Fresno State signs exchange agreement with Chapingo Autonomous University

(September 21, 2015) – In order to foster new international relationships and offer greater opportunities for their students, Fresno State and the Chapingo Autonomous University, Mexico signed an agreement of collaboration to establish the exchange of students, professors and research in the areas of agriculture and English.

On Friday, Sept. 18, Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro signed a memorandum of understanding with his Chapingo counterpart Dr. Jose Sergio Barrales Dominguez in front of campus officials and media at the Smittcamp House.

Javier Alejandro Ruiz Hinojosa, University of Chapingo Head of Academic Exchange and International Affairs, and Vicente Sánchez Ventura, Consul of the Fresno Mexican Consulate, were also part of the signing ceremony.

Earlier in the day, the group toured the campus farm to learn about advances in agricultural technologies, met with Jordan College Interim Dean Sandra Witte and attended an agricultural business class.

Chapingo is the most important Mexican university in the area of agriculture and green energy curriculums, and offers courses of study in forestry, agricultural economics, agricultural industries, irrigation and rural sociology.

The Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology is an equally- renowned agricultural program that reflects the diversity of the San Joaquin Valley – the world’s richest agriculture area.

The campus farm features 20 enterprises include wine, table and raisin grape vineyards, vegetable and field crops, fruit and nut trees and dairy, beef, pork, poultry, sheep and horticulture units that integrates students and staff into the complete ‘Farm to Fork’ philosophy.

The Jordan College’s wide-reaching curriculum also includes seven departments and three research centers – the California Water Institute, Institute for Food and Agriculture and Viticulture and Enology Research Center.

Increasing the global reach of the Jordan College was also a key point in the 2014 campus report by the President's Commission on the Future of Agriculture.

The collaboration was made possible by Fresno Mexican Consulate and the Mexico-US Bilateral Forum on Higher Education, Innovation and Research (FOBESII) created in May 2013 to grow the academic exchange between the two nations.

This week, the Fresno State campus begins its National Hispanic Heritage Month celebration with the first of 20 events on Monday, Sept. 21 - a parade on campus from the Joyal building to the Speakers Platform north of the Madden Library. More information is available at http://www.fresnostatenews.com/2015/09/hispanic-heritage-month-calendar-now-available/ .