Galvin Rodriguez discovered that Texas A&M University in College Station was the right choice for him when he attended a prospective student event in San Antonio. Since then he has joined numerous clubs on campus and has become the current President of the AGSM Student Club. He has also found a passion for international travel which has taken him to Guanajuato, Mexico to Leuven, Belgium.
Interviewer: What drew you to Texas A&M University?
Galvin:
Galvin posing with the flyer he got when accepted to Texas A&M.
Two factors that drew me to study at Texas A&M University were the influence of my agriculture teacher, Justin Taylor, and A&M’s well-known prestige in agriculture. Mr. Taylor is an alumnus of Texas A&M and was always praising the excellence of the university and what the institution has done for him. This made me want to become a student of the university. Secondly, my understanding of Texas A&M’s prestige in agriculture was derived from my involvement in FFA. The institution has touched the lives of many people I socialized with throughout my FFA career. When I would ask questions about Texas A&M as a high school student, I received nothing but positive feedback about how excellent the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences was. Aggies and others alike recommended me to apply due to A&M’s strong network and reputation.
Galvin getting his Aggie Ring
Interviewer: Why did you decide to study Agricultural Systems Management? What interests you about AGSM?
Galvin:
My decision to study Agricultural Systems Management (AGSM) was the result of attending an event called Aggie Day in San Antonio. At this event, majors were showcased by all colleges of the university to high school students from all over San Antonio and the surrounding towns. AGSM was described to me as a major that instills knowledge in the management of people, money, and machinery. Furthermore, it detailed that people who typically study AGSM are hands-on and are not afraid to solve problems faced by the industry. Ultimately, the business and agricultural oriented focus of AGSM and the nature of the people who liked this major is what solidified my decision to study AGSM. What interests me about AGSM is the agricultural business-oriented emphasis along with the focus in agricultural equipment.
Interviewer: What clubs are you a member of and why?
Galvin:
Young Galvin showing his Brahman heifer.
AGSM Club
I am a member of the AGSM Club because it is a club that provides a platform for AGSM students to build their network, gain industry exposure and establish comradery amongst fellow AGSM students. I am currently the President of the AGSM Club and decided to serve because I wanted to expand my involvement in student clubs. I’m working to bring positive changes for the club that will enhance opportunities for our members.
Aggie Pullers
I chose to become a member of Aggie Pullers because I was interested in the clubs quarter-scale scale tractor projects. Secondly, I love working with a group of friends who are passionate about their work.
American Brahman Breeders Association
I officially became a member of the American Brahman Breeders Association (ABBA) at the age of 12 because of the passion I have for the breed and the desire to own a registered herd of Brahman cattle. As a member, you can register Brahman cattle under your name. Cattle has been a life-long of interest of mine and has played a significant role throughout my life. I have been involved in breaking and showing steers along with raising purebred Brahmans.
Interviewer: Have you been abroad? Tell me about your experience.
Galvin:
Throughout my college career, I have had two trips abroad, the first one being the Mexico Exchange Program, in Guanajuato, Mexico in May of 2018. Throughout the duration of the program, students toured agricultural operations, the University of Guanajuato, and surrounding cities. Exposure to new foods, cultures and lifestyles gave me a valuable international experience in the North American Continent.
Guanajuato, Mexico
My second trip abroad was the Belgium Environmental Science and Engineering Program, in Leuven, Belgium. The duration of the program was approximately five weeks in the months of July through August 2018. It offered two summer courses worth six credited hours that focused on Hydrology and Environmental technologies. The structure of a week on the trip was two days of class, one day for a field trip and four-day weekends. Classes were held in a classroom at the Kathlieke Universitet in Leuven, Belgium and biking was the method of transportation for all students and professors.
Students participated in weekly field trips that related to the coursework. It gave students a chance to observe real-world applications of things we were being taught in the classroom. On four-day weekends we had the opportunity to travel to countries of our desire with newly made friends which is where we all truly gained our international experience. One of my favorite places to visit was Croatia. From learning how to navigate train stations, communicating through language barriers, understand restaurant menus in different languages, trying new foods, meeting the locals and taking in the natural beauty of Europe.
Mountains from Galvin’s trip to Croatia
Interviewer: What do you want to do when you graduate? Why do you want to go that direction?
Galvin:
Galvin and his father with a John Deere 650 bulldozer.
After I graduate in December of 2019, I plan to work in the equipment industry. My interest in equipment was derived from an experience of brush clearing that my father and I performed on our property. We had cattle on some acreage that was overgrown with mesquite trees which did not allow the grass to grow to its full potential. My father rented a John Deer 650 bulldozer for a week and we were able to clear most of the brush in three days. What moved me about this experience was having the realization of how innovation in equipment throughout the last century has revolutionized how we perform work in agriculture and construction. I have come to truly appreciate the innovation in equipment that lessens the degree of brute physical labor.
Article by Jessica Schaeffer
For details about this news story and others please contact Stormy Kretzschmar, stormyk@tamu.edu.