Penn State Block and Bridle Club Receives University Recognition

The Department of Dairy and Animal Science's (DAS) Block and Bridle Club was recognized as the Outstanding Student Organization at Penn State during the University's 2009 Student Leadership and Service awards program last week. This is the second straight year the Club has received the award. Additionally, Chris Molinaro, president of the club, won the Craig Millar award for her outstanding accomplishments and the Club received the Outstanding Organization Executive Board Award.

Dr. Terry Etherton, Head of the Department of Dairy and Animal Science, said, "The recognition of our Block and Bridle Club is a well-deserved tribute to the excellent work the Club does throughout the school year and to the exceptional leadership they provide within the Department. To receive this honor for the second straight year is the highest affirmation of the quality of their activities, especially in light of the many, many student organizations on the Penn State campus. I offer my most sincere congratulations to the Club and to Chris, who has very much earned this high honor."

The organization award is given to a club that demonstrates excellence in programming of purposeful events, positive promotion of mission/purpose of organization to the University community, collaboration with other student organizations, faculty and staff and building a sense of community.

The Block and Bridle Club has 140 active members and works to provide members with valuable educational experiences that will provide them with a strong foundation in animal agriculture. They were recognized nationally at the National Block and Bridle Convention this spring, placing in the top five with club webpage, yearbook and activities list. They also had the first placing Outstanding Senior, Kyle Grim, as well as Callihan Schillaci placing in the top five among the Juniors at the National Convention. The 2009 Beef Quiz Bowl Team was named national champions in the 2009 National Beef Quiz Bowl Contest, and recently claimed honors as they participated in the Northeast Student Affiliate Program.

They also sponsor the "Beef Up the Blood Supply," blood drive, last year collecting 135 units of blood, making it one of the largest blood drives on campus. In 2007, it was named Club of the Year within the College of Agricultural Sciences.

One of the Club's largest accomplishments each year is organizing the Little International Livestock Exposition (Little I) which has over 80 participants. Little I teaches students valuable skills such as proper animal handling, sportsmanship, and responsibility, and each year attracts many Block and Bridle alumni which provides current students with the opportunity to make valuable connections and contacts.

The Craig Millar award presented to Molinaro honors and recognizes outstanding achievement by a senior who holds a leadership position in a group or club on campus and who has attained a minimum 3.3 grade point average. Millar retired from Penn State after 26 years, having been associate vice president emeritus for Student Affairs and affiliate assistant professor of education.

A senior in Animal Science in DAS, Molinaro focused her courses in beef cattle production and animal nutrition, with a goal of working in the beef industry following graduation. She served as the 2006 PA Beef Ambassador and a 2007 National Beef Ambassador, and said she learned true need for promotion and marketing through these experiences. Molinaro grew up in McClure, Mifflin County, and said her interest in agriculture began when she was 10 years old and bought her first dairy goat, the basis for an expanding herd. Actively involved in 4-H, Molinaro showed both dairy and market goats, market lambs, beef and dairy beef, and poultry. Having worked on local dairy farms since she was14, Molinaro said the work on the dairies provided her with enough income to support her fair animals and while helping her learn about the dairy industry. In addition to serving as president of the Block and Bridle Club, Molinaro has also served as chair for the Spring and Fall Meat Sale, recording secretary and treasurer. She was a co-founder of the PSU Meat-In Day, which successfully kicked off its third annual promotional event several weeks ago. Molinaro is currently vice president of the Poultry Science Club where she has also been secretary and treasurer. A member of the Coaly Honorary Society, she competed on the 2008 PSU Beef Quiz Bowl Team which placed second at the national contest, and was a member of the Livestock Judging Team and Poultry Judging Team.

She was an intern in the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Livestock and Seed Program in Washington last summer; was an intern at Lampire Biological Laboratories in Everett, PA in 2007 and has worked at Penn State's beef and poultry barns since January of 2006.

The Block and Bridle Club's Executive Board has 35 members who provide leadership in the wide range of activities, and commit to participating in the nearly 40 activities which range from community service to fundraising to social activities. Members work closely with the three advisers, and strive to have committee chairs work with undergraduate co-chairs to ensure continuity of leadership.

The goals of the executive board reflect the goals of the entire club: to encourage scholastic achievement and offer a more complete understanding of the field of Animal Science among student members through educational opportunities, while bringing about a closer relationship between students with similar interests.