During the 2022-23 academic year, we are highlighting one Colorado State University student or alum from each of Colorado’s 64 counties. The Centennial State’s land grant university has a connection to the diverse lands and people from the counties of Moffat to Baca, Montezuma to Sedgwick and everywhere in between.

Drew Walters

Major: Master’s in Agricultural Sciences (2017)

Why did you choose CSU: CSU has an incredible at-distance Master’s in Agricultural Sciences degree that allowed me to work in the field while earning a graduate degree. This allowed me to not only apply what I was learning in the classroom directly to my work, but also gave me the opportunity to connect with other students from around the state, share stories and get a well-rounded view of agriculture in Colorado. Having that type of program available allows working individuals the opportunity to continue education while building their career and reducing the debt burden.

Favorite thing about CSU: CSU Extension has always been a my favorite thing about the university. Having lived in Western Colorado my whole life, I haven’t been close to the resources on campus. Extension brought/brings those resources to the communities I’ve lived in, providing practical, research-based information to rural Colorado, which helps the agriculture industry and local economy. I used a lot of CSU agriculture resources when working in the field. Now that I have worked for CSU Extension over the past few years, there are so many other areas in our local community that Extension impacts.

Clubs/organizations: Botanical Society of America, TriBeta National Biological Honor Society

Scholarships/awards in college: Young Botanist Award – Botanical Society of America

Favorite achievement: I’ve had a lot of help and luck along the way, but being able to work my way through college is one of my favorite achievements. A degree opens the door for a lot of opportunities, but is an expensive investment. CSU’s flexible programs gave me the ability to work, while taking a light course load. That structure also allowed me to keep up with tuition costs throughout my degree.

Career goals: My career goal is to give back to the community and land that raised me. I’m fortunate to live in a beautiful area with wildlife, open spaces and variable habitats. Local producers play a key role in our land stewardship and economy. A great way that I can continue working towards this goal is through CSU Extension work. (Editor’s Note: Walters is an agricultural specialist in Pitkin County)

I’d like to thank: Carla Farrand from CSU Extension in Garfield County, who serves our local community in Family Consumer Sciences and 4-H; Susan Carter and Todd Hagenbuch, who were my CSU Extension mentors when I started; Paul Holsinger, who works for Pitkin County Open Space and Trails and started the county’s agriculture leasing program.

Quirky fact(s): I am an advocate for our local livestock producers, believe in livestock as an effective land management tool, and work with ranchers/hay producers as a large part of my profession. I’m also a vegetarian.

Favorite CSU tradition: I love our Extension Fall Forum, which brings together Extension professionals from around the state to CSU. It’s a great way to connect with colleagues and get to see the campus.

What do you tell people from Pitkin County about CSU: I like to tell people that CSU has been on the forefront of accessible education and I’ve experienced that as a student and employee. There isn’t always an easy solution for making education accessible from a brick and mortar university, however CSU has online and at-distance options that are practical for a full-time professional. They also deliver localized and practical education through Extension that includes youth, bilingual, and on-site delivery, which increases all of Colorado’s access to education.

What should people know about Pitkin County: The Roaring Fork Valley is probably best known for the great skiing we have up on the Aspen Mountains. Sure, skiing up there is great, but if you’re really looking for a good time, also check out Sunlight Ski Area, our little hidden gem outside of Glenwood.

Biggest adversity you’ve overcome at CSU: Paying my way through college was tough, since most of our paychecks went to tuition expenses. Luckily, my wife Libby and I were fortunate enough to have supportive family we could live with, at-distance programs that were flexible to work around full-time jobs, and we could stagger our education to be able to pay our way through our degrees.

Influence of CSU Extension in your county: CSU Extension is new in Pitkin County as of 2022. Before that, they county had little presence since the 1990s. Currently, there is only one CSU Extension appointment in the county, which is an Agriculture Specialist position that is 80% Pitkin County Open Space and Trails and 20% CSU Extension. Most of my work on the CSU Extension-side is on-farm support to producers in the county, as well as organizing workshops centered around food production and land management.