MEET OUR AG FAMILY
“As researchers, we sometimes tend to stick to things we can measure. Sometimes the things that are going to be game changers are the things that are much harder to measure. When we take the time to measure some of those pieces, we see that they really do matter. It’s worth taking the time to think about the most important aspects to understand. What’s going to matter the most to communities or people you’re working with?”
– Dr. Rebecca Jablonski
“The most important thing I did at CSU has to be the relationships. Everything I did at CSU stemmed from the relationships that I built, whether it be with professors or students or other individuals — it really came down to the relationships that I had.”
– Linc Thomas
"CSU is a large university with a lot of resources, but to utilize those resources best, it felt essential to have personal connections in the halls of plant science to give me some direction," says Vail. "The Soil and Crop Sciences Department in the college of Ag felt very intimate. I was able to get a feel for all of the research happening and how each overlaps another and are important to the goals of a sustainable future."
– Patricia Vail
“What has always made me proud of CSU is, if you look at other land-grant institutions, almost nowhere else do I see evenly balanced attention to under-grad education, graduate education, research and extension,” she says. “There’s almost nowhere else that has done it. That’s the very essence of ‘Come to the Table.’ The table will be bigger and more inclusive if there’s no problem too big or too small to tackle.”
– Dawn Thilmany
“I think the biggest future contribution has been helping to inspire others to better understand and then more become more interested in insects that occur in Colorado,” said Cranshaw. “Over the years when discussing some insect-related question or concern I have seen people change their minds, at least a little, and see things a bit differently. And that can have impacts, particularly when someone who has changed their approach to the insect world then passes this on to others.”
– Whitney Cranshaw
“I don’t believe people should be skeptical of their food. I believe produce is something that should be celebrated and trusted. That’s why I do what I do.”
– Antoinette Machado
“Agriculture is important because within the ag community, we’re tight knit and help each other. Agriculture keeps us moving forward.”
– Omar Roman
“I had to make myself so good at what I was doing that they couldn’t tell me ‘No.’”
– Temple Grandin
“To me, it’s always about the next generation. To see young people be involved and want to be part of our community—we fuel them and they fuel us.”
– Kristie Docheff
“Dr. Klett let us talk about what we were interested in and he was genuinely interested in all of our pathways. It was just a genuine moment where someone who could have been super intimidating was super personal with the undergrads, and it changed my whole experience.”
– David McKinney
“That was the best decision I ever made. An informal invite on a sidewalk. A never-planned-for conversation. It woke me to this whole story, and now I literally go around the world telling the story of pulses.”
– Henry Thompson
“HERD is an organization that’s open to bringing in those of different races and ethnicities; to make sure they are heard and have a safe space to talk to make changes in the college and community.”
– Bella Pulido
“Mentorship is what we're obliged to do. To have the privilege that we do working as university professors - it's a tremendous responsibility.”
– Scott Haley
“When I was young I had the opportunity to show my cattle at the Weld County Fair, and I had the honor and the privilege of meeting Kenny Monfort.”
– John Matsushima
“In a professor’s career, we can individually be as good and talented as we want to be, but a lasting impact comes from having the opportunity to provide an invitation for others to come to the table.”
– Francesca Cotrufo
“I'm coming to the table to make an impact and create positive change in the College of Ag through my service work. I continue every day to think about ways I can continue to invite people to come to the table, as I've been welcomed to sit at so many tables at CSU.”
– Brian Mitchell
“We hope that we can show people that agricultural sciences are exciting. It's not only important, but what we're asking is exciting, and the solutions we come up with will have a real impact down the road. That's what we want to inspire these students and participants to understand.”
– Jan Leach
“Agriculture has historically been the foundation of so many ethnic backgrounds and cultures, so let’s bring them to the table.”
– Elias Quinonez
“When I go out to their farm, it’s like I’m walking on my own farm, I feel that close to it. If I know that they’re succeeding, and able to make more informed decisions, that’s my success.”
– Kevin Larson
“Sometimes you have to trust in your instinct, trust in your guts, and just take that leap of faith - and I'm constantly taking that leap of faith.”
– Steve Newman
The Principles of Community support the Colorado State University mission and vision of access, research, teaching, service and engagement. A collaborative and vibrant community is a foundation for learning, critical inquiry, and discovery. Therefore, each member of the CSU community has a responsibility to uphold these principles when engaging with one another and acting on behalf of the University.