Now It’s Your Time To Join Us! Become a member of the Ag Alumni Society.

Our award-winning constituent group of the Penn State Alumni Association has something for everyone. With more than 7,600 members and 11 affiliate program groups, you’re sure to find your niche. Connect with alumni who share your academic and professional interests and receive members’ only benefits from the Penn State Alumni Association.

Don’t forget – $50 of your lifetime membership dues can be donated to the Ag Alumni Society. Here’s how you can help:

1. Go to the Penn State Alumni Association Membership Application.
2. Under the Choose Membership Type, select Life.
3. Under the new options select Alumni Society.
4. From the drop down menu, choose the "College of Agricultural Sciences AAA" tab.

By using this designation, the Alumni Association will donate $50 to the Ag Alumni Society. College Affiliate Program Groups (APGs) also have designation codes in the membership application. Select “Affiliate Program Group” to view a complete list and designate $50 to your favorite APG.

Ag Live 09' Alumni Tailgate

Share the excitement with hundreds of Ag Alumni and friends at the Ag Live '09 Tailgate prior to the November 14th Penn State vs. Indiana football game. Enjoy a hearty lunch buffet with Berkey Creamery ice cream for dessert as well as entertainment from the Penn State Cheerleaders and pep band. Live auction and raffle will showcase football weekend packages, condo vacations, Penn State memorabilia, collectibles, gift baskets, and more.

For more information and to register please visit http://agsci.psu.edu/ag-live-tailgate.

Student Intern

I’m thrilled to announce that Lisa Rankin has started with our office as the Alumni Relations Intern. Lisa is a senior in Agribusiness Management with a minor in International Agriculture and is a member of the Ag Advocates, Alpha Zeta Fraternity, NAMA and the Collegiate Farm Bureau. She is a past recipient of the Ag Alumni Society Internship Award and was selected to give a presentation of her internship at the Armsby Honor Society dinner. Lisa’s internship responsibilities will focus on student engagement and social networking. She will be working with the Student Engagement committee on restructuring, designing, and implementing the new mentoring workshop. Additionally, she will be collaborating with the College’s communication unit on developing and enhancing the alumni website and blog. You will have an opportunity to meet Lisa at some of our upcoming alumni events.

Deans Tour

Our new Dean, Bruce A. McPheron, visited the southeast PA region to tour various agricultural industries and speak with alumni and industry representatives. It was a day filled with information on current and future activities of the college while welcoming questions, ideas and suggestions in an open discussion format. The Dean’s tour and college reception was organized by the PA Landscape & Nursery Association, the American Mushroom Institute, and the Pa Wine Association, working through the Penn State Ag Council.

For more information please visit http://agsci.psu.edu/dean/blog/2009/research-on-tour

Research Tour

The Penn State Agricultural Council's annual College of Agricultural Sciences Tour at the University Park campus took place on September 24th. The half-day event brought together alumni, legislators, business and community leaders, and many others for tours and presentations from Penn State research and extension faculty on challenging topics facing the state. These topics included theH1N1 influenza, Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction, innovative harvesting equipment and nutrient management.

For more information please visit http://agsci.psu.edu/dean/photos/2009/research-tours

Affiliate Program Group (APG) Competitive Grant Program

The College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Society (CAAS) has budgeted $1,500 for a Competitive Grant Program focusing on innovative alumni and student engagement projects. The goal of this program is to increase alumni and student interaction by encouraging our APGs to include students, both graduate and undergraduate, in their program planning and annual activities. Student engagement is the Society’s top priority program area, and we know our APGs provide an important means to connect alumni and students who share common academic, professional, and social interests. The proposal deadline is November 30.

For more information please contact Naomi Knaub at nmk107@psu.edu or 814-867-1819.

Task Force created to enhance alumni groups

The Ag Alumni Society President, Carrie Bomgardner, formed an Affiliate Program Group (APG) Task Force for the purpose of providing leadership and strategic direction to the Ag Alumni Society board of directors on enhancing and strengthening support to the APG's. The taskforce is comprised of APG representatives, department staff and board members.

For more information on Affiliate Program Groups please visit http://agsci.psu.edu/alumni/groups.

Alumni Engage Students at Tailgates

Every Penn State student knows that a football game is not complete without food, friends and tailgating. The College of Agriculture Sciences Associate Dean, Marcos Fernandez and his wife Sheila have been hosting a tailgate at the Snider Ag arena before every home game. Not only do the Fernandez’s make a mean jambalaya; it’s a great opportunity to meet and interact with fellow students, alumni and faculty members.

Thank you, Marcos and Sheila!

College of Ag Sciences alum honored with University Award

The Alumni Fellow Award is the most prestigious award presented by the Penn State Alumni Association. This program is designed to invite outstanding alumni and leaders to the University to share their special expertise in informal contacts with students and members of the faculty and administration. This year the award is being presented to John D. Gearhart on October 21^st and 22nd. Gearhart is a leader in the field of stem cell research. His work is considered to be one of the most significant advances in human biology. Gearhart’s research focuses on the role of genes in regulating the formation of human tissues, especially as it relates to mental retardation, Down’s syndrome, and other congenital birth defects. Gearhart led one of the two research teams that first identified and isolated human pluripotent stem cells in 1998. Gearhart is a 1964 Penn State graduate in Agricultural Sciences and Industry.

Endowment Campaign Committee

The Endowment Campaign Committee was formed in the fall of 2008 to raise $200,000 to supplement the Society's Scholarship and Internship Endowment funds. By enlarging the endowment funds, the Society will be better able to offer financial support to students that is proportionate with current educational expenses.

More than 70 alumni and friends donated to the Endowment Campaign when they registered for the Tuesday alumni lunch and/or the Wednesday Government/Industry lunch at Ag Progress Days. Each donor was acknowledged with a thank you card and special ag alumni pin at check-in for their continued support of the Ag Alumni Society Scholarships and Internship Awards.