Ivan Trujillo Ag Education Student Spotlight

Senior Ivan Trujillo’s agricultural roots run deep, stemming from a family lineage entrenched in vegetable production. 

While pursuing his passion for agricultural education, the Greenfield native has conducted a research project focused on assessing soft skills development among peers, and examining the impact of extracurricular involvement in clubs and organizations.

The Jordan College ASI senator has also been active with our Agricultural Ambassadors campus program (and helped organized a statewide conference). Other ties to our Jordan College honors cohort program, California FFA, National MANRRS have been instrumental in his collegiate experience. 

Learn more about him in his recent interview and what's ahead.

 

Q: Why did you choose to attend Fresno State, and how did you pick your major?

"I was inspired to major in agricultural education and focus on a career in teaching due to the support system I had back in high school from both my ag teachers and parents. I decided on attending Fresno State because of the hands-on learning environment and most importantly the support professors and faculty provide students on a daily basis."

 

Q: When do you intend to graduate?

"I will be graduating Spring of 2024 with my bachelors and pursuing graduate school and graduating in spring of 2027."

 

Q: What do you consider your hometown and /or where are you a native of?

"I was born and raised in Greenfield, California, a little town surrounded by a vast variety of agriculture, known as the heart as we are located in the center of Salinas Valley."

 

Q: Did you have any other family members graduate or attend Fresno State?

"I am a first generation college student, and I will be the first in my family to graduate from Fresno State."

 

Q: Which classes and faculty members have had the biggest influence on you while at Fresno State and why?

"My agriculture education major courses have been courses that I have truly enjoyed. There have been multiple faculty members who have influenced and motivated me. Some include Dr. Avery Culbertson,  Dr. Sharon Freeman, and Dr. Steve Rocca. All these individuals have provided me with support, guidance and opportunities within the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology."

 

Q: Talk about which campus farm units you have worked at and skills you have learned that you can apply to your career.

"I haven't yet worked on the campus farm units, but I have taken multiple production classes in the units and they have all helped further my knowledge on certain species such as poultry and swine. Both units have provided me with hands-on experience. Those experiences learned in the units will definitely help support me once I become an agricultural science teacher."

 

Q: Have you been involved with research on campus, and how will it benefit your career path?

"I am involved in the Jordan Honors Research Cohort. The program will provide me with valuable experience for the next year that I could utilize to improve myself as a student. This opportunity also better prepares me for a professional future in teaching, where I would use and perform research on a regular basis, as well as help my students as they take on their own research in the agricultural science department."

 

Q: Describe the research, and issues it’s addressing.

"The research that I will be conducting is a follow up soft skill assessment to determine the level of soft skills my peers and so to graduate students who took the first assessment back in 2020, and further study if students develop soft skills through clubs and organizations."

 

Q: What was your background in agriculture before you started at Fresno State?

"I come from a family that worked directly in the vegetable production of agriculture . My parents both still to this day work as field workers and foremans in the Salinas Valley in a variety of stages within the industry. Without my parents' sacrifice or the agriculture industry. Both my parents' love for the agriculture industry comes from their own farms they had in Mexico owned by their grandparents and parents. Where they raised dairy and beef cattle, and corn with other various livestock."

 

Q: Are you a part of any other clubs/organizations at Fresno State and noteworthy activities or competitions?

"My extracurricular activities range from organizing and facilitating conferences to serving as an officer in a variety of clubs here at Fresno State. Organizations such as Future Farmers of America, Fresno State FFA Field Day Committee, National MANRRS, Agricultural Ambassadors, and student government serving as the Jordan College ASI senator and many more. These all have allowed me to grow as a leader and as a student."

 

Q: Have you received any scholarships related to campus, the Jordan College or Ag One?  

"Yes, I was the recipient of the Dr. Charles M. Smallwood Family Scholarship, as was as the Jordan Harvey Scholarship recipient recently."