K-State College of Agriculture -- An Inside View

An introduction and an update!

Greetings! I suppose an introduction is due. My name is Julia- but I go by Jewels. I am a senior majoring in Animal Science & Industry with a pre-vet option. I'm from Overland Park, KS- in the south Kansas City region.

Vet school application due October 1st, 2007: countless hours on the computer + $50
"Patiently" awaiting a response for an interview: much nail biting
Vet School Interview: stayed in Manhattan after finals and endured more snow and ice than Antartica holds
Receiving a letter in the mail stating:

"Dear Julia: Congratulations! The Admissions Committee has conditionally recommended your admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine." on December 29th, 2007

....PRICELESS!

The process of applying, interviewing, and waiting was definitely not easy and quite stressful. But at this point, everything I've done seems so worth it! Talk about a great belated gift from Mr. Klaus, eh?

Until next time,
Jewels

JP Stambaugh

Hello, fellow and future K-Staters. My name is JP Stambaugh, and I am currently a sophomore in food science with a business option. I am from Louisburg, KS which is a town of approximately 2,500 about an hour south of Kansas City and five minutes from Missouri. In Louisburg, my family (which includes my parents and three younger siblings) owns quite a few types of unusual animals; ranging from rabbits and goats to chickens and llamas. My hobbies outside of school include sports and woodworking.

    I had about 100 students in my graduating class at Louisburg High School where I played basketball, ran cross-country and, was also very involved in 4-H and FFA. To be honest I pretty much thought I would always come to K-State; however, when I started considering colleges, I was looking for something to do with genetics because I enjoyed high school biology. Initially, I looked at majoring in chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, but it just seemed big and impersonal. In FFA, I had always competed well in the food science contests so I decided to look at the food science program in the College of Agriculture. The faculty and the current students I met made everything so easy and family-like that I was immediately sold on the major and have enjoyed everything about the college so far. Another thing that drew me to K-State was FarmHouse Fraternity, which has been a great part of my college experience. I’ve chosen to blog about my college experiences because I feel that current students made it easier for me to have a positive experience at K-State, and I want to be able to share that. Between the education, activities, Greek life, and the K-State athletics I don’t see how any one could go wrong by coming to K-State.

Kristen Schulte

Greetings from the heart of Wildcat Country – Manhattan, Kansas.

My name is Kristen Schulte and I am currently a junior at Kansas State University. I am majoring in Agriculture Economics, Accounting Specialty, with a minor in Animal Sciences and Industry. With this focus my ag econ curriculum includes more accounting classes and my electives are mostly animal science classes. This class combination enables me to gain the knowledge and skills for my desired job, accountant in an agricultural based firm. At K-State I am involved in many different activities where I hold various positions, including REV (Recruitment, Events, and Visits) co-coordinator for the College of Agriculture Ambassadors, president of Dairy Science Club, and committee chair for Alpha Zeta, an agricultural honorary fraternity. While staying busy with classes and in organizations, I also work on-campus grading papers for a professor and off-campus at Orscheln Farm and Home Store.

A little more about myself, . . . my hometown is Pemberville, which is a small town in Northwest Ohio. I grew up on a dairy farm where my family milked 70 head of Holsteins and raised replacement heifers and feeder calves from other dairies. In high school I was active in FFA, 4-H, Track, National Honors Society, and many other activities. When looking at colleges, I wanted to go somewhere where I could gain the best education and take part in many different opportunities. What really drew me to K-State was the friendly atmosphere, drive for student success, and quality of people I encountered while I visited campus. I am truly glad I made K-State the college where I attain my college education because the family atmosphere and career oriented opportunities available have been helpful to prepare myself for a career field after college.

As a reader I hope you get an insight to what student life is like at Kansas State University and also what opportunities are available to prospective students down the road if they pick K-State as their designated university for further education.

Until next time,

Kristen Schutle

Tyler Axman

Hello Everyone!  My name is Tyler Axman and I am currently a sophomore majoring in Food Science and Industry.  I was raised on a farm near a small town called Olmitz, Kansas.  Olmitz only has a population of about 150, so I attended Otis-Bison High School where I graduated with 20 other amazing friends.  On our farm we raised wheat, milo, alfalfa, cane and cattle.  My dad has currently decided to downsize the farm and a majority our land is being planted to CRP.  By doing this, we hope to identify ways to reduce erosion, improve water quality, and establish wildlife habitat on our land.

Although I grew up in a rural community, I don't consider myself to be a typical "farm kid."  I love life in Manhattan and I live off-campus with a business student from the Kansas City metro area.  One of my favorite aspects of attending Kansas State is the variety of distinctive opportunities I have been given, including spending time with people from various backgrounds with different interests.  From joing clubs such as Ag Ambassadors and Silver Key sophomore honorary to playing intramural sports and watching Big 12 athletics, K-State has it all!  Coming here has been a great decision for me and I hope to share with you some of my experiences throughout this blog.

Morgan Gauby

Hi, my name is Morgan Gauby, and I am a junior in the College of Ag majoring in Agribusiness. I am originally from Washington, Kan., a very small town in the north central part of the state. To put some perspective on how small my hometown is, I graduated in a class of 34 students . . . my Jr/Sr high school only had an enrollment of 150 to 200 students.

Most people would say that I am a country girl, which I will not deny, but I was not raised entirely on a farm.  My parents are divorced so I spent part of the time living in town with my mom and part of the time on the farm with my dad, which is where I developed my love for agriculture.

I am a former 4-Her and continue to be an active FFA member. I’ll be attending national convention this fall as a proficiency award finalist. If you’re at convention, drop by the College of Ag booth and say hello! I am proud to be an Ag Ambassador for the College and sharing my experiences with students who are interested in attending K-State. In fact, that’s why I’m excited to blog about the College. I love talking to students who want to come here after they graduate!

-Morgan

Rebecca Tokach

Hey, everyone! My name is Rebecca Tokach, and I am originally from the small town of St. Anthony, ND.  I grew up on a purebred Angus ranch and was very active in 4-H, FFA, and the State and National Junior Angus Associations.  Currently, I am starting my junior year of college at Kansas State University majoring in Animal Science with a minor in Business.  But I have a few more years of school ahead of me — I plan to go to graduate school after I finish my undergraduate degree. 

So far, my junior year has been a blast! I really enjoy the classes that I am taking.  I am in mostly Agriculture Economics classes, so we are covering subjects I am interested in. A few of the clubs I am active in are the College of Agriculture Ambassadors and Block and Bridle. A lot of my close friends are in these clubs, so it makes club meetings and socials a lot of fun. In addition, it is great meeting all the new members and developing relationships with them. Because my friends and I are in the same clubs and classes, I have been able to spend a lot of quality time with all of my closest friends, which is something I definitely missed over the summer.  I am bound to make my junior year memorable, since I only have one more year after this before I leave K-State, and I’m excited to share my experiences with you through this blog! As an out-of-state student, I vividly remember looking for schools and trying to find the best fit for my needs and interests. I’m looking forward to helping you learn more about the College of Ag!

Melissa Bigham

Hello fellow bloggers! My name is Melissa Bigham, and I am currently a senior at Kansas State University majoring in Agricultural Economics.  I will also graduate with a minor in International Agriculture and Feed Science and Management. Originally, I am from Meriden, Kansas, where I grew up on my family’s farm. Our operation produces corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa, and brome hay, and we also raise Black Angus cattle.  The most recent news in my life is that I got engaged to my boyfriend of five years on June 16^th!

I currently live at Kappa Alpha Theta sorority with about 70 girls — I live in a room with five of my sorority sisters.  My involvement with the sorority has been an excellent opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds and learn about their interests and experiences. My schedule is pretty hectic as I balance my sorority, extracurricular activities and class work, but I have learned how to manage my time and keep up with everything. 

My class schedule this semester is eclectic, but I’m enjoying it! I’m taking Hunger and Poverty, International Ag Trade, Ag Market Structures, and Fable and Fantasy. Outside of the classroom, I love being a Wildcat, attending K-State sporting events, and following my passion for agriculture through involvement in Ag Ambassadors, Ag Council and Alpha Zeta.  I hope that as you read my blog posts you will learn more about what it is like to be a student in the College of Agriculture at Kansas State University.  Happy reading!