Each week, we showcase one of our CAHNRS Ambassadors, a student leadership organization that encourages students to pursue higher education and serves as a liaison between the college and the greater community. This week, we’re featuring Vanessa Giramata, a junior from Kigali, Rwanda.
What are you studying?
I’m majoring in Agricultural Economics.
Favorite Show/Movie:
Holiday Calendar
Favorite Cougar Tradition:
School spirit is incredible here at WSU. Cougs connect in a way that no other school does. Regardless of where you’re from, you know that when you walk on the WSU campus, you are home. Cougars are like one giant loving family, where each member feels very welcomed.
Favorite CAHNRS Commodity:
Ferdinand’s ice cream is the best ice cream you can find here in the West. During the hot summers, huckleberry ice cream is my end-of-week reward. No other ice cream has been able to beat Ferdinand’s and, trust me, I have tried a lot of different ice cream over the past few years. If you ever visit WSU, make sure to get some Ferdinand’s goodies, and, if you’re in a hurry, just grab a huckleberry ice cream and keep running; you won’t regret it!
Why be a CAHNRS Coug?
CAHNRS has a lot of hands-on majors to offer. In CAHNRS, you are guaranteed to find something you like. Through these different activities, there are countless opportunities to grow and get equipped with skills that will allow you to be successful in your future career. Within these opportunities and activities, CAHNRS is also a family: diverse, welcoming, connected and caring. Everyone here is genuinely looking out for one another and wants you to succeed. College is not only about surviving, but about flourishing, and I strongly believe that CAHNRS not only encourages students to succeed, but to thrive.
Best Student Experience:
It’s hard for me to say just one specific thing that has marked my experience here. I have been able to learn and grow in countless ways, so it’s nearly impossible to narrow it down to just one experience. One of the remarkable aspects of CAHNRS that I can mention are the caring professors who eagerly share their knowledge and believe in you, allowing you to work with them on their projects or, even better, help you on your projects. My advisor is the absolute best and has been constantly motivating me even when I was scared of some classes. She believes in my success and encourages me to get out of my comfort zone to try new things, like becoming a student ambassador. All this encouragement goes hand in hand with the students on campus, everyone is so friendly and always willing to help. If I had to choose a university again, I would choose WSU and CAHNRS again, but this time, with more confidence and no trace of doubt.
CAHNRS Taught Me:
CAHNRS taught me how to aim higher. It has equipped me with hands-on experience and has helped increase my self-confidence. I have grown through the different clubs and organizations that I am involved in, my faculty mentor and my classmates. CAHNRS is preparing us for our future in the best ways; by providing many events for students to interact with industry partners, opportunities that allow us to be intellectually challenged. CAHNRS focuses not only on preparing us for our futures, but also allowing us to live a life that leaves a legacy behind. A legacy for future Cougs and our communities to benefit and learn from.