Fresno State is known for being home to one of the most in-depth agriculture education programs and for being the source of many of California’s high school agriculture teachers. Dr. Steven Rocca, the Chair of the Agriculture Education and Animal Science Department, has had firsthand experience in developing the next generation of agriculture teachers.
There are only five universities in California with programs that allow students to pursue careers as agriculture educators. These are Fresno State, CalPoly Pomona, CalPoly San Luis Obispo, Chico State, and UC Davis.
Dr. Rocca manages the educational pathways of the university’s agriculture education degrees. These degrees include a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Education – Teacher Prep, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Education – Agricultural Communications.
“For most students, I think a lot of them find inspiration and information from their high school ag teachers, and potentially community college ag teachers who maybe were former ag teachers. That’s pretty common.” Dr. Rocca said, “That’s, a lot of times, where the inspiration comes from and they get them directed to us here and we get them the information they need and we get them connected.”
As a former high school agriculture teacher, Dr. Rocca has seen a variety of students become inspired by their teachers to follow the path of education. Fresno State has a simplified program that consists of four years of an undergraduate degree followed by a year of credential work and student teaching. This program makes becoming an agriculture teacher simple but still ensures effective training and preparation.
In addition to the program, there are resources available for students interested in becoming educators. A variety of organizations, such as Teach Ag California, National Ag in the Classroom, and the Center for Land Based Learning, are passionate about helping new teachers develop their skills and programs to be as useful to the students as possible. For educators and educational organizations, the student is the highest priority.
“If you are passionate about this job and enjoy doing it, the rewards are going to be much greater than the paycheck.” Dr. Rocca said, “The paycheck’s nice, and obviously, there are high-paying jobs that may be better for them than education, but with the education and the benefits and the time off, you potentially have the flexibility, you really can’t beat it.”
Dr. Rocca takes pride in helping the next generation of agriculture teachers reach their destinations, but views teaching as a whole as a profession full of value. For many teachers, being able to impact the future of a student and aid them in achieving goals and growing as successful individuals is the most meaningful aspect of their lives.