Agriculture National Graduate Institutional Name Exchange

Interested in attending grad school? If you have a 3.0 GPA or above, you can participate in AG-NGINE (Agriculture National Graduate Institutional Name Exchange), a national initiative for colleges to recruit promising students for graduate programs in agricultural and natural resources and related fields. Current and potential participating colleges of agriculture and related sciences use the database to promote their graduate degree programs, recruitment events and other opportunities related to graduate study. If interested, submit your information today. This submission grants AG-NGINE permission to release of your information to other U.S. institutions. There is no cost to participate.

Please note that once the 2025 AG-NGINE database is released to participating institutions this October, the information that you provided cannot be removed from AG-NGINE, as all of the information will have been downloaded to each institution’s graduate student recruiting database by then.

Dairy Products Judging Team National Champions

The Cal Poly Dairy Products Judging Team, coached by Professor Vincent Yeung recently competed at the 101st annual Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest (CDPEC), on April 16 in Madison, Wisconsin. The contest was hosted by Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and superintended by USDA. Team members judged six categories of dairy products including butter, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, ice cream, milk and yogurt, based on flavor, body/texture and appearance.

With sheer determination and an unmatched obsession for critiquing frozen desserts, Cal Poly won the ice cream team category for the fourth consecutive year, while adding the milk and yogurt categories to the trophy haul. Cal Poly also placed second in the butter category. In the Individual categories, Mika Zeplovitch (food science and nutrition) finished first in milk and yogurt, while Brianne Agresti (animal science) was victorious in Ice-cream.

💥 Highlights:
🥇 1st in All Products Team
🍦 1st in Ice-cream Team (4 years in a row!)
🥛 1st in Milk Team
🍶 1st in Yogurt Team
💪 Big wins from Brianne Agresti and Mika Zeplovitch in individual categories!

Be a Part of the CAFES Executive Ambassador Program

Applications are now open for the CAFES Executive Ambassador Program, an exciting opportunity for students who want to take their leadership and involvement to the next level. Executive Ambassadors work closely with the CAFES Dean’s Office, attend Dean’s Student Advisory Meetings, participate in Dean’s Advisory Council Dinners and other key events. Ambassadors are also part of the CAFES Industry Mentorship Program and receive special opportunities and CAFES merchandise. The goal is to select Executive Ambassadors from each of college’s nine departments, to serve as student leaders, advocates and liaisons. Applications are due by April 27.

Registration for the Spring Student Research Symposium

Registration forms and abstracts for the 2025 CAFES Spring Student Research Symposium are due to Marnie Perry at mperry11@calpoly.edu by 5 p.m. on April 16.  This is a fun event, a great way to tell people about your research, and a nice feather in your cap on a resume!  There are prizes and refreshments, too.  See below for details.   

Register and send in your abstract and registration form by April 16.

• What:  Posters highlighting research done by CAFES undergrads and grad students. The Dean’s office will pay to have your posters printed on campus.  We will send suggested poster templates out later and your faculty research supervisor will be available to help you understand what the components of a research poster should be.
• When:  Friday, May 30, 3 – 5 p.m.
• Where:   The JUSTIN and J LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture, Swanson Center of Effort Conference Hall.
• Registration:  Please fill out the registration form, including a 250-word (maximum) abstract.  The  registration form includes some advice on how to write your abstract.  Acceptances will be emailed to students soon after 4/16.
• Competition:  The top six undergraduate and top six graduate student abstracts will be selected by a group of faculty to compete for awards.
• Refreshments?  You bet!

Please contact Marnie Perry at mperry11@calpoly.edu if you have questions.

Soares Outstanding Achievement Award

The Soares Outstanding Achievement Award was established to recognize an outstanding student in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences of junior or senior standing, who will complete at least 134 units by the end of spring quarter 2025 and will graduate the coming academic year. The $4,000 award is presented annually. 

If you believe you fit the attached qualifications, we invite you to apply. In keeping with Alumnus George Soares’ vision, this award considers much more than GPA. The award is for outstanding achievement, which includes leadership, work ethic and solid academic credentials. 

Contact Marnie Perry at mperry11@calpoly.edu for the application materials. The application is due Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 5 p.m.

We hope that you will take the time to complete the scholarship application and reach out to your mentors for letters of recommendation. The award recipient will be announced May 29 at the CAFES Student Leadership Awards Banquet.

Please contact me at mperry11@calpoly.edu if you have any questions.