Reflections on Spring 2025

(CDE’s) were held on campus this year in April with over 1,800 FFA students from the biggest
cities to the smallest towns and 14 different competitive events. Many competition winners received DARE scholarships in the following competitions: Farm Business Management, Ag Sale, Land Judging, and Ag Mechanics. DARE provides up to $16,000 in scholarships for these
students. Several DARE faculty and staff members helped welcome these individuals by assisting in events, judging, and recruitment. A huge thank you to our AGED Team and all their efforts (Jenny Bennett, Kellie Enns, Nathan Clark, Abbey Tuhkanen, Don Thorn, Katharine Eshelman, and so many more!). You can watch the following video the College of Ag put together to highlight CDE’s.

Hear from Gracelynn Farago an Ag Education Major with us and currently serving as a CO FFA State Officer on her experience, “This last year serving as a Colorado FFA State Officer has been an incredible experience. I have been able to meet members from all across the state and facilitate workshops while making connections with them. I have been given the opportunity to gain lifelong relationships in many different settings, like my nine teammates, a new advisor, many members, and countless sponsors and business professionals, each who have made an impact on me in a different way. While at CSU as a student I helped to put on and run the State CDE competition with the Ag Ed department and see how the competitions are created. This year I was able to come back to campus and enjoy this competition in a different way. Being back on campus was amazing, I got to see friends and professors I haven’t met with in a long time. I was able to enjoy the competition days with both my FFA family and my CSU family. Though I have more than enjoyed my time as a State Officer, I am excited to be back on campus this coming fall. I have missed the people and the courses I am able to take. It is a bittersweet end to this dream of a year, but I can’t wait to be back!”

In April 2025, 23 students from across the state attended the second annual Colorado GROW Youth Institute event at the CSU Spur campus. Students presented their research on global
food security challenges to CSU faculty, staff and members of the broader community. They also engaged in hands-on science immersion activities facilitated by partners at the CSU Spur campus, including Cam’s Ag Academy. Twelve students were awarded scholarships to attend the College of Agricultural Sciences, and three will be selected in the coming months to attend the World Food Prize Foundation’s Global Youth Institute as Colorado’s second group of student delegates.

Graduate Student Tais Menezes and Professor Amanda Countryman participated in a dynamic modeling course in March through the Global Trade Analysis Project at Purdue University.

Senior DARE undergraduate Becca Ford co-authored a peer-reviewed article with Daniel Mooney, Rebecca Hill, and other colleagues, set to appear in Western Economics Forum. Based on her CSU Extension internship, the article features case studies on innovative water management strategies for new and beginning farmers. Becca’s work reflects her commitment to practical solutions in water management and sustainable agriculture—congrats, Becca!

• Learn more about DARE Alum, Sarah Madsen and her work with FFA students.
• Learn more about DARE Alum, Tabor Kalcevic-Erker’s experience and CO generational farm here.

The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics has noted the increasing interest in
understanding and preparing for leadership roles related to agricultural, food and natural resource policy issues among our students and colleagues. In response, a new course, AREC 328: Dynamics of Ag and Food Markets and Policy, taught by former USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack (with support from DARE faculty) will be piloted in Fall 2025 with a goal to help students better understand the rationale and development of policies and programs aimed to support agriculture, the natural environment, and rural communities. Students will learn professional development and leadership skills as they interact with policy makers at all levels of the government. For the time being, Secretary Vilsack’s commitment to partner with us to offer this course represents a unique opportunity for our students but we know we can engage others as well to sustain the course in the future.

This fall (August 2025), DARE is launching a redesigned Introduction to Agribusiness Entrepreneurship course centered on student-led podcasts, real-world case studies, and hands-on mentorship. We’re seeking 10 entrepreneurs and industry professionals to serve as mentors.
Mentor responsibilities include:

• Participating in a student-led podcast interview
• Attending two check-in meetings
• Joining a final business pitch event

A small stipend is available to help offset travel costs as needed. Interested? Contact Dr. Lauren Chenarides.

The first annual WE DARE Bikes and Brews was a huge success! The group visited two of the women owned breweries in town – Hello Brew and Stodgy Brewing. Look for more events next fall!

The Collegiate Farmers Union Chapter hosted various gatherings this semester including a Policy Talk given by RMFU’s Director of Government Relations, Tyler Garrett, flowerpot painting night, and the group brought in a local producer to talk about chicken production.