Block and Bridle: Building a bright future for students in agriculture

BY LINDSEY HUGHES

Art Director

Block and Bridle, a club that many students believe is the heart of agriculture and animal science on campus, is an organization dedicated to providing students with the best possible opportunities in the agriculture industry.

More than just a club, Block and Bridle is an experience, a community and of course, an amazing educational opportunity. While the club is geared toward the agriculture industry, it is by no means exclusive to animal science or agriculture majors.

They aim to be inclusive for any and all people interested in animals and agriculture, providing countless opportunities to build your resume, network and get to know professionals in the industry.

Sofia Shriner, the secretary of Block and Bridle, has been a member of the club since her very first semester at Tarleton State University.

“If you are someone who’s passionate about agriculture and want to make connections with officers and advisers, it’s a great way to get your foot in the door and develop those professionalism skills early,” Shriner said.

Another longtime member of Block and Bridle is Kaily Shrode. She is a junior animal science major at Tarleton and, of course, an ag enthusiast. Now serving as the club's president, Shrode has been able to see the evolution and advancement of Block and Bridle over the course of several years.

Throughout the years that Shrode has been a part of the club, they have had the opportunity to put on a multitude of new community events and the chance to network with many ag professionals, as well.

“We’ve definitely gotten more members throughout the years. We hosted our first 5k last year and hope to do it again this year, and we’ve been able to go on industry tours to give our members more experiences and opportunities to go out and meet people,” Shroder said.

Before being president, Shroder was the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources representative for Block and Bridle, meaning it was her job to communicate with both the college and other organizations to plan events. Holding two major officer positions within the club has brought her a long way and taught her many skills that she may not have learned otherwise.

“My leadership skills have improved immensely. I was more hands off before, but over the years I’ve been able to be more organized and can see the bigger picture. I am a lot more confident in my ability to lead people and my communication,” Shroder said.

On top of leadership and communication skills, Block and Bridle presents many other opportunities for students to learn and grow within the agriculture and animal science industries.

“Our purpose is to bridge the gap between industry professionals and college students. Our goals are always to advocate for agriculture and education, while focusing on giving college students professional skills, leadership skills and fellowship”, Shroder said.

Community is important in Block and Bridle, which is why they have made it a point to do several different community events and workshops, some of which have been working with the Fosters Home for Children, hosting an event called “Connecting with Kids,” where they teach daycare children about agriculture or hosting their “Candy Cane Classic” show, which is a lamb and goat jackpot show that is put on annually.

Block and Bridle is a wonderful opportunity for incoming freshmen or lower level students to get an early entrance into the professional side of the agriculture and animal science industries, especially when it comes to the search for future employment. The club attends many workshops and conventions where students are able to learn about jobs that they may have never even known existed within the industry, and for college students who don’t have it all figured out yet, it can be a great boost.

Treasurer Madison Wolff is a Tarleton animal science major who has been a  part of Block and Bridle for a year and a half now.

She was drawn to the club because of the potential to build long lasting friendships and expand her network to include agriculture and animal science professionals.

“Block and Bridle provides academic and professional opportunities for students to take on,” Wolff said. “The goal is to build members up and expand their skillsets and knowledge. Coming in as a freshman, I didn’t really know anybody. It feels like a big family in the end; I made a lot of my friends from Block and Bridle.”

Looking ahead, the future of Block and Bridle is rich. Opening up this spring semester is Tarleton's founding chapter of the American Collegiate Horsemen's Association (ACHA). The ACHA will be operating under Block and Bridle, and is an equine focused organization that allows students to get in touch with mentors that can lead them to equine-focused job opportunities and experiences. ACHA is great for those who love agriculture, but whose interests center mostly around the horse world.

Members of Block and Bridle think that it's the perfect college organization to join if you’re on the search for community, professional experience, networking opportunities or resume building events and workshops. This semesters new member meetings will take place on Feb. 10, Feb. 12 and a new member induction on Feb. 21. Information on how to join can be found on TexanSync or the Tarleton State Block and Bridle Facebook page.