The Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology

Agricultural Business Student Research Spotlight: Delaney Woolwine

Fresno State agricultural business senior Delaney Woolwine's passion for agriculture was kindled in high school through her Hanford FFA chapter, and has only continued to expand in new directions at Fresno State.

Besides serving as a leader for the campus FFA Field Day committee, she has been actively involved with many other campus organizations. Another career-shaping experience has come working for the California Apple Commission in Clovis (which also manages other state commodity organizations for blueberries, olives and wild rice).

The third-generation #FresnoStateGrad recently wrapped up an impressive Jordan College Honors Cohort research project examining the area nut industry and its relation to key San Joaquin Valley economic indexes.

Read more about the 4.0 student who is a Presidential Scholar and Smittcamp Honors College member in this recent interview.

Q: Why did you choose to attend Fresno State?

Woolwine: "I had always been interested in attending Fresno State, and after I was accepted to the Smittcamp Family Honors College, my decision was solidified. I'm very thankful for the education, opportunities, experiences, and memories I've gained as a result. Go Dogs!"

Woolwine: "Another reason I love Fresno State so much is because of my family. My grandfather, Thomas Vernon, attended when it was called Fresno State College and graduated with a degree in agriculture. My mother, Kelly Vernon Zuniga, also attended Fresno State and graduated with a degree in criminology. My uncle and aunt, Gene and Joanie Vernon, were also graduates from the Jordan College."

Q: What types of ag-related clubs are you involved with on campus?

Woolwine: "For two years, I served as a Contests Committee Chair for the Fresno State FFA Field Day Committee where I helped organize field day competitions for FFA students hosted on the Fresno State campus. I was also a member of the Ag Business Club for a few years."

Woolwine: "Besides, ag-related clubs, I was involved in many other organizations on campus. I am a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and served as the New Member Director during 2019 and then served as Chapter President during 2020. I am also a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society and the Order of Omega (Greek honors society)."

Q: Describe your undergraduate program research project?

Woolwine: "I have been participating in undergraduate research for the past year and a half that is titled "House price, labor market, and agricultural price: new evidence from California's San Joaquin Valley." With this research, we're hoping to determine correlation between different economic variables and the prices of commodities like walnuts and almonds and what role this plays in the Central Valley."

Q: Why did you pick that topic, and how will this help the industry or consumers?

Woolwine: "Dr. Jiaochen (Jason) Liang from our Agricultural Business Deparment had already started working on this research when I joined the Honors Cohort so I decided to join the team because the research topic was very interesting to me. Additionally, research on the relationship between economic variables and commodity prices here in the San Joaquin Valley hasn't been done before so I was excited to join research that would hopefully prove to be of value to our local ag community."

"Dr. Liang has provided me with invaluable support and guidance as my faculty research mentor as I learned all steps of the research project, and I am very thankful for all of his help!"

Q: What are some of the most important things you've learned from this research?

Woolwine: "Participating in undergraduate research has been a very rewarding and unique experience. I have a much greater understanding of and appreciation for the research process. Some of the most important things I have learned from this research include the value of being patient when working on a project like this and the importance of being thorough when it comes to the writing and revision process."

Q: After graduation, what's your potential next career step, and how do you plan to use your degree with eventually?

Woolwine: "I'm currently searching for my next step, and I plan on staying in the Central Valley. I am pursuing a career in agriculture marketing, and would like to make a positive influence on local agriculture."

Q: How will this research help you on your career path?

Woolwine: "Although I do not plan on pursuing a career in research, this experience has given me a better understanding of the California tree nut industry which I am certain I will use in any future career, so long as I stay in the Valley. The skills I acquired while participating in this research project will be applicable to any future endeavours."

Q: Have you had any internships or part-time jobs, and what types of jobs & tasks did you do generally?

Woolwine: "For two years, I worked on campus as a student assistant in the Dean's Office of the College of Health and Human Services. I performed administrative duties, answered the phones, and helped the fiscal team with various tasks."

Woolwine: "Since May 2020, I have worked with the California Apple Commission in Clovis, first as an Intern and now as the Assistant to the Director of Trade and Technical Affairs. The Commission manages multiple commodity organizations for California apples, blueberries, ripe olives, and wild rice. This has been a great, job-relevant opportunity and I have loved every minute of it. My main task has been compiling annual reports for all of the commodities we represent. I have also helped to manage and coordinate social media accounts, marketing activities, research projects, and more. This position has given me a great understanding of almost every sector of the agriculture business industry."

Q: What skills or experiences did you gain from the internship that they can apply to your potential career options?

Woolwine: "My internship gave me great experience in terms of social media management, marketing, public relations, foreign affairs, and more, which are all skills I can see myself applying in any future job opportunity. My position at the Commission has strengthened my communication skills as well as my ability to multitask and work efficiently."

Q: Do you have any background in agriculture before you started at Fresno State?

Woolwine: "Unlike many of my peers, I was not raised around agriculture. I first developed a passion for the industry in high school when I joined the Hanford FFA Chapter. I was very involved in FFA, and it didn't take me long to realize that I wanted to remain involved in agriculture during college and in my future career."

Q: Are there any other interesting notes about yourself that you would like to include?

Woolwine: "I had the opportunity to study abroad in London through the College of Arts and Humanities over the winter break of my junior year (2019-2020), just months before the COVID-19 pandemic escalated, and we switched to virtual learning. This was an incredible opportunity for me to travel outside of the United States for the first time, and I really enjoyed seeing the world while also receiving academic credit."