Picture this, you’re a senior in high school giving Mom and Dad a hug, and taking that “last first day photo.” You may feel a sigh of relief at the time but also know on that back burner life as you know it is about to undergo a serious change. I remember this feeling like it was yesterday and asking myself the night before “so, what’s next?” For some this may be attending trade school, for others that may be going back to the family business. For me however, that answer to the question was college to study agriculture. The fact of the matter was at the time I had no plan for what was next. All I could think about was trying to find the best college for my skill set that would launch me into a rewarding and well-paid professional career in production agriculture.
I remember all of the talks I had with my father. We would discuss where the best place to get a college degree in agriculture would be. In my mind, since I was from Indiana, and my father is a professor and an extension weed scientist at Purdue University, Purdue was my target. Purdue was close to home. It was convenient to where I could live at home and be a commuter student. During my junior and senior year in high school, I also had the opportunity to work in the research program for the other weed scientist at Purdue, Dr. Bryan Young. So I knew finding an on campus job in an interesting field was obtainable. Aside from that, another factor was that Purdue has a good reputation for training people to find careers in agriculture, which in the end is my goal.
It felt like at one point in the fall of my senior year, the next path was paved. That was to attend a local community college near home to obtain my general education requirements to save money, and then attend Purdue to study agriculture. For a few weeks I felt confident in this plan to prepare me for the workforce, but I developed a weird feeling in my gut. I originally thought it was because I was nervous to be done with high school and start a “new chapter.” But I also knew I was going to live with my parents for the next four years and listen to them lecture me every day. In the end I put these thoughts to rest telling myself “to keep going with the flow” and everything will work out later.
Later in the fall of my senior year, I had just got home from school and work for the day, and saw a magazine on the table in the kitchen. The magazine read “Western Illinois University Agriculture Alumni.” At first glance, I was confused. I said to myself “Western Illinois, what kind of school is that”? So as the nosey individual I consider myself to be, I asked my father when he came home from work that night. Almost immediately I could feel a spark in his eyes when I mentioned WIU. He immediately went on to talk about his time there as an undergrad, while learning he obtained his B.S. in 1987 in ag science before obtaining his M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Arkansas to go on being the extension weed scientist at Purdue University today. I also found out that my grandpa got his B.S. in Agriculture in 1965 from WIU before obtaining his M.S. at the University of Illinois later in his professional life as a professional farm manager for Hutchinson Farm Management in Geneseo, IL. Right there I knew in my mind this was something to give strong consideration to.
The rest was history after that night. After multiple conversations with my Dad and Grandpa I felt good about pursuing enrollment at WIU, and was admitted to attend school there. I then went to visit WIU later that fall, and I attended the WIU Ag Open House in the spring of my senior year. Any previous plans to stay close to home for my undergraduate degree were thrown out the window and torched. My mindset changed from being a homebody to leaving the nest. All I ever want in life is to be successful. I realized from making this decision that I can get away from home and grow as an individual. I decided at this stage in my life it was time to do something out of my comfort zone and attempt to use my skill set to create a resume that highlights my skills and professional goals which is “hands-on or old school”. Western offers a phenomenal hands-on education, and is the “most underrated” school to receive an undergraduate degree in agriculture in the midwest. Some of the most notable advantages to a WIU education are smaller class sizes and teachers that know the students by name, not by a number. In addition, WIU has trained not one, but two generations of Johnson’s, both of which have had successful careers in the agricultural occupations field. While making my decision to attend WIU, I not only wanted to create a legacy for myself but also continue a family tradition and be a third generation Leatherneck in the School of Agriculture.
It is hard to believe that in just one year from now I will be graduating from WIU and moving on to my next chapter. I am proud at the things I have accomplished so far. This includes competing in the NCWSS (North Central Weed Science Society) poster competitions and the summer weed contest competition. I was fortunate to win my poster section for undergrads on a research poster at the 2020 winter meeting, and this past summer, winning second highest overall individual at the summer weed contest at North Dakota State University. I’ve also had the opportunity to be involved with the WIU Agronomy Club. I am currently the president of the club and I am responsible for scheduling field trips to various agricultural facilities and bringing in guest speakers that work in production agriculture to share their industry knowledge. I’ve had the opportunity to broaden my research and work experiences with internships with Syngenta Crop Protection (2019 and 2020) and Wyffels Hybrids (2021) in the summers, and I have worked for the WIU Agronomy Farm and various farmers around Macomb during the school year and for the Purdue Weed Science in high school and during college breaks.
Western has been a great fit for my educational and professional goals. None of what was stated above would have happened without leaving Indiana to attend WIU for my education. I also want to acknowledge and thank a very important mentor during my time here, Dr. Mark Bernards. I don’t know where my development would be without the training opportunities he offers in his classes, and work experiences out on the farm with small plot research. Even to add all of the conversations we have had about work, school, and life outside of class or work. He is an excellent teacher and cares that students learn concepts that can be applied in the real world. I am confident with him and Dr. Joel Gruver teaching soils and crops science classes the future for the agriculture program this university offers will continue to train students that are prepared for rewarding careers.
“Students majoring in agriculture at Western have something lots of students from the big land grant universities don’t have, and that is the grit and perseverance to learn and succeed”- Bill Johnson Purdue University Extension Weed Scientist.
Whether you are an alumnus or a current student, you should feel honored to be a part of the WIU school of Agriculture. Students at Western have a chip on their shoulder compared to students at larger university’s. Many of us at Western like being the underdog, because we fly under the radar and are hungry. We are trained for the real world with the applied classes taught by our faculty to prepare us for that chapter. My advice to new students is that if you take advantage of each opportunity provided with student clubs, internships, and Western’s curriculum to build your skill set and resume, the sky’s the limit on your potential. WIU has the right recipe for success if you utilize your resources accordingly. I am proud to be following the same footsteps as the generations did before me. It’s not every day you see three generations of Leathernecks from 1961-2021 be a part of this system. I know in the back of my mind what this school did for my dad and grandpa, and still the best is yet to come. I will bleed purple and gold for the rest of my life and represent this school with pride.
About the Author –
My name is Jake Johnson and I am a third generation Leatherneck from Lafayette, Indiana. I am currently a junior here at Western Illinois University studying Agriculture Science with a minor in Agronomy. At WIU, I am involved in the Agronomy Club and currently serving as president. My future plans are to complete an R&D internship with BASF next summer in Champaign, Illinois, and graduate from WIU in December 2022. I plan to attend graduate school to obtain a M.S. in Weed Science with hopes of becoming an agronomist with a crop protection or seed company, and hobby farm in Geneseo Illinois, where my family is originally from. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.
Western Illinois University School of Agriculture 
I really enjoyed reading your blog Jake. It is very neat to read that you are continuing your family history of attending WIU. It’s crazy to believe that a kid that was so close to Purdue University decided to attend this small school in the mid-west.
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Great post Jake! Always interesting to learn about family tradition and the Leatherneck pipeline!
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Awsome post Jake, it’s really interesting to hear about how you found your way to follow your family tradition.
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