seek guidance from others, ask questions and get outside of their comfort zone.

“Getting out of my comfort zone guided me to my dream job,” Johnson said. “Your dream will happen when you least expect it to.”

Connection

Grad school drop out By: Carley Smith ‘20

Leaving her lifelong dreams of becoming a professor behind, agriculture communications and journalism major, Mayzie Purviance ‘18 now pursues a career in agriculture activism in Montana.

Activists vs. Agriculture now reaches around 33,000 readers all over the world. What started as a column turned into a blog, a website, youtube videos, a podcast, public speaking and overall, a lifestyle for Purviance.

Purviance comes from a family of teachers and knew she wanted to become a professor since high school. After graduating from Texas A&M University with a Bachelors of Science in agricultural communications and journalism, she started a master’s in agicultural leadership, education and communications in January of 2019.

Thankfully, COVID-19 hardly slowed down Purviance. Many of the public speaking events Purviance scheduled got moved to a virtual experience, but she has continued to produce powerful content advocating for agriculture.

Purviance said COVID-19 helped the average consumer at least recognize where groceries come from.

Purviance quickly realized graduate school might not be for her. In early April she decided that writing research papers for the rest of her life would not make her happy.

When the world stopped the farmer did not.

When things went missing from the shelves, parents explained to their children how things do not just magically appear in the grocery store.

This made consumers more aware overall.

“It’s fine to change your plan,’’ Purviance said. “You do not have to do something you don’t want to do.”

Over the next six weeks, Purviance applied to 67 jobs and one day got a call from her current boss at the Western Ag Reporter to do a phone interview. Two weeks after she got a call offering her the job, she started her adventure in Montana as an assistant editor for the Western Ag Reporter.

After two months of working, they asked Purviance if she wanted to add on the role of social media coordinator. Soon after, a regular column slot opened, and Purviance saw this as the perfect opportunity to pitch her idea for a column about advocating for agriculture.

Some of Purviance’s most popular pieces include “The Vegan Diaries” when she went vegan for six weeks, “Correcting the Crown” which calls out Miss Montana while advocating for meat packers and Agriculture isn’t destroying the planet―Agriculture is Feeding it that talks about the misinformation surrounding greenhouse gas emissions.

To learn more about Purviance and Activists vs. Agriculture, visit activistvsagriculture. com.

“At the time I pitched a three part series that was pretty much Activists vs Agriculture, but I knew it was probably going to be more than that,” Purviance said.

The idea for Activists vs. Agriculture originated in the Summer of 2017. While on an internship, Purviance could not wrap her mind around why some people hated agriculture.

“We are not doing a good job communicating why they shouldn’t hate us, and there are people out there that are effectively communicating why they should hate us,” Purviance said.

Photo provided by: Kayla Sargent

Chis Boleman Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Dr. Chris Boleman President & CEO Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo President & CEO

Aggie bosses in the barns By: Halee Sanderson ‘21

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Justin Jonas San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo Executive Director

Cody Davenport San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Executive Director & CEO

A

ggie graduates have gone on to accomplish great feats. Between governors, renowned professional athletes and dedicated agricultural advocates, it is not surprising Aggies are storming the Texas major livestock show industry.

Three Texas livestock shows are currently led by young Aggies. One took over early on in his career, one worked in various other areas before earning the prestigious title and the last followed in his family’s footsteps to continue improving the agriculture industry.

These Aggies are arguably at the top of their industry. All three have a unique background and this is how they became kings of Texas stock shows and rodeos.

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Feature Justin Jonas Justin Jonas ‘96 had his life planned out when he graduated from Texas A&M University—become a lamb breeder and travel the world.

While both of his goals came true, his life took an unexpected turn when he received the call to become the executive director of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Association.

In 2007, Jonas was appointed executive director of the SASSR Association as a 33-year-old. Twelve years later, Jonas is still one of the youngest executive directors of a Texas major livestock show.

Over the past decade, Jonas has been a key figure in building the multimillion-dollar association from the ground up.

Jonas said he originally did not plan to work for the SASSR Association.

“To be honest, I had a really good job and I had a lot of freedom to travel all over the world,” Jonas said.

Jonas said after considering his own experience and the impact on young students in the agriculture industry, he changed his career path.

“I got so many benefits from going to stock shows with my family and met so many people I was still in contact with,” Jonas said.

“I thought I could come to San Angelo and

Photo taken by: Halee Sanderson

I could benefit San Angelo to try to give kids the same kind of opportunities.”

The opportunities for Jonas to cultivate the available resources to help students better themselves were worth the upcoming hardships.

Taking over at a young age Jonas said he immaturely thought the association would be the most lavish job he ever accepted.

“I thought when I took this job, I thought the stock show and rodeo was filthy rich,” Jonas said. “The secretary brought my PNL in and it was negative.

We were borrowing money at that point to get through the year.”

Jonas said he felt like he was not ready for the workload ahead, but his competitive nature and work ethic he cultivated at Texas A&M University helped lead him to success.

Multimillion dollar turn around Jonas said being in the red kept the association Photo provided by: Devin Sisk from fulfilling their purpose of giving out scholarships in the early 2000s.

“We were having like 100 applicants of seniors that were going to graduate and the association, a few years, wasn’t able to even give a scholarship and then some years they were only able to give one,” Jonas said.

In 2020, the foundation held more than $12 million—an unthinkable amount a decade ago.

“The best part is being able to do that end of the year banquet, when we are able to award scholarships, and getting to see those kids and read their applications,” Jonas said. “Now we are giving 17 $8,000 scholarships and one $16,000 scholarship.”

Cody Davenport At the surface, it is surprising Cody

Davenport ‘98, a former construction science major, spent his free time in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

It is clear that Davenport has deep roots in Texas agriculture.

As a sixth-generation Texas agriculturist, Davenport spent his youth ranching with his granddad in Uvalde, San Antonio and Sanderson.

After graduation, Davenport returned to the San Antonio Livestock Exposition to work his way up the volunteer totem pole while running a construction company. In 2018, Davenport took over as executive director and CEO of the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. In two short years, Davenport took a fresh look and massively revamped and refocused agriculture education efforts across the boards.

Davenport said, “sometimes that just takes dumb energy. I think that for San Antonio, what’s been good is just a fresh look at things and a more aggressive attitude.”

Agriculture education Davenport said agriculture education is at the forefront of his mission to give students opportunities to learn during their short period of eligibility at the SALE. “We talk about those two things—protecting our educators, because they are the lifeblood of the product, and then what’s the product we are producing,” Davenport said.

According to Davenport, San Antonio is focused on future agriculturists. As the world population grows and the percentage of agriculturists decreases, it becomes more important to create agricultural education opportunities for every background.

“Part of our job is to educate the public, not just about the importance of agriculture but the diversity of agriculture,” Davenport said.

For younger visitors, seeing their peers interacting within livestock competitions helps motivate continual learning, Davenport explained.

“I can talk to kids all day long, but the second they see someone their age, a peer out there walking around with a project, it becomes real to them,” Davenport said.

Davenport said the stock show and rodeo is fortunate to be able to help light a fire in the next generation of agriculturists.

Growing programs “In 1984, we gave out our first scholarship and it went to Texas A&M,” Davenport said.

Davenport emphasized San Antonio’s support for the institutions they financially back. The stock show and rodeo perform in-depth studies to make sure students are receiving a high-quality and diverse education.

The agriculture industry cannot be put in a box and defined by certain majors, according to Davenport.

“They might study things that are outside of the traditional ag degrees, but to us, those are still our ag kids,” Davenport said.

The SALE has invested more than $210 million towards agriculture education over the last 36 years.

Davenport said this is an investment towards the future.

Davenport said the reward of seeing students give their hearts and souls to the industry at such a young age is what keeps him going. While the SALE gives money and opportunities, Davenport commended Texas A&M University educators for building the next generation of agriculturists.

“When I see all these families with their kids, working their animals, feeding their animals,

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unloading their animals, out there warming up their horses, it fuels me no matter how bad the night has been or how tough it has been,” Davenport said. “It is a real clear reminder to me of the purity of what we are.”

Chris Boleman Chris Boleman ‘96, Ph.D., began his journey at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo as an intern. Like a storybook fairytale, Boleman found his future wife and his passion in life within the mile-long barn and NRG stadium.

Like many Aggies before him, Boleman quickly climbed the leadership totem pole. His original plan to be a county extension agent in Bell county quickly turned into graduate school and a position at the Texas 4-H offices.

Boleman laughingly said, “Actually, as a matter of fact, I was lecturing an online class today and I told them that, ‘Whatever position you start with is not the position you’re going to end in.’”

When he became the director of the 4-H program at 34, Boleman thought he would retire from the job. After Joel Cowley stepped down, Boleman received the call “So all of them were steps that when you look at them over time they make logical sense, but at the time they were happening you didn’t know what was next,” Boleman said. “You just evolved as a

human being; you evolved in your career and in your life personally.”

Boleman attributes his continued success to his time with his Aggie and Texas 4-H family. His background in agriculture leadership and development helped him adapt to career path changes.

“For me, both organizations are all about relationships,” Boleman said.

Boleman uses collaborative, grouporiented leadership to bring volunteers and staff together to effectively run the HLSR.

Family effort Boleman and his family have deep ties to the HLSR. Young Boleman was already involved in the livestock show competitions, but his dedication to agriculture ran deeper.

“My dad was a beef cattle professor at A&M, my grandfather on my mother’s side was a swine professor at A&M, and so animal science and agriculture is just who we are,” Boleman said with pride. “My dad’s been involved with the rodeo as a superintendent of various events, and even my granddad, and so we have a strong commitment to the rodeo.”

Boleman attributes meeting his wife, Randy, to the rodeo. As students, both Bolemans volunteered to further the opportunities for others. Eventually, they joined forces to make their impact larger.

“Randy has been on a committee longer than she’s been married to me, so she has a strong allegiance to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo,” Boleman said. “Randy was an intern, and I was an intern, and we started talking there that night and it kind of was our first date.”

Boleman has made it his mission to make the HLSR a family experience every age can learn and enjoy.

The different backgrounds and experiences help make the event more successful. Boleman said it is important to find your passion and live it. His background in agriculture and the influence of his family’s past created his personal passion for agricultural education.

Working towards personal passion Many students grow up with the dream of running a show like HLSR. Boleman said the best start to pursuing that dream is to volunteer for committee work.

“About 4.5 million people come to our grounds in about 20 days in a normal year,” Boleman said. “That means there’s opportunities for people to be involved and help.”

Jonas said that even with a global pandemic, success can come in many different forms. It is better to embrace the change than be left behind.

“The mission has become more clear,” Davenport said. “I have found a lot of unity, that I think will carry us going forward, to be a stronger show with a renewed focus.”

Boleman said, “There’s only one thing you can control and that truly is your attitude.”

According to the National Association of Agricultural Educators, an experience like the HLSR, SASSR and SALE is the hands-on, experiential component of the three essential parts to create future leaders.

“There’s only one thing you can contol and that truly is your attitude”

No matter the job title, everyone’s work at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo is impactful. Boleman said the volunteers are the people who give exhibitors and visitors positive agriculture experiences “Sure, I’ll get quoted more than others, but the people that are around me, the people that work with me, work together,” Boleman said. “Again, back to that collaborative leadership model from the volunteer side it’s an us, it’s a we, and that’s what I would challenge people if you have interest in moving up.”

Positive outlook Every CEO combats controversy, but COVID-19 has brought its own set of complications. The Aggie barn bosses are taking the COVID-19 bull by the horns.

Three leaders have dedicated their lives to positively impact students’ lives through their respective stock show and rodeo. During their time as leaders, they have helped educate and motivate millions of visitors. Crediting the success to their team and volunteers, Jonas, Davenport and Boleman continue to cultivate a younger generation of agriculturists—one show at a time.

With the 2021 SASSR, SALE, and HLSR nearing, all health and safety precautions are being taken to hopefully continue with each event.

To learn more about how you can get involved, visit sanangelorodeo.com, sarodeo.com and rodeohouston.com to learn more.

*Photos provided by Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo

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The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is known for its outstanding professors. From winning prestigious awards to conducting innovative research, the professors do it all. Including making lasting impacts on the lives of their students.

Photo provided by: Lindsey Behrends

Tobin Redwine Mustafa Kemal Atatürk once said, “A good teacher is like a candle—it consumes itself to light the way for others.”

Tobin Redwine, Ph.D., earned his degree in agricultural leadership, education and communications in 2014 from Texas A&M University, and stayed in Aggieland to light a pathway for each of his students as an assistant professor in 2015.

Redwine’s non-traditional approach to teaching forces students to look at life and journalism in a different light. He creates spaces that allow students to flourish in not just their work but in their journey of self-discovery.

“Dr. Redwine shaped my college career more than any other professor I studied underneath.” Ben Thornton ‘20 said. “He constantly inspired me to explore new ideas and discover new passions and I would not be where I am today without him.”

Former student and now co-worker at the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, Jessica Spence ‘20, agrees that he teaches beyond the textbook.

“One of the things people remember the most about Redwine is his mental health speech at the end of AGCJ 314,” Spence said. “It brings tears to almost everyone’s eyes, and really shows how much Redwine cares about all his students.”

From the first day of class, Redwine leaves an impression on every student that walks into his classroom. He makes it a point to invest in the lives of those around him, listening to each student’s concerns and providing advice and guidance along the way.

While Redwine steps off of campus to start a new chapter in his life, we know his light is not done shining.

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Jeff Savell Jeff Savell, Ph.D., fully embodies the five core values an Aggie represents. Savell, a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Animal Science, began his teaching journey in 1982 and has impacted, guided and shaped over 8,500 students.

“Once you are a part of any of his classes, you are a part of his family,” Bailey Allison ‘21 said. “There aren’t a lot of professors whom I can’t say the same.”

Photo provided by: Katherine Carson

Katherine Carson For more than 20 years, Katherine Carson, Ph.D., has made an impact on the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She spent 19 years with the university as an associate research scientist. In 2017, she moved into the classroom to serve as an instructional assistant professor.

Savell’s positive influence does not stop in the classroom as he makes himself available to every student that he has ever taught. He, along with two colleagues, created Texas Barbecue, ANSC 117, which is a first-year seminar centered around food and fellowship.

“I had no idea this decision [joining ANSC 117] would be so impactful to my college and future career,” Carsyn Burney ’20 said. “Dr. Savell has always been there for me to talk to in times of trouble and has always been my biggest cheerleader.”

Carson currently teaches three different courses in Savell sets extremely high standards for his students. the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences where He consistently goes out of his way to help students she makes an impact on students. be successful and gives wonderful life advice. Savell is a constant motivator and wishes the absolute best for “Dr. Carson is very down to earth. She is a shoulder all of his students. to lean on and her strong and open personality makes her approachable at whatever issues you “He pushes you out of your comfort zone but I have have,” Garrett Jones ‘20 said. “She cares about never hesitated to reach out to him for advice,” students, whether or not they took her course, and Brogan Horton ‘17 said. “He consistently goes out of her office door is always open.” his way to help you be successful and I am fortunate to have him in my life.”

According to her students, Carson works to make them think and make their own decisions about agriculture.

“As a student, I have seen first-hand the passion that Dr. Carson has for agriculture and for her students. Her love for agriculture is contagious,” Canute Janish ‘23 said. “She has inspired me to do more research and become more involved in the soil and crop sciences.”

Carson gives her students her full attention to help them succeed throughout their college career.

“Dr. Carson has been one of the most influential people throughout my college career,” Oliva Hammonds ‘20 said. “She is willing to have personal conversations and relationships with her students when they need it. She exceeded all my expectations of what a professor should be.”

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Photo taken by: Jazmin Guerra

Jessica Light Jessica Light, Ph.D., empowers students to explore their own passions in her role as associate professor in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. She serves as a mammalogist and a curator of mammals at the Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections.

“She has been a model of adaptability in teaching through online formats and keeping students engaged when COVID restrictions have disengaged many students from the classroom,” Hunter Parker ‘21 said. “She wants her students to grow as professionals and she pushes them while keeping her class engaging and fun.

Since stepping foot in Aggieland in 2009, Light has had a powerful influence on her students.

“She has a great passion, not only for her research but also for her students and teaching,” Cameron Kelly ‘21 said. “Her desire for her students to learn and develop passions of their own is inspiring.”

Light truly gives herself to her students.

“Dr. Light’s passion is infectious, and her willingness to share and teach is truly admirable,” Rebekah Mullen ‘21 said. “She is a powerful educator and wonderful role model for women in wildlife.”

Even in the midst of challenges, Light finds a way to engage her students.

Photo provided by: Jessica Light

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