By Robyn Murray
Located in Curtis, Nebraska, the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture is a small campus with a big impact. As a key provider of highly skilled agricultural workers — in a state in which 23% of the workforce is employed in the ag industry — NCTA plays a crucial role in building Nebraska’s workforce.
Jim Stewart, a University of Nebraska Foundation Trustee and 1975 graduate of NCTA, has farmed for most of his life. He said the college teaches crucial fundamentals in agriculture. “Farming isn’t as easy as it looks,” Stewart said. “NCTA taught us to properly use equipment and work with animals. It also taught us one of the most important things in farming, which is money management.”
Founded in 1913 as a regional high school, NCTA offers academic programs in agribusiness management, animal science, agronomy, welding, diversified agriculture and many other areas.
Today, as Nebraska faces a growing workforce shortage in the ag industry, NCTA aims to build on its strong foundation — it’s ranked No. 1 for career outcomes among U.S. community colleges — and double its enrollment to 500 students. Key to that aim is a $12 million renovation to create a new Student Success and Activity Center, which would function like a student union. Fundraising is being matched by a $6 million challenge gift from Barbara and Wally Weitz of Omaha.
Terry Keslar, who is also a trustee and serves on the Only in Nebraska Campaign Committee for NCTA with Stewart, said she wants to raise awareness of the benefits NCTA provides. “Some students think they won’t succeed at a college,” Keslar said. “But at NCTA, students know the faculty, they eat lunch together. The faculty, and all the staff there, really want the kids to succeed.”
Stewart said investing in NCTA’s facilities matters when it comes to recruiting students.
“I’m pretty darn conservative, but even I can see campus needs to change,” Stewart said. “We have to upgrade facilities to attract people to come there.”
Stewart and Keslar have both made gifts to support various aspects of NCTA. Stewart said he was encouraged to get involved with the college after his brother, Michael, passed away 10 years ago. Michael Stewart was the first in his family to attend NCTA and was committed to giving back to the college and the community of Curtis.
“When he passed away, I wanted to give back to some of the things that he liked and appreciated,” Jim Stewart said, adding that he is thankful for his experience at NCTA, which gave him not only the practical tools he needed to succeed on his farm but also valuable life experience.
“There are a lot of good people there,” Stewart said. “You meet people from all over the state and learn about where they come from. It’s a great education.”
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