Ag One Foundation
March E-News
Dr. Sandra Witte, who has been serving as interim dean of the Jordan College of Agricultural
Sciences and Technology at Fresno State, has been appointed permanent dean, effective
immediately. Dr. Lynnette Zelezny, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs,
said Witte’s exceptional work as interim dean made her the best person for the position.
Previously, Dr. Witte jointly held the positions of associate dean of the Jordan College
and dean of the Division of Graduate Studies. She joined the Fresno State faculty
in 1992 and took her first administrative assignment in 2007. Please join us in congratulating
Dr. Witte! More
A nearly $50,000 grant to Ag One will provide Fresno State with seed funding to forge
a new international relationship in support of agricultural education. Lisbon-based
Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) gave $49,000 to launch a partnership between
Fresno State and the University of the Azores, which will open educational and research
opportunities for students and faculty at both institutions. Ag One also received
a $2,000 gift from the Tulare-Angra do Heroismo Sister City Foundation to support the program. The partnership is expected to offer a two-way exchange,
creating opportunities for Fresno State students to study in Portugal, as well as
for faculty and students from the University of the Azores to learn about agriculture,
government relations and Portuguese-American culture in the Central Valley. More
On February 24, Rodger Jensen along with his son Doug and daughter Marjorie visited
the Jensen Library at the Smittcamp Alumni House to meet the recipients of their scholarship.
Rodger and his wife Margaret have a fondness for education and how it has impacted
their lives and careers. Their family history runs deep as Rodger’s parents were of
the first to farm figs near what is now known as the Fig Garden Area in Fresno.
The generous Jensen Scholarship covers tuition and fees for the students. The Jensen
Scholars are Rigoberto Guzman, Agricultural Business; Benjamin Granholm, Agricultural
Business and Agricultural Education; Touyee Thao, Plant Science; Elizabeth Mosqueda,
Plant Science; Kylie Baker, Plant Science; Brian Coelho, Plant Science; Courtnie Fox,
Agricultural Business; GaLhiel Dillard, Agricultural Business; and Sarah Parry, Plant
Science.
On March 16, Ag One along with the Jordan College and the California Agricultural Leadership
Foundation (CALF) hosted the 20th annual Common Threads Awards Luncheon at the International Agri-Center Heritage Complex
in Tulare. With nearly 400 guests in attendance, the luncheon celebrated the time,
talent and treasure of the Common Threads Awards honorees who have devoted their lives
to agriculture and their communities. The 2016 honorees included Laurie Airoso, Tipton;
Felomena Barcellos, Tipton; Georgene Diener, Five Points; Matilda Maddox, Riverdale;
Lilia Giacomazzi, Hanford – Tapestry Award; and Dr. Sandra Witte, Clovis – Honorary
Award.
The Jordan College hosted and participated in a series of events this week as a part
of National Agriculture Week. In addition to a variety of events, industry leaders
visited with classes including an Ag Communications class visit by Holly Carter of
Carter & Co. Ag Communications and an Ag Business class visit by co-founders of the
movement My Job Depends on Ag, Steve Malanca and Erik Wilson. More
Current Ag One Treasurer Don Parreira graduated from Fresno State in 1980 with a Bachelor’s
Degree in Accounting. Following graduation he spent several years in accounting before
entering the fertilizer industry and in 2008 he purchased Ultra Gro Plant Food with
his three partners. Don and his wife Terri, also an alumna, are incredibly supportive
of Ag One and Fresno State. Don and Terri have established an endowment scholarship
fund to benefit Jordan College students from their hometowns – Los Banos and Selma.
Ag One is very fortunate to have the continuous support of the Parreira’s.
Alumnus Gary Pollastrini has pledged to establish a permanent scholarship benefiting
Jordan College students in honor of his father, Dino Pollastrini. Gary grew up on
his father’s ranch where he raised turkeys for Zacky Farms. He graduated from Fresno
State in 1981 with a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from the College
of Arts and Humanities. The Dino Pollastrini Scholarship Fund will support students
majoring in animal science, pursuing a career in the poultry industry. Please join
us in thanking Mr. Pollastrini.Planting seeds of success…
- The Ag Business Marketing Team traveled to Las Vegas last weekend to compete in the National Grocers Association case study competition where they presented their solution to expand grocery companies' business to the online market.
Important Dates
May 6-8; 12-14, 2016 – Blue Willow world premiere
April 21 – 26, 2016 – State FFA Leadership Conference
May 9, 2016 – 45th Annual Turf Day Golf Classic, Belmont Country Club
May 13, 2016 – Jordan Agricultural Research Center Ribbon Cutting Ceremony (tentative)
June 20 - 24, 2016 - Angra do Heroismo, Terceira, Azores - President and Mrs. Mary Castro, Dean Dr. Sandra Witte and Sr. Director of Development/Ag One Executive Director Alcidia Freitas Gomes will travel to Angra, Terceira to sign an agreement with the University of the Azores. The agreement will put in place an exchange program for students majoring in agriculture. For more information on this visit or the program contact Ag One at 559-278-4266.
Become an Ag One Member!
If you’re not already a member, please consider joining Ag One and receive 10% off selected items like wine and olive oil at the Rue and Gwen Gibson
Farm Market!
