Reconnecting with Her Roots

Stephanie Alvarado remembers the moment when the frustration became almost more than she could handle.

“I had the typical college emotional crisis. I was at the point when I wanted to drop out. I didn’t enjoy what I was doing, and I didn’t feel like I ‘fit’ in the major I had chosen,” she recalled.

Alvarado was a freshman at Butte College majoring in psychology at the time, and she met with an advisor who assured her it was okay to explore other majors.

“She told me, ‘Do what you know and what you’re familiar with, and you’ll love it,’” Alvarado said.

Alvarado thought back to her childhood, growing up on an olive ranch near Corning. She remembered the joy she felt riding ATVs with her sister and the satisfaction of planting an olive orchard with her father. She thought too about how dead set she had been against agriculture as a career, but rather than drop out of college, she signed up for an agriculture class.

“I don’t know why I was fighting it for so long,” Alvarado said. “Once I switched to ag, I enjoyed my classes and I looked forward to going to school. I made new friendships that I know will last me a lifetime.”

Alvarado—the first in her family to attend a four-year university—will graduate this fall with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business.

“My parents have always worked very hard. My mom worked two jobs at one point to provide for the family. I know that I’m making them proud by being the first college graduate in our family,” she said.

Alvarado’s close-knit family has encouraged her every step of the way as she navigated the uncharted territory of college life.

“This university experience is new for all of us. My dad only went to first grade,” Alvarado said. “My parents have made sure that I focus my full attention on my education. They tell me that school is my job right now.”

Despite commuting 30 miles each way from Corning every day, Alvarado has made the most of her college experience. Since arriving at Chico State in the spring of 2017, she has been active in the Crop Science and Horticulture Club, where she has found both personal and professional development. Alvarado serves as the treasurer of the club, which won the College of Agriculture Club of the Year Award in 2017 and placed third in the statewide Higher Education Greenie Awards this year.

“Serving as an officer has taught me a lot about responsibility and good business practices,” Alvarado said. “I’m so proud to serve as an officer with this team of people. We’ve become really good friends.”

Alvarado’s commitment and dedication to her leadership role have garnered her respect from her fellow students as well as faculty and staff.

“Stephanie is smart and kind, but she’s also very serious about her responsibilities,” said University Farm office administrator Cindy Leonard, who works with student organizations in the College of Agriculture on event budgets and expenses. “She is diligent in keeping her club on task when it comes to accounting and budgeting.”

Alvarado hopes to apply the skills she is learning in the agricultural business program at Chico State to help farms and agricultural businesses in her home community.

“I have lived in Corning all my life, and I hope to stay there when I graduate,” Alvarado said. “Corning is small but proud, and the downturn in the olive market over the last several years has hit our community hard.”

What her role will be exactly is still unknown, but she gained some clarity in February when she had the opportunity to attend the US Department of Agriculture’s Student Diversity Program during the National Agricultural Outlook Forum in Washington, DC.She was one of only 20 undergraduates nationwide to be selected to attend this prestigious program.

During the weeklong trip, she took part in a USDA briefing and discussion of career opportunities with agriculture leaders in academia, government, and industry, and also had the chance to tour the nation’s capital and attend the USDA’s largest annual meeting.

“That experience opened my eyes to a lot of new things and new career opportunities,” Alvarado said. “I always thought I might like to work for USDA, and now I have a better feel for the incredible number of opportunities that are available. I’m particularly interested in programs that assist farm workers, but what that looks like for me, I’m not sure yet. I just know that I’m very motivated to continue learning.”

As she finishes up her undergraduate education, Alvarado takes time to encourage students who are new to the program.

“I always tell students to get involved at Chico State. It will make your time here so much more enjoyable,” Alvarado said. “Changing my major to agriculture and joining the Crop Science and Horticulture Club are two of the best decisions I ever made.”