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TOP A&M-C STUDENT WINS AWARD AGAINST BIG NAMES

For Immediate Release/03-12-07/Lorraine Pace

COMMERCE, Texas - Chase Garcia was badly injured when his vehicle was hit by an 18-wheeler in Waco. He broke an arm, both his hips, and he was unable to walk for a month. While recuperating, his wife persuaded him to return to Hopkins County where both were raised, and as part of the deal he would study at Texas A&M University-Commerce.

"Something in life hits you so hard when you know you have to be able to support your family," says Garcia, who today is a top student at A&M-Commerce. "If I had known I could have got an education all along I would probably have done this sooner, but I wasn't very structured at school and couldn't seem to stay out of trouble. I didn't want to grow up."

That changed with the birth of his son. Despite working part time to support his wife and their two young children, he has maintained a 4.0 GPA, garnered scholarships, an award for his undergraduate research in agronomy, and has been on the President's List for seven consecutive semesters.

He will graduate summa cum laude in May and has already been offered employment by the U.S. National Resources Conservation Service where he served an internship. "I now feel a strong need to be a good role model for my children," he says.

Garcia was awarded the American Society of Agronomy's Bruce Maunder Outstanding Senior Award against competitors from the big name agricultural university programs in both Texas and Oklahoma. He is also in the process of producing two peer-reviewed journal articles related to bioenergy crops and carbon sequestration. "It says a lot about the standard of education that I have been able to get at A&M-Commerce," he says.

Garcia has a passion for agriculture and plans to become a specialist in biofields, using plants and grasses as alternative energy sources. "Brazil has been largely self-sufficient using biofuel and the few oil reserves they have since 1977," he says. "Their economic success is not dependent on foreign oil."

He is also drawn to sustainable agriculture. "I'd like to help developing countries that farm to feed their families learn how to stop the destruction of their land by teaching them more practical and economical methods."

He notes the student to teacher ratio at A&M-Commerce has been beneficial to him. "The professors in agriculture and environmental science have been exceptional," says Garcia. "They encouraged my undergraduate research which was funded by the university. It's a small program in comparison to the big names so they know who you are and have always been available.

"As a student, you are able to ask questions and everyone in the class is able to interact. You get more out of your class."

He has also found the time to serve as a volunteer teacher in Operation Spark, and will be demonstrating general science experiments to high school students in Hunt County high schools. Operation Spark is a partnership between L-3 Communications and A&M-Commerce to encourage students to pursue careers in the sciences.

"I owe everyone who has given me this opportunity to do my best," he says. "The thing I most look forward to in life are nights at home with just my family."

"He is a superb student," says Dr. Rocky Lemus of A&M-Commerce's agricultural department. "His sense of leadership and enthusiasm is reflected in his hard classroom work. He is committed to achieving academic excellence."




RESEARCHING BIOFIELDS AS ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES



ROLE MODEL - Texas A&M University-Commerce agriculture student Chase Garcia has was awarded the American Society of Agronomy's Bruce Maunder Outstanding Senior Award against competitors from the big name agricultural university programs in both Texas and Oklahoma. He is also in the process of producing two peer-reviewed journal articles related to bioenergy crops and carbon sequestration. Garcia has maintained a 4.0 GPA, garnered scholarships, and has been on the President's List for seven consecutive semesters. Says Garcia, "If I had known I could have got an education all along I would probably have done this sooner."