The Plants, Soils, and Climate department works to organize and participate in many activities and functions for students ranging from social events to service projects. The faculty and staff are very involved in many of these projects and always encourage students to participate, get to know each other, PSC and the College.
FALL SOCIAL - the department hosts a back to school fall social each year and all students enrolled in the department are invited to attend. The department furnishes the main course and faculty/staff provide side dishes pot luck style. The event has traditionally been held at the fair grounds pavilion and is early enough in the fall semester for very nice weather.
DAY ON THE QUAD - held each fall shortly after the beginning of the semester. Departments participate in displays highlighting the programs in their department. Look for the PSC display at this event.
MAJOR FAIR - held mid-fall term highlighting the majors offered in the various departments at Utah State University.
SPRING AWARDS BANQUET - all students in the department are invited to a dinner honoring scholarship recipients, scholarship donors and graduating seniors.
SOILS JUDGING - those students with an interest in soils and related disciplines are invited to participate in an annual Soils Judging Competition for the northwest region. Dr. Janis Boettinger jlboett@cc.usu.edu and John Lawley jrlawley@cc.usu.edu , research associate are instrumental in organizing the event when it is held every third year at Utah State University. Dr. Boettinger teaches Soil 3100 Soils and Civilization and Soil 5130 Soil Genesis Morphology. John Lawley handles several research projects for the soil disciplines and mentors the soil judging group. USU placed second in 2004/2005 and first in 2003/2004 at Oregon State for the first time in school history. The University of Idaho, Oregon State and BYU are among those who have participate.
PSC DEPARTMENT CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON - the department hosts an informal luncheon here in the department for all PSC students each year close to the Christmas holidays.
FLOWER SALES are conducted near Christmas, Valentine s Day and Easter. The sale of poinsettias, roses, carnations and easter lillies are handled by students either on campus or at the teaching greenhouse just south of the football stadium and the proceeds are put into the PSC student fund to assist students with any extracurricular travel or workshop opportunities that may come up during the year. Craig Aston craiga@mendel.usu.edu is in charge of running the teaching greenhouse as well as these flower sales events and also teaches PLSC 2620 Woody Plant Materials, PLSC 3050 Greenhouse Management, PLSC 2100 Introduction to Horticulture and PLSC 3400 Managing for Sustainable Landscapes.
APPLE CIDER PRESSING has traditionally been done in the fall. Students are able to assist with the entire process from pressing the apples to filling the plastic containers. The cider is sold through the teaching greenhouse facilities. Craig Aston also mentors this project.
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE fall dinner - honoring scholarship recipients and donors college wide, this event is always a huge success. It gives everyone in the College of Agriculture an opportunity to meet one another.
PLANET (Professional Landcare Network) Annual Career Days - held at various locations throughout the United States usually in early spring, this event offers students the opportunity to compete with other schools in a variety of landscape and horticulture related events as well as attend the career fair to investigate the career opportunities available to them. Students work on various fund raising activites within the department to offset the travel costs. Visit with Craig Aston in PSC for more information on this event.