A Roaring Night to Remember

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By: Ryan Alu, Agribusiness and Applied Economics | Columbus, OH

As a transfer student who only had three semesters at Ohio State I came in with a keep your head down and graduate mentality. I am so happy I read Adam Cahill’s weekly update email and took a chance on being a co-chair for the banquet committee, which made me truly feel like a part of the buckeye and CFAES community.

On Thursday April 7th the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences came together to recognize the accomplishments of the students, faculty, and staff at the 63rd annual Recognition Program. I was lucky enough to not only be a part of the group of 28 students that put it together but also to be one of the Chairmen of the group. As a transfer student I had never attended the banquet so I came in having very little idea of what to expect. The planning for the banquet began in October with a meeting between the co-chairs and our awesome advisors Dr. Marilyn Trefz and Dr. Warren Flood I could tell that it was going to take a lot of work to make it a great banquet.

Every member of the committee put in a lot of hard work to make the banquet the success it was. Every part of the banquet, from creating the menu, to decorating the ballroom, was either run or managed by a student. The banquet being a student run event, makes it that much more special, because it shows just how much the students care about, and want to put on a great event for their fellow classmates, faculty, and staff of the college. After all of the hard work, it was great to see the final product, especially the look on students and their families’ faces that received awards. However, my favorite part of the banquet was at the end, when all of the seniors gathered on stage and lead the entire room in singing Carmen Ohio. That night was one that will stick with me forever and the experience of being a part of the banquet team is one that I would highly suggest for anyone.

How Firm thy Friendship

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By: Lindsay Hayward, Animal Sciences | Delaware, OH

For those of you who have had a leadership position in the past, you know first-hand how time consuming and stressful it can be. I am the current president of the Ohio State ATI Community Council in Wooster. I never imagined that I would be in this position, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am constantly reminded of all the great work our club does. This motivates our club members and myself to continuously outdo ourselves when we plan our next event.

Community Council is a student based organization that plans events for the students on campus. This year past we planned the annual Homecoming Dance, a Walking Taco Bar, and the Buckeye Bull Bash. Our main goal is to create a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere which gives students an experience that they will remember forever. This past February, we hosted the third annual Buckeye Bull Bash.  For my fellow Buckeyes who don’t know what this is, let me explain. This night is dedicated to line dancing, singing along to 90’s country, and of course, riding a mechanical bull. Community Council brings in a live band to give the ambiance of a country saloon. This year the Lincoln Way Band gave us an unbeatable show and rocked the house. Nothing brings people closer together than “lying on our backs and counting the stars” and reliving the memories we made at 4-H or FFA camp. This year I rode a mechanical bull for the first time and even though I am no Tuff Cooper or Lane Frost, I had fun trying. Events like these give us the opportunity to escape the stresses of college and enjoy time with our friends and classmates.

You learn more about your peers outside of the classroom because you are able to see their true colors. I love giving my peers the chance to learn more about the people who they spend a majority of their time with. The Ohio State University prides itself in tradition, honor, and excellence. No matter what campus you may be on, this still holds true. Carmen Ohio says it best, “the seasons pass the years will roll, time and change will surely show, how firm thy friendship, Ohio.” I am blessed beyond words by the lifelong friendships I have made at The Ohio State University.

ASM GEAPS Trip 2016

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By: Grant Cory, Agricultural Systems Management | Frankfort, OH

My name is Grant Cory. I’m currently a sophomore studying Agricultural Systems Management at The Ohio State University. In late February and early March, a small group of about 18 students from Ohio State’s Agricultural Systems Management (ASM) Club, along with our club’s advisor Dewey Mann, had the great privilege to travel to Texas to take part in the 2016 GEAPS Exchange. GEAPS stands for Grain Elevator And Processing Society. The annual exchange that GEAPS holds every year is a 5-6 events where companies associated with the grain industry come from around the country to show off their new products, technology, and services. It is essentially a place for the exchange of ideas where people in the grain industry and people interested in the grain industry can come to learn just how the grain industry in the United States actually works, and how it’s constantly growing and innovating.

The Agricultural Systems Management (ASM) Club usually attends this conference/exchange/expo every year, and every year it’s held in a new location. This year’s exchange was being held in Austin, TX. I felt very privileged to be a part of the group of ASM Club students that attended this year’s exchange because it was such a fun and educational trip that allowed me to learn about one of the most important industries in agriculture, and it gave me the opportunity to become closer to some of my fellow ASM students, something I feel like I haven’t been able to do during my time at Ohio State because of my busy college life.

Those of us going on the trip were mostly ASM students, but a few were actually Agribusiness students. Despite not majoring in ASM, they told us that they wanted to be involved in the club because they saw how its members were such a tight-knit agriculture community that constantly sought knowledge about the agricultural industry, and they wanted to be able to learn more about the industry alongside us. Continue reading