The Animal Agriculture Alliance announced the results of its sixth annual College Aggies Online (CAO) scholarship competition. The nationwide program helps college students share agriculture’s story and become passionate spokespeople on behalf of the food and fiber industries.
Since its launch in 2009, more than 2,500 college students from more than 160 different colleges and universities have registered to compete in the program. The Alliance wishes to thank the 2014 College Aggies Program sponsors which include Tyson Foods, Inc., the National Pork Producers Council Foundation, Dairy Management, Inc. (DMI), Fair Oaks Pig Adventure, Belstra Milling Company and the United Soybean Board.
Each week, individual participants received assignments, called “Aggies Homework,” which focused on a specific social media platform or a segment of the agriculture community. This fall, CAO participants engaged with the public by utilizing Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram, as well as by writing blog posts. Additionally, industry experts, including agriculture journalists, food bloggers, and representatives from several of the protein trade associations hosted webinars or tweet-ups to help educate participants about the pertinent issues facing the industry and how to communicate about those with the public.
Over the course of the competition students generated 39 blog posts, over 450 Facebook posts, over 700 Tweets and over 600 Instagram posts along with other social media and campus outreach activities.
“This year’s participants were incredibly engaged in telling the story of food animal production across multiple social media platforms.” said Feedstuffs’ Andy Vance who served as this year’s program mentor. “The growth they exhibited throughout the weeks of the program was impressive and a direct result of the interaction the participants enjoyed each week with industry experts and thought leaders.”
While the individual participants were assigned tasks week by week, participating clubs were able to pick and choose from a variety of challenges including visiting their state legislators, hosting a “Meet your Meat” event on their college campus or hosting a food drive in advance of the holiday season.
Members of the Oklahoma State University Dairy Science Club formed the top-scoring club with 107,450 total points. The club will receive $5,000 and a trip for two club representatives to the Alliance’s annual Stakeholders Summit in Kansas City, Missouri to be formally recognized.
University of Wisconsin – River Falls’ Sigma Alpha sorority came in second place with 98,900 points and will receive $2,500. A $1,000 prize and the third-place bragging rights will be awarded to the Block & Bridle Club from University of Missouri.
With 11,950 points, the individual high score went to Justin Bartholomay, a student at North Dakota State University. Bartholomay will receive a $5,000 scholarship. Lauren Schlothauer of New Mexico State University came in second place and will be awarded a $2,500 scholarship. Karoline Rose of Montana State University, a winner also in the Alliance’s fourth CAO competition in the spring of 2013, took third place and will receive a scholarship in the amount of $1,000.