Fresno State Video Seeks Public Votes for World Ag Expo Award
A Fresno
State student-produced video touting the university’s role in agriculture
education is among 10 global finalists for the World Ag Expo 2014
video contest. Now the students seek public support to be chosen as the
best.
Students Michael Price and Connor
Alstrom learned this week that their five-minute submission, “Fresno State Trains Students to
Feed Tomorrow’s World” that involved Fresno State
agriculture, business and art students, made it to the final round for a chance
at the $3,000 cash prize.
The contest winner is determined by the number of public votes, and supporters can vote once daily until Jan 27. The winner will
be announced on Jan. 31, two weeks prior to the annual expo in Tulare,
Feb.11-13, where the top video will be played and recognized.
To promote the expo’s 2014 theme, “Feeding
Tomorrow’s World,” entrants were asked to find creative ways to tell the true
story of agriculture. Anyone 30 years of age or younger was eligible to enter.
“Farmers and ranchers are dedicated to
providing us with a safe and consistent supply of food and fiber. We want the
public’s help to tell their stories,” said Jerry Sinift, chief executive
officer of the International Agri-Center.
The
Fresno State production incorporated students from the Plant Science Department
in the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Lyle’s Center for
Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the College of Arts and Humanities.
Alstrom is an Entrepreneurship
major from Fresno and a Craig Business Scholar who went
through the Lyles Center Student Hatchery program at Fresno
State. He was also a Network for Teaching
Entrepreneurship (NFTE) student when attending Bullard High.
Price
is a mass communication and
Journalism major from Fresno and a current Hatchery student with his own private
venture, Price Right Productions. While in high school,
Price was the winner of the 2010 Contest hosted through Fresno Works.
They said they made the Ag Expo video to show how
Fresno State leads the Central Valley in producing educated workers in the agriculture
industry.
“These
students are the future leaders of the agriculture industry in America, the world’s
breadbasket,” Alstrom said. “Investing in
programs and students at Fresno State is the best way to advance agriculture so
we are able to feed tomorrow’s world.”
Price
said wining this contest would not only bring exposure to their own ventures but
also “to the students of Fresno State and the advancements that they will bring
to the future of agriculture.”
Eric Liguori, Lyles Center assistant director, said the project
represents the collaboration between faculty and students in several of
Fresno State’s colleges.
“Not only does it demonstrate the exceptional skill
level present in our student entrepreneurs, but also the outstanding efforts of
our agricultural department,” he said.
Others involved in the video included Dr. Bruce Roberts, professor
of Plant Science, Elizabeth Mosqueda, president of Plant Science Club,
and fellow plant science majors Zac Borges, Jeremy Mora and Luis Toledo.
