2019-2020 Ambassadors

 

Camryn Flint-Tigard, OR

Junior in Animal Sciences with an option in
Animal Biohealth/Pre-Professional

Growing up in a suburb next to Portland, I was not exposed to a lot of agriculture. Besides riding horses for a while and visiting local farms, I did not know what agricultural science or education looked like. However, I knew from a very young age I had a deep passion for animals that I wanted to dedicate my life to.

In high school, I decided I wanted was to become a veterinarian, and the animal science program here at Oregon State jumped out at me. Though I never thought I would end up in an agricultural program for my degree, I have taken so much out of the College of Agricultural Sciences already. My animal science classes are more hands-on than I ever expected, and I feel like I can apply the knowledge I get from the classroom into real situations. The animal science program has also prepared me to understand current issues going on in the animal industry, and think critically about how to handle these issues, which I believe has been valuable for understanding what path I want to take and what issues I want to help solve after my education.

Another really unique opportunity OSU has provided me was traveling to South Africa to study biodiversity, conservation, and disease with the wildlife in the country. This fulfilled a dream I had since I was a child to study African wildlife, and something I never thought I would get the chance to do without the great study abroad program at OSU.

I am so excited to represent the College of Agricultural Sciences as an ambassador, and share my passion and love for my education with others. I hope to continue to contribute to the amazing community we have here at Oregon State!

Emily George - Wallowa Oregon

Senior majoring in Agricultural Business Management
Minor in Leadership

Growing up in Central California, it was quite the culture shock when my family decided to move to the rural town of Wallowa, Oregon. I develop my passion for the agricultural industry right away and I quickly gained an appreciation for rural communities and the values they uphold. When looking at colleges it was almost a no brainer to choose Oregon State but that became even clearer once I saw how tight knit and community based the College of Agriculture was.

After my senior year I knew that I wanted to stay within the agricultural industry in a professional setting so chose to declare my major as Agricultural Business Management. Not only do I enjoy the economics and theories involved but also the many doors that will be opened after graduation.

Being a student at Oregon State has allowed me to grow in so many ways beyond my education. I have been able to grow and expand my community to have an incredible support system and friends that have turned into family. Through my past three years here, it is easy to say that Corvallis has become a home.

I am beyond excited to be representing the College of Agricultural Sciences as an Ambassador this year. I look forward to meeting and making genuine connections with incoming students and showing them my love for Oregon State University, agriculture, and the Beavers.

Mary Graham- Tigard, Oregon

Junior majoring in Food Science and Technology
Minoring in Chemistry and French

I have grown up in a rural setting for most of my life but have had farm exposure through spending time on my grandparent’s ranch; I still never anticipated being a student or active member of a College of Agricultural Sciences but I am glad to have found a place in such a well-rounded and supportive college.

Initially when making the big college decision I realized that I loved science and more specifically chemistry; after research into different ways science and food mingled, I came across food science and I knew that was what I wanted to do. I was excited that OSU had such a strong food science and technology program.

I am the Food Chair Officer for the Food and Fermentation Science club and am also a member of the Student Alumni Association where I volunteer time to help with events on campus. I am excited to be teaching a fit pass class at Dixon this year and volunteering at the South Corvallis Food Bank.

I am so excited to represent the College of Agricultural Sciences as an Ambassador for the 2019-2020 school year. This college has provided me with so many opportunities for educational, professional and personal development and I am glad that I will finally be able to start giving back!

Melanie Hanlon- Petaluma, California

Junior majoring in Food Science and Technology with a minor in chemistry.

My passion for agriculture was first sparked when I joined my local 4-H club at age 5. Once I started high school I joined FFA and became involved with Dairy Cattle Judging, participated in public speaking competitions, and was an officer for my chapter. These opportunities taught me that I genuinely enjoy communicating with people and working in leadership roles.

Due to my involvement with and passion for agriculture, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career within the industry. As an out of state student, I chose OSU because of the incredible food science program and dedicated faculty.

Since arriving at Oregon State University, I have been so thankful for the immense opportunities available to me. In my freshman year I was able to start working on a research project in an animal science lab. I’ve continued to stay involved with research and am in a food microbiology lab. I work at the Oregon State Creamery, a student run cheesemaking operation and am a member of the food science and fermentation club on campus. After completing my bachelors at OSU, I am hoping to attend graduate school to specialize in dairy food products.

It is such an honor to serve as a College of Agricultural Sciences Ambassador for this next year! I hope to connect with current students to learn more about the diversity and scope within CAS, while also positively representing the college and university. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences, knowledge, and appreciation of Oregon State.

Tyler Kammeyer – Estacada, Oregon

Junior majoring in Agricultural Business Management
Minor in Communications

Growing up on a family farm located in the northern Willamette Valley, my love and appreciation for agriculture was coursing through my veins since before I could even drive my first tractor. From a young age, I was heavily involved in 4-H, where I showed beef cattle, competed in public speaking events, and cultivated my leadership skills.

My diverse farming and ranching background awarded me the unique opportunity to experience a myriad of agricultural commodities and a wide range of the industry as a whole. Because of these experiences, I made quick work of picking a specified discipline within the agricultural industry for my future career; business, finance, and applied economics.

Here on campus, I am an officer in the Crops Science Club, an active member of the Steer-A-Year feedlot club, an Academic Quiz Bowl representative for the department of applied economics, a member of the Collegiate Farm Bureau, and a retired member of the College of Agricultural Sciences Leadership Academy Cohort.

I am honored to be a part of the 2019-2020 College of Agricultural Sciences Ambassador team. In this position, I hope to proudly represent the college, while boasting of all that makes Oregon State University a respected research, and education institution.

Ruben Lopez - Hermiston Oregon

Sophomore Majoring in Animal Science
Minor: Agricultural Business Management

My home town of Boardman, Oregon taught me some valuable life lessons and helped shape me to be the person I am today. Working out in the farm with my dad starting at age 12, helped me build a strong passion for livestock and agriculture. My experience with working out in the farm lead me to gain an interest in animals and eventually this turned into a career path that I wanted to pursue as a veterinarian.

Coming to OSU as a first generation student lead me to expand my career interest with animals and it was through the college assistance migrant program (CAMP) that I grew out of my comfort zone to get more involved with the new community. I became a member with the Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) organization and have been able to network with people around the nation. Through MANRRS I have grown so much as a leader and now serve as an executive officer. I am also involved with the leadership academy and research with Dr. Serkan Ates

Being an ambassador for the College of Agricultural Sciences is an honor for me and I can’t express how excited I am to represent the college and motivate prospective students with an interest in Agriculture.

Metzin Rodriguez - Coos Bay, Oregon

Junior majoring in Bioresource Research Option: Sustainable Ecosystems
Minor: Spanish

My story starts with my aztec names, they remind me of family, music, and my roots.  My multicultural migrant family has motivated me to pursue a degree in higher education to serve my community better.

Thanks to the College Assistant Migrant Program (CAMP) I was connected to mentors and advisors who provided support and shared a variety of resources about job opportunities and ways to get involved in the College of Agricultural Sciences.

It wasn’t easy for me to find “ the correct major”, but through the support from Minorities in Agriculture and Related Sciences (MANRRS) I was able to assist the Puerto Rican community after hurricane Maria by helping them restore their agriculture and classrooms. My involvement on campus includes: Minorities in Agriculture and Related Sciences ( MANRRS), Diversity Team of Undergraduate Recruiters and Ambassadors, and Mentor for CAMP.

This passion for bilingual education, outreach, and sustainability are now part of my interdisciplinary major, BioResource Research with an option in sustainable ecosystems.

My aspirations for this year’s ambassadors team is to bring a new perspective of what it means to be an OSU and College of Agricultural Sciences student. I’m looking forward to empowering students and to helping them cultivate ideas. I’m thankful for this opportunity and I look forward to work with very creative and amazing individuals. As always GOBEAVS!!!

Gloria Ruiz-Orozco - Tigard, OR

Junior Majoring in BioResource Research with an option in Bioenergy.
Minor in French and Chemistry.

I set my ambitions higher than anyone in my family had ever gone, to graduate high school and go to a 4 year University. To my immense pleasure, I was able to come to Oregon State University. I found my major, and the College of Agriculture when someone recommended a scholarship for me to apply to. I read up on the BioResource Research major and found that it not only included the scholarship, but many academic opportunities.

Another decision that has defined my time at OSU was joining the STEM Leaders club, where I was equipped with the tools necessary to start doing research as a freshman. I then became a mentor in this club and helped 3 other freshmen acclimate to research in the same way a year later. I was also able to present my research in a symposium, an experience that was a great end to my beginning year as a researcher.

I got more involved my sophomore year and I decided to join Minorities in Agriculture and Related Sciences (MANRRS). Through this club I’ve connected with incredible, diverse people and was awarded the MSP scholarship that provided funding for a trip to Puerto Ricco for a service learning project, one of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of my college experience.

I was also able to fulfill my lifelong dream of studying abroad in France thanks to OSU scholarships and the Gilman scholarship.

It’s clear to see that the College of Agriculture has provided me with ample opportunities for not only my academic success, but my personal and emotional growth as well. It gives me so much joy to be able to represent this college as an ambassador.