| Student Career Days Heads to Illinois | |
As in years past, the Irrigation Foundation will participate in PLANET's Student Career Days, March 17-20 at Joliet Junior College in Joliet, Ill. The event provides education and competitions for students enrolled in horticulture and landscape programs at colleges and universities. As a co-sponsor of three irrigation competitions, the Foundation will award the winners of these competitions with all-expenses-paid trips to the 2011 Irrigation Show in San Diego. The Foundation will also exhibit at the Career Fair to promote and educate college students on careers in irrigation. The event will draw close to 1,000 college students from all over the U.S.
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Essay/Video Contest; Entries Due Sept. 9
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Students should start planning now to prepare entries for the eighth annual Student Essay/Video Contest. "How will irrigation careers be affected by limited water supplies in the future" is the theme for the 2011 event. Winners and their instructors receive all-expenses-paid trips to the Irrigation Show in San Diego, Calif., Nov 6-8. The show offers opportunities to meet leaders in the industry, interview with prospective employers, see new irrigation technologies and learn more about the industry. Contest specifications and entry guidelines are available at www.irrigationfoundation.org.
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| Next Issue | |
Be sure to look for the Spring issue of the E-Newsletter in May!
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| Contact the Foundation | Irrigation Foundation
Tel: 703.536.7080
Fax: 703.536.7019
www.irrigationfoundation.org |
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Foundation Refreshes Name, Affirms Focus
Following a strategic planning session and meetings during summer and fall 2010, the Foundation Board of Trustees voted to change the name of the Irrigation Association Education Foundation to the Irrigation Foundation. With this updated moniker comes a new tagline: "Investing in Education. Advancing the Industry." This new name reflects a desire to solidify the Foundation's brand, making it easier for friends, supporters and prospective donors to connect with us. Over the next few months you'll see our new name and tagline, as well as an updated logo, in our printed materials and web site. |
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Foundation Exhibits at Irrigation Show
Unveiling our new look, the Irrigation Foundation exhibited at the 2010 Irrigation Show in Phoenix in December to connect with donors, friends and industry professionals. In support of our mission to promote careers in irrigation, the Foundation also hosted its Student Career Days competition winners and Student Essay/Video Contest winners, providing them with the opportunity to network and take education classes. Read about their experiences in their own words below.
To assist with fundraising efforts, a raffle offered attendees a chance at winning gift cards. Congratulation to the winners!
Sue York - LL Bean gift card Shane Dillard - Amazon.com gift card Ira Goldstein - Best Buy gift card |
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Students Reflect on Irrigation Show Experience
Below are excerpts from articles written by the 2010 Student Essay/Video Contest and Student Career Days competition winners.
"I made a lot of great connections when I was in Phoenix and learned tons of valuable information that I will be able to not only use for myself but also bring back to Colorado State and share with my peers. It was amazing to see the amount of dedication that so many people had in the industry." - Dallas Gustafson, 2010 Student Career Days irrigation assembly winner
"I had the opportunity to meet many people in the industry, learn more about manufacturers and products available for commercial irrigation and research, and learned a great deal about emerging technologies and research in the technical sessions." - Kendall DeJonge, 2010 Student Essay/Video Contest agriculture essay winner
"I got a good dose of enthusiasm for irrigation education that should keep me going for the next couple of semesters. Irrigation research is an important part of my job, so it was very beneficial to attend the technical sessions at the show and connect with researchers from other institutions. I also had the opportunity to share some of my research work being conducted in Colorado. I definitely encourage the Irrigation Foundation to continue providing students and instructors the opportunity to attend future Irrigation Shows." - Allan Andales, Assistant Professor, Colorado State University
"It was interesting that business owners came from all parts of Canada, USA, Mexico, and South America to improve their skills indicating that there is an international need to learn and grow within this industry. Many of my classes discussed exciting new topics, such as waste water irrigation and the laws surrounding this in different states. I was impressed at how advanced some states were, and found it interesting that other states were not so advanced. I was also interested to learn about the social politics surrounding waste water, which was unknown to me prior to the conference." - Nancy Niklis, 2010 Student Essay/Video Contest video winner
Read their articles in their entirety next month at www.irrigationfoundation.org.
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| Faculty Academy: Registration is Open
If you are an instructor from a university, technical college, community college or advanced high school program, you are invited to attend the ninth annual Irrigation Faculty Academy in Walla Walla, Wash., June 22-23. This two-day experiential learning program is comprised of seminars and tours of irrigation system manufacturers, consisting of both in-class and hands-on learning experiences. New this year, attendees are eligible to earn six continuing education units for IA certifications. Financial grants are available to a limited number of attendees; grant applications are due April 28. For more information on the program and to register online, click here.
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