A Sampling Of Student Clubs And Activities

Agricultural Business Club

For the past six years, Iowa State University’s Agricultural Business Club has been recognized as the “National Outstanding Chapter.” This award distinguishes the club as the best agricultural business club in the nation. The club has more than 150 members, with about 30 of those serving each year as chairs for eight committees. The club strives to provide agricultural business students with opportunities to develop their leadership skills, recognize their accomplishments and create unity among the students and faculty. Agricultural business students are given the chance to participate in an industry golf tournament, Pre-Career Day panel discussion, roadside cleanup, industry tours and attend the National Agriculture and Applied Economics Association conference each year.

Block & Bridle

Block & Bridle, the largest club in the college with nearly 300 members, promotes the animal industry through various activities and service projects. The club dates back to 1919, when ISU was among its founding national member universities. It recently received several awards at the 2012 National Block and Bridle Convention placing first in chapter activities and chapter yearbook and second in chapter webpage. The Little North American showmanship contest is one of the most prestigious events the club hosts annually along with other livestock and companion-animal shows. The club serves the Ames community through canned food drives, donating hand-made blankets to hospitals and participating in VEIS HEA service projects.

Collegiate FFA

Members of the ISU Collegiate FFA were happy to have the Iowa FFA Convention back on the Iowa State campus this April after a few years held elsewhere. Iowa State University has had a presence at the Iowa FFA Convention for more than 25 years. The Collegiate FFA assists with the conventions every year by volunteering at a silent auction, sponsoring a bingo night and interacting with high school FFA at different convention activities. Besides helping with FFA events, this organization is most well known on campus for its annual pancake breakfast which is held during National FFA Week and sponsoring a “Dean for a Day” contest as a fundraising event for the club.

Landscape Club

Known for its hands-on experiences, the Landscape Club gives ample opportunities to enhance learning outside of the classroom. It seeks service projects that allow club members to conduct the entire process of landscape design and installment. Recently, members took part in the design and installation process of the green roof on the Horticulture Building. Because of their great efforts, the club was asked to install another green roof on the Memorial Union in Spring 2012. “The skills that we learn through these projects we put to use at our annual Professional Landcare Network trip,” says club president, Miles Thompson, a senior in horticulture. During the trip club members compete at events such as landscape installation and design contest and take advantage of great networking opportunities.

National Agri-Marketing Association

Iowa State University’s student chapter of the National Agri-Marketing Association is a catalyst for students with the desire to expand their agri-marketing abilities while developing and utilizing professional networks. The student club works closely with the Iowa Professional NAMA chapter. The club supports a marketing team, which competes nationally. Students receive independent study credit as members of the marketing team. Currently, there are over 30 student members and this continues to grow each year. The Iowa State student chapter has earned several national awards in recent years including Outstanding Chapter twice in the last five years and the 2011 John Deere Signature Award.

VEISHEA

The 90-year-old tradition of VEISHEA wouldn’t be a success without strong leadership from College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students. The 2012 executive committee was nearly 50 percent CALS students and led by B.J. Brugman, senior in agricultural business, as a general co-chair. The college had 11 clubs participating in this year’s VEIS HEA through fundraising and activities for the public. Some VEISHEA favorites include the Dairy Science Club’s “I Milked A Cow” event, timbersports on central campus, the Horticulture Club’s plant sale and several club foodstands.

Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Science

The Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Science is a growing organization open to students from any major. This national organization promotes the advancement and potential of multicultural students on campus through assisting with leadership activities, internships, scholarships and career placement. “This organization is all about making life changes and helping students have a successful college experience,” says Aurelio Curbelo, the club’s adviser. Statistics have shown that multicultural students involved with MANRRS have increased graduation rates and obtain jobs faster. One of the most rewarding activities that MANRRS members partake in is a campaign promoting the importance of receiving a diploma in Iowa and Illinois at-risk school districts. Members also get the opportunity for international travel and serve the community with various service projects.