2023 Jordan College Stories to Remember

It was a special year for the Jordan College as it started a new century of agriculture on campus.

The graduation of over 450 students and the retirement of long-time faculty and staff like Mark Salwasser and Dr. Randy Perry were balanced by the addition of many new talented agriculturists like new farm manager Dr. Vincent Roos.

The College also grieved the passing of agricultural business faculty Dr. John Hagen, animal sciences and agricultural education staff member Deborah Russell, alumni Paul Dolan, Edwin Genasci, Samuel Kenneth 'Butch' Peters and many others.

Besides its busy slate of annual events, it also invited alumni, industry and community supporters to a pair of October events - an open house featuring its farm units, departments, research centers and clubs, and an alumni tailgate tied its campus ag centennial.

Read more about other noteworthy stories in the links below.

Recent alumnus Jonathan Moules is sharing his passion for agricultural education in Ghana with an outreach program after receiving the university's top graduate commencement award for his dedication to academics, outreach and research. Watch / Read more

 

Recent agricultural business alumnus Josh Heupel claimed the university's top undergraduate commencement honor for his dedication to academic excellence, Congressional internships, and California water rights policy research. Watch/Read more

 

Noted quantitative geneticist and alumnus Rohan Fernando received a Top Dog honor for his pioneering work with breeding markers and crossbred animal evaluations. Watch/Read more

 

The plant science club won its eighth President’s Trophy national award based on its numerous community and industry outreach efforts the past year.  Read more

 

WWII veteran, alumnus and 103-year-old Rodger Jensen received special Veterans Day thanks from another Central Valley legend, New York Yankee all-star Aaron Judge. Watch/Read more 

 

Recent alumnus Joanie Snow led a team of food science and nutrition students that created a high-protein, cottage-cheese ice cream that placed second in a national product development contest. Watch/Read more 

 

Renowned Australian winemaker and alumnus David Hohnen was impressed by the development of our viticulture and enology program and student-run winery in his first return to campus in over 50 years. Watch/Read more

 

Foster Farms CEO Donnie Smith enjoyed meeting university administration and students from its on-campus poultry education and research center during his first visit to Fresno State.  Watch/Read more

 

Viticulture and Enology Department supporter and alumnus Robert Garabedian returned to the campus raisin processing line he helped design as a teenager for its annual production day. Read more

 

The Jordan College tapped alumnus Dr. Steven Rocca as its associate dean after more than 20 years of service to the Animal Sciences and Agricultural Education Department. Read more

 

A visit by Fresno State agricultural supporters Andrew and Cory Cummings included a demonstration to a mechanized ag class of a new tri-plane land leveler that their company (Schmeiser) donated to the campus farm. Read more

 

Army veteran Nick Lara is using his mechanized agriculture background from the military to fuel his agricultural education career path. Read more

 

California Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross spoke to an agricultural business leadership and policy class about efforts to support all parts of the state's agriculture economy and its communities. Read more

 

The Food Science and Nutrition Department continued a Thanksgiving tradition of making gingerbread cookies for area hospitals the past 26 years under the lead of food lab technician Harriet Tom. Read more

 

Army veteran Mauricio Soriano is conducting research as a plant science graduate student tied to using high-saline water from a treatment plant as an irrigation source for forage crops. Read more 

 

Longtime Fresno State viticulture and enology supporter and alumnus Nat DiBuduo was honored at the inaugural Whole Vine Festival, which connected the nation's leading grape and wine industry to the community. Read more

 

After starting his own 'Talk Ag to Me' podcast, graduate student Brendan Black has further channeled his agriculture education passion towards a state discussion title and a semifinal finish at the national farm bureau discussion contest.   Read more

 

New campus farm manager Dr. Vincent Roos offers the 1,000-acre, 18-unit operation an impressive resume that includes 45 years of farming experience, public policy and leadership development. Read more 

 

A new state emissions testing program for Central Valley semitrucks is being managed by industrial technology faculty Dr. Athansios Alexandrou and staff Chris Fuentes. Read more

 

Former Ag One board member and biology alumnus Don Cameron was tabbed as a Top Dog recipient for his efforts in creating more sustainable groundwater practices. Read more 

 

Much of the 1,000-acre campus farm did its best to manage one of its wettest winters in memory. Read more

 

The Brown Swiss Association annual convention attracted dairy industry members from around the nation, Canada and Europe to Fresno State and the nation's leading dairy region. Read more