The Department of Agricultural Sciences will be hosting the Agricultural Round-Up on Sept. 7 in the foyer of the Agriculture and Natural Science Building. The event will be an opportunity for freshmen Agriculture majors to get to know fellow students and faculty.

Students will participate in games, activities and learn about Agriculture student organizations.

“There will be ice-breaker games for students to get to know each other,” Kelsey Fort, a graduate student that came from Texas A&M University-Kingsville, said. “Last year I did see connections made between the new students and the faculty.”Hamburgers and hot dogs will be served at the Round-Up, which will feature Dr. Don Toppliff as the dinner speaker. All the faculty involved in the Agriculture department will also have a role in the Ag Round-Up.

“The faculty go above and beyond to start relationships with the students,” Fort said. “It’s something I wish I had when I attended [Texas A&M University] Kingsville.”

Department faculty also feel that the Round-Up is an important part of the their program’s success.

“It sets the tone for the incoming freshmen to get familiar with faculty and the organization,” Tanner Robertson, an adviser for Agricultural Media and Communications, said. “Our goal is to set a foundation for those who have declared a major to be introduced to classes they need and professors. This creates a relationship with students and faculty which is the goal of the University.”

“[The Round-Up] has improved the retention of the students for studying in school,” Gary Culp, an alumnus officer of the Agricultural Development Association Board, said. “It helps the students become more involved. Ag Science is a great department and [the faculty] are real concerned about students getting good opportunities.”