Building a Brighter Tomorrow

- by Christopher Golden, Ag Publications 166 class, Spring 2020

As you drive around the Fresno and the surrounding area, you constantly see signs that read, “Pride of the Valley”.

The pride of the valley isn’t just our sports teams -- although they are great --  but also the leaders that come out of Fresno State. One of these areas is our very own Jordan College's mechanized agriculture program.

Over the years the school has seen the program and faculty change and evolve. Right now, it features two instructors that are graduates of the program. Not only do they have immense pride in what they do, but they also have exciting goals for the program's future.

Chris McKenna, the newest mechanized agriculture instructor, graduated from Fresno State in 2007. After he finished his teaching credential in 2008, he immediately started teaching high school agricultural education in Tulare. He also knew he would like to return to Fresno State at some point, and help give other students the skills that they would need to become successful. 

He later attended Cal Poly and obtained his master's agricultural education degree (MAE), then returned in 2018 to Fresno State as a full-time lecturer.

Touring the campus mechanized agriculture shop there is some old equipment that he used when he was a student. However, there are also many new items that he and fellow faculty member John Williams have added recently thanks to a $250,000 donation by Dr. James Moller.

Before the donation, McKenna said most of the equipment was “50 plus years old”. Although some of the skills could still be taught to students with older equipment, it was important to incorporate new processes and new technologies into the classroom.

As the program continues to modernize its resources, McKenna would also like the program to expand in other ways, including adding a mechanics major.

He stated the new major wouldn’t be designed for students wanting to be mechanics, since they can go to a community college for certification. This major would instead be for those aspiring to mid- and upper-management positions.

“There's a multitude of skills needed by managers," McKenna said. "They need to understand how to do hands-on things like welding, manage tractors and equipment, oversee a shop's needs, train employees, and many other things."

Over the course of the interview, one subject that was brought up time and time again was a continual need for new funding by donors, which can be hard to come by, yet important to keep the shop updated and working properly.

McKenna stated that he and Williams are looking at new ways to buy new tools and technology, assist new Jordan College and campus farm building projects, and support a new Ag Mechanics Club that can make repairs and utilize new technologies for student projects.

Thanks to their leadership, students from a wide variety of majors and the campus farm benefit from 11 courses focusing on areas such as electronics, small and large engines, power equipment and machinery, safety and welding.

Overall, the program's reputation has fostered not only a “Pride of the Valley” reputation, but also to the far reaches of the nation's leading agricultural state, thanks to the dedication of generations of Fresno State mechanized agriculture students.