ACU Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Department

Last week, students from the ACU Wildlife Society attended the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society Conference in Houston, Texas. While there, students competed in the Plant ID contest and the Quiz Bowl. They attended talks on research by professionals and graduate students from other universities. The students of ACU Wildlife Society also had the opportunity to network with other students and professionals, including A&E alum Grant Lawrence. Overall, the week was spent learning and talking with like minded individuals in the wildlife field.

On Thursday February 8, about 40 business people with Leadership Abilene visited the A&E Department’s Rhoden Field Lab. They learned about programs in the department, and the role the Rhoden Field Lab plays in student development. The visit coincided with an animal science lab, and the group was able to see students involved in hormone research on cattle, then talk directly with students and professor Caleta Willis. Thank you Abilene Chamber of Commerce for making this possible!

ACU received Best-In Class Award from Cenergistic, the leading provider of technology enabled conservation services.” Thanks to this award, the Department of Agirculture and Environmental Sciences has received a generous one time academic scholarship of 2,500 to award to one of it’s students.

The ACU chapter of the Wildlife Society hosted another successful dove hunt the weekend of September 15 and 16. Because of poorer field conditions than usual, we capped the number of hunters at 15 for both the Friday evening and Saturday morning hunts. It had been rainy all week, so we were a little nervous about the weather. The clouds parted Friday and we had great weather for the hunt, followed by a dinner featuring burgers made from ACU grass-finished beef. Saturday morning our luck did not hold. The rain started about 7:00, and by a little after 8:00, the last die hard hunters straggled in from the mud, a few needing a little help! Still, all enjoyed a bacon and egg breakfast with ACU free range eggs, and the offer of a rain check hunt one of the next 2 Saturdays. And we raised $2000 to send wildlife students to the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society meeting next February.

We had a great turnout for the 2023 AES Back-To-School Cookout at the Rhoden Field Lab! Students in the department got to spend time with each other and meet this year's officers. We are so excited to see everyone again for another great school year!

This year we did something a little different at the end of the Spring semester. We combined the Critter Dinner with the last A&E Department chapel at the Rhoden Field Lab. It had just rained, but nobody seemed to mind it being a little wet. Good fellowship and good food, ending with a good talk by Riley Morrow, our farm manager.

In late April the Agricultural and Evironmental Sciences Club (AES) hosted their annual intramural rodeo at the Taylor County Expo Center. Students competed against each other in various events where they could earn intramural points for their clubs, fraternities, or sororities. Double mugging, goat tying, rope and ride, calf scramble, and steer riding were just a few of the events that took place.

The ACU Rodeo is planned and produced by ACU students in the AES Club. Students have to plan all events, livestock contractors, tickets sales, collecting sponsors and various other needs for the rodeo to happen. While at the rodeo, they have to run the chutes, move livestock, and prepare contestants for their next event.

It was a great night and with a good turn out! Congrats to all the winners and to the students who put on a great rodeo! We'll see you next year!

We recently had the 2023 A&E Senior Banquet at the Rhoden Field Laboratory to celebrate our outstanding graduates! It was a great time of food, fellowship, and fun! We especially enjoyed the ACU grass-fed beef in our burgers and all the other dishes.

We honored Addi Bonaventure with the Willard Paine Award, Dina Perez Mendoza with the Anabel Reid Award, and Grace Howe with the First-Year Student of the Year Award! Congratulations to the award winners and all our graduating seniors! We are so proud of you and look forward to the wonderful things God has in store for you.

May the LORD bless and keep you!

This year, our Pre-Vet student Addi Bonaventure was nominated and designated as a University Scholar recipient. During her time at ACU, Addi was involved in all of her Pre-Vet classes, student clubs, and was on a soccer scholarship. Addi has been accepted into the University of Illinois Veterinary Program and will begin in the fall!! Congrats to Addi and we are going to miss you!

Last week, we celebrated our Spring 2023 Inductees into the ACU Chapter of Delta Tau Alpha! Congratulations to all our new members of the DTA Honors Society! It was a privilege to celebrate with you, and we’re so proud of you all!

Last Saturday the ACU chapter of The Wildlife Society hosted the annual Cedar Creek cleanup at Will Hair Park in north Abilene. Several ACUTWS members were joined by friends and volunteers from the ACU LYNAY program. Equipped with supplies from Keep Abilene Beautiful, they picked up trash along both banks of the creek through the morning. Afterward, they regrouped at the Ascension Sculpture on campus for pizza and fellowship. Thank you to all who came out to help!

Today we celebrate National Ag Day!

We are thankful for the impact this industry has on the world and the hardworking people who make it up.

Prepare for a career that helps people and animals with an agricultural degree from . Visit https://link.acu.edu/3FKelv9 to explore our degree programs.

Last week 8 A&E students traveled to Houston with Dr. Carpenter for the annual Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society conference. Wednesday they participated in workshops and contests. Thursday and Friday were filled with attending oral presentations, viewing posters, and wandering the ballroom filled with vendor displays. Highlights included Brissa Guzman, Grace Howe, Ian Massey, and Andrew Nunns competing in the Quiz Bowl, and Grace Howe being honored as the ACU Student of the Year. We also got to visit with A&E alumni Mike Keenan and Grant Lawrence. Thanks to all for a great trip!

On January 21st, the A&E Farm Manager, Riley Morrow ('16) and the Fort Worth area recruiter, Leslie Hayes ('88) represented ACU at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo College Ag Day. They were accompanied by other universities and colleges that offer degrees in the agricultural and environmental sciences fields.
At the College Ag Day, they met with prospective high school students to discuss the various programs that ACU and the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences have to offer.
We hope to see some of these students as future Wildcats!

Yesterday 5 A&E students started the next stage of their journey in life. Congratulations Rae Bates and Peyten Girty (Agribusiness), Kayley McCalmont and Dallas Taush (Animal Science), and Garrett Hale (Environmental Science). We're proud of you and excited to see what is next for all of you. We'll miss you.

Thursday, December 8, A&E had it’s last department chapel of 2022. about 20 students joined the faculty at the Rhoden where we began with hot dogs and s’mores cooked over a mesquite fire. Then in the fire’s light we worshiped in song, inspirational talk, scripture reading, and prayer. It was a great way to remind us to keep our focus on God during the rush and stress of the end of the semester.

This past weekend, 3 of our ACU Wildlife Society students, Savannah Ericson, Gracie Granados, and Zoraida Cervantes Munoz, got to hunt ducks with Western Wing Outfitters, just outside Abilene. The hunt was sponsored by Delta Waterfowl. Aidan Flores, the Texas R3 coordinator for Delta Waterfowl, set up the hunt with Western Wing Outfitters, and provided jackets, waders, and shells. He also set up a shooting skills day at Abilene Clay Sports before the Wednesday before hunt. This was especially helpful, since none of the students had ever hunted, and had little or no experience with a shotgun.

Even though it was cold the morning of the hunt, the girls had a good time, and with the help of guides Cooper Cothran and Bash Randle, took a few ducks, mostly widgeon. Some of that meat will be served at Beast Feast next month! A big thanks to Delta Waterfowl and Western Wing Outfitters for making this hunt possible. Aidan says he wants to make this a yearly event. So students, if you have wanted to hunt ducks, but never had the opportunity, get ready for next year!

Wildlife & Natural Resource Management student Emily Thornock was featured in the October newsletter of the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society. Congratulations Emily. She talked about he summer internship at Martin Creek Lake State Park. Click the link to read the piece in the newsletter.

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Homecoming was a great success! Dr. Colton McInturff was named A&E Young Professional of the Year and Mike Sloan was named A&E Alumnus of the Year at our Homecoming Luncheon on Saturday. Our Riding Team and AES Clubs represented well in the parade! Make sure you join us next year!

Homecoming is only a week away, and we’d love to celebrate with our Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences alumni on Saturday, Oct. 15!

Stop by the McDaniel House before the parade for coffee and doughnuts. Then enjoy the parade from the front lawn and connect with alumni and friends!

Our new year started out with an evening of food, fellowship, and worship under the stars. We had our annual back to school cookout where our students were able to enjoy a hamburger made from a steer we raised on the farm. Then they played a game of egg toss using eggs that are laid by our free-range chickens. Once their bellies were full and the games were played, they gathered around a bonfire under the full moon to enjoy songs and a lesson given by our own farm manager, Riley Morrow. We are thankful for a great turnout and look forward to many more devotionals at the farm under the stars.

On September 16th and 17th, the Rhoden Field Lab was the site of the 5th annual dove hunt, sponsored by the ACU chapter of the Wildlife Society. Though we did not have quite as many hunters as last year, it was still a great success. The doves were really flying, the food was delicious, and everyone had a great time. Funds from this fund raiser will allow ACU TWS members to attend the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society annual meeting next February in Houston. Thanks to everyone, volunteers and especially hunters, who made this happen!

A&E welcomes new students!

The new school year kicked off last Monday, and the A&E department welcomed about 30 new students. Many of them came to a new student meet-and-greet on Friday August 26th. We had a good time playing games and getting to know each other. We are glad you are all here, and pray you have a great semester!