Inspired By FFA

I never got the opportunity to grow up on a farm. With that I was never exposed to the equipment, livestock, and crops used and grown in agriculture. In the back of my mind however I always wished I had gotten to experience what production agriculture entailed. As I started to grow up and get into high school, I still never had a set plan for my future, until I joined FFA. I actually didn’t join FFA until my junior year of high school. After taking a basic ag science class I instantly fell in love with agriculture and involved myself with FFA later on. I enjoyed learning content I could actually use in real life situations and help feed the world to be apart of the sustainable agriculture movement. After getting more accustomed to the organization I attended all of the competitions I could. The Weed Identification contest, Forestry, Parli Pro, Land Use, and a few others. I fell in love with all of it. I had a great FFA Advisor, Scott Riden, who pushed me to do everything I could with FFA and that is the reason I chose agriculture as my career path. FFA was the only agriculture experience I had ever had prior to attending WIU. After my first semester in a high school ag class I had decided my career path. 

A photo of me and my fellow teammates at Illinois FFA State Convention in 2017 receiving our plaque for winning the state land use competition.

The competitions were just the icing on the cake. They put all of our hard work in class to the test, and when we performed well, results showed in our favor. The forestry contest was actually my first FFA contest ever, I just attended it to get out of school for the day. I ended up placing as 2nd individual overall. After that I knew I was really going to like participating in all of these competitions. For record book keeping I won the chapter contest and went on to the section competition. Lastly was the land use competition, which was my favorite of them all. We actually ended up attending state before section because of some bad rain. We were surprised to find out our team had won state and I had placed fourth overall. The section competition came around and we ended up winning that one too, and I received top individual. Those are some of the most memorable times I had attending and competing in FFA competitions, which all in all showed my passion for agriculture.

If it was easy, everyone would do it -Coach Lucas (High School Basketball Coach)

Having an advisor that believes in you and wants you to succeed is major. With no prior experience he led me to succeed and place in every single competition I attended and most importantly our advisor made it fun. We had an amazing FFA program because of all the hard work my advisor put in. He made us a family, and we all wanted each other to succeed and do well. Not only did I learn about agriculture from joining FFA, I also learned many life skills that were necessary for my future success in agriculture and in life. I learned early how to write a resume, keep a detailed record book, public speaking skills, and interviewing. This was the only opportunity my high school offered to learn these skills, so I took advantage of every bit. It took me a long way from where I started. I have learned much about the importance of agriculture, but I also learned so many skills to be able to succeed in whatever I chose to pursue in life.

Photo of me and my fellow teammates at the chapter weed contest. 2017

If you get the opportunity to attend FFA State or National Conventions, or other various agriculture clubs/organizations take it. I only took the opportunity to attend the Illinois FFA State Convention one time. I loved the community that came with the whole experience, as everyone had the same love for agriculture and knew its importance for our future. I got to attend this convention because the Land Use team I’d been apart of had actually won the state title that year.

Photo of me and my fellow FFA members after a fun team bonding night and an intense scavenger hunt 2017

Hi, I’m Alyssa Shea a senior at Western Illinois University majoring in Agriculture Science with a minor in Agronomy. After graduation I plan to continue my career as an entrepreneur and business owner. I plan to always be involved in agriculture in some way.

From Farm Kid to American Airman to College Student

United States military, wow, that’s powerful. When the words “soldier”, which is often used as a generic term to define someone who is currently serving in the military, or the word “veteran” is said, characteristics like bravery, courage, honor, selflessness, and many more words like that might come to mind. I have one of the prestigious honors to currently be serving in the Illinois Air National Guard, which is a part of the U.S. Air Force. I have been in the military for just over 4 years now. During this time, I have had the opportunity to travel the country, battle adversity, grow as an individual, and most importantly work to better my country and my community. One of the things I’ve experienced throughout my time in the military is the lack of overall knowledge in agriculture. I grew up helping my grandpa on his row crop farm, helping my dad on our cattle operation, worked for a few big farm operations, worked for a big cattle ranch, as well as riding horses for cattle work, trail riding, and a few small rodeo events here and there. I consider myself fortunate to be able to see the different sides of agriculture, through cattle and row crop, and large operation and small operation. After each and every experience I had where an individual didn’t understand the overall basis to agriculture, I decided that I would expand my knowledge in agriculture through college. 

So fast forward and I’m in college now. I initially major in computer science and intend to double major with computer science and agriculture with an emphasis in science. After one eye opening semester as a computer science major, I decided that my path was completely different, I decided to and am currently majoring agriculture with an emphasis in business. I couldn’t see it all those years ago, but my passion had always been the been the business side of agriculture. So, throughout my time at Western Illinois University, I’ve been involved with some different clubs in the School of Agriculture, and an agricultural fraternity. Through my classes and clubs, I learned a lot about methods and systems of farming. The stories I’ve heard and even some of the experiences I’ve had firsthand on their operations really helped to give me a good perspective. However, the one thing that stood out more than anything was the education and communication of agricultural experiences and related issues. You see the truth is the one thing I’m sure of is that the more experience, the more knowledge, and the more perspective you can get can contribute to more effective communication, especially to those who are unfamiliar with agriculture.

Building off a phrase I mentioned earlier, “effective communication” doesn’t have the same definition to everyone. Things like attitude, personality, and perception are some factors when it comes to communication in general. These are immeasurable factors. However, there are a few things I feel you should keep in mind when trying to communicate effectively. One of these is to display as little bias as possible. This can be difficult because as taught to me by some of my professors, we will always have implicit bias. In the agricultural community, this can range from conventional tillage vs no till, from livestock vs row crop, and there are many other examples. These implicit biases can cause us to not listen when attempting to communicate a certain point. It is crucial that we are open minded and are actively listening when communicating about agriculture. Another way we must utilize when communicating agriculture knowledge and issues is through presenting the facts. We must obtain these facts through firsthand experiences or via reliable sources. It is also very important that we teach uneducated individuals, and not just talk at them. What I mean by this is don’t speak to “dumb” but don’t speak to “smart or complex” to individuals. By doing either of the following two, you can prohibit effective learning. I would say one last thing that can help is through dressing the part. It can be a distraction to the other person if they are your questioning your legitimacy. My advice is to not give them anything to question in terms of your legitimacy. I would say if there is one thing that I would conclude with, is that effective communication is variable. There will always be ways to grow and to learn when it comes this. I would also say that now more than ever, that it is crucial to agricultural community that its issues be expressed to those who are unknowledgeable. Naivety and those with a lack of knowledge can cause more harm than good when put in power, and it is our responsibility to communicate knowledge to our community, our country, and our world. 

About the Author

Hello, my name is Colin Tillery. I am from Franklin, IL. I am a senior at Western Illinois University majoring in Agriculture Business. I am currently serving in the Illinois Air National Guard. I am in Alpha Gamma Sigma fraternity, and Ag Mech club. I would like to thank you for reading my blog.

Dreams Don’t Work Unless You Do

“Dreams don’t work unless you do”

John C. Maxwell

When I was growing up, farming was always a part of my work life. It wasn’t until after I graduated high-school and was forced to think about what career path I wanted to take, that it soon would become my entire life. I’ve never been pushed into farming by my family, like many kids are that grow up on the family farm. My father was pushed hard into farming by his father, and he firmly believed that his children should pick their own career path in life. He told me many times “Farming is a tough job, you can spend countless hours working hard for several years of your life and end up going broke, and end up right back to where you started.” His warnings never swayed my interest in farming, it only solidified the fact that all great things come with greater risks. Becoming a successful agricultural entrepreneur soon became my dream.

My educational path into agriculture has been a winding road, filled with sharp curves and many potholes along the way. I began my educational journey at John Wood Community College where I received my associate’s degree in agricultural business management. Once I graduated, I just couldn’t help but feel like there was just so much I still needed to learn, in order to be successful in operating my own business. I then set out to further my education, and chose to enroll at Western Illinois University.

“The more you do, the more you fail. The more you fail, the more you learn. The more you learn, the better you get.”

John C. Maxwell

A year prior to my enrollment in WIU, I took over farming a 40 acre farm that my grandpa passed down to me and my siblings after he passed away. During my first fall semester at WIU, I had a crop of some non-GMO corn sitting in the field, waiting to be harvested. The forecast was calling for heavy snows soon, and my dad had his own soybeans yet to combine, so I quickly took action. I scoured every corner of the internet searching for a combine I can call my own. I had previously sold my pick-up truck and bought a cheaper, more fuel efficient vehicle to travel back and forth to school with, so I had some extra money laying around. I quickly made use of those funds, when I found a 1981 International 1460 combine sitting on a lot at a salvage yard in New Berlin, Illinois. Me and my dad headed down there in the semi and flatbed trailer to check it out. After looking it over, I decided it was worth taking the risk, and I bought it. Little did I know at the time, this decision would later teach me several important life-lessons.

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“Life is playing a poor hand well. The greatest battle you wage against failure occurs on the inside, not the outside.”

John C. Maxwell

I spent hours upon hours getting it running and operating how it should, so that I could take it to the field. There had been several people that had warned me that “buying an old machine will bring nothing but a headache.” I’ll be the first to say that it has been, at times, a real headache. After all those late nights working on in the shop, I was finally ready to take my combine to the field. I got my crop harvested that year, and have now completed 3 harvest seasons with that old combine. It required lots of patience and having to make repairs out in the field late at night and usually in the freezing cold, but I was determined to make it work. Every time something happened I didn’t just fix or repair something, I learned a valuable lesson. The combine has since then paid for itself, and I’ve been able to use it to help friends and family members harvest their crops as well.

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“The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.”

Aristotle

As I have continued to progress through my college career at WIU, I have found that there are a lot of things I have yet to learn. I began to realize that I needed to supplement my education, so I began purchasing books on agronomy, soil health, and sustainable agricultural practices (such as cover crops) to read in my spare time. As I finished one book after another, my passion for agriculture grew exponentially. I became hungry for knowledge and wanted to seek out answers for everything. I realize now, how little I actually knew about agriculture at the start of my journey. My educational journey is far from over, as I’ve really grown to embrace the concept of life-long learning and the importance it serves in the life of an entrepreneur. I’ve embraced the concept of failure, because without it you cannot succeed. I’ve found that life is about taking educated risks, and constantly seeking new opportunities to expand your horizons. Any dream worth having is worth working hard for, and if you put your faith in God he will bless you in ways you’ve never imagined.

“The farmer knows just what to do, for God has given him understanding…The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher, and he gives the farmer great wisdom.”

Isaiah 28:26-29

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About the Author

Hi, my name is Taylor Boston, and I am from Carthage, Illinois. I am a senior at Western Illinois University majoring in Ag Business with a focus on Agronomy. I am a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity here at WIU. My plan after graduating this spring is to continue to help out on my family’s farm and start my own series of agricultural enterprise’s. Thanks for reading my blog!

Coming Into the Agriculture Scene With an Outside View

How many of us remember thinking of our future dream job as a kid? Who can say that they have succeeded in finding the same dream job they once believed in as a child? I know I have not pursued the same career. My dream job was to be an Ice Cream man that would drive around town with my own catchy tune playing from the speakers. While growing up your parents, family, friends and even yourself constantly wonder what you want to do for a living the rest of your life, and I still do not fully understand what my desired career is.

I quickly grew out of the childish dream and stopped thinking that far ahead until high school. Junior year is when I started thinking again since it was time to visit colleges and apply for an intended major. I did not initially choose to study agriculture until one day a switch flipped in my brain and I decided to pursue Agriculture Science at Western Illinois University. Coming from a high school in Bartlett, Illinois, a North West suburb of Chicago, there were no agriculture-based courses offered at my school. the closest related class I took was AP Environmental Science.

Transitioning to WIU

Coming to Western Illinois from the suburbs, I was in for a big transition. My first few weeks attending classes, I not only noticed how much more there were to a corn or soybean plant besides what they produce, but I quickly noticed a difference in the people. I noticed how different they dressed compared to me. I showed up in Nike running shoes and Nike joggers where everyone else either had “Hey Dudes” or “Twisted X” shoes which were both brands I have never seen or heard of before. After a few weeks in my first semester, I got more comfortable with how my classes worked regarding to how each professor teaches and how my classmates interacted in and out of the classroom.

“When I first started my 176 agronomy class, there were some topics that were only briefly discussed because many of the students in the class knew as they were from a farm, but they were lost on me. I had to play catch up for a long time to learn basic farmhand knowledge that some kids had known forever”

-Claudia Bland. WIU School of Ag Alumni

Getting Comfortable

Since I knew there were not going to be any familiar faces, I had to figure out the hard part of making friends with people I have little in common with. There is one person and one organization that initially helped me get acquainted into the WIU School of Ag. That one person was Claudia Bland, and the organization was my fraternity Alpha Gamma Sigma (AGS). Claudia and I were in the WIU Marching Leathernecks together in 2018 which is where we met. She helped me by driving me to the Fall of 2018 Aggie Picnic after a band practice and overall knowing there was another aggie in the marching band made me happy. My fraternity AGS helped me get even more happy with my transition to WIU because I made many new friends who happened to already be in my first semester classes as well as establishing a home away from home.

This is a picture of Claudia Bland (Left) and myself (Right) before marching band rehearsal being the only two Aggies in the ensemble. – Photo taken by another band member.

This is a picture of my Alpha Gamma Sigma Fraternity’s house. I am very lucky to have such a place like this to call home. – Photo taken by AGS alumni Hunter Imhof

Now that I am in my Junior year at Western Illinois University, I have not switched my major from Agriculture Science. Over the past three years I have changed my opinion on many topics after having many experiences within the school and outside the school grounds. I have been able to take many more classes about my major that has taught me more facts than I can remember. I have been able to get to know my friends and professors more than I thought college would allow which is a positive for smaller schools. Although my time here in the School of Ag has overall been positive, there have been some negatives. Coming from the suburbs of a large city, I have been asked “Why Ag?” countless times and my response was never definitive, it was always “Well, My cousins farm so I have been around agriculture many times and one day in high school the idea of studying agriculture clicked.” Even though studying Agriculture Science can be very difficult for me compared to my peers who have grown up on a farm, I can confidently change my answer of why I chose ag to “I enjoy it.”

About the Author

Photo taken by WIU Visual Production Center

Hello, my name is Derek Becker. I am currently from Gifford, Illinois. I am a Junior at Western Illinois University pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Science with a minor in Precision Agriculture. I plan to obtain a job in the Digital Agronomy field after graduation. Thank you for taking the time and reading my blog!

WIU Connections Past and Present.

Since I started here at Western Illinois University in the fall of 2018 I have met so many new people. Meeting these people has also helped me meet former students and understand just how much Western Illinois University has meant to so many people. It seems like I can’t go anywhere anymore without meeting someone who went to WIU or meeting a parent of a current student.

Alpha Gamma Rho

I joined the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity in the fall of 2018 as soon as I came to Western. It has been a large part of my life ever since and has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Joining this fraternity has really helped me make new connections with students involved in Greek life and meet alumni who have come before me. Every year we have Founder’s day where alumni come back and meet the current members of AGR. It’s always very interesting to hear stories about their glory days and realize just how similar we really are. These men also knew just about any name i threw out there. One of my distant relatives, Jeff Adkisson, was also a part of the Alpha Tau chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho at WIU. I think it’s pretty cool to have someone in your family be a part of something that means a lot to you.

A picture of Cyle Lafollett, Cody Chandler, Ryan Shortness, And myself taken in front of the AGR house.

Family involvement

I have also had other Family members attend Western Illinois University. Two of my aunts, Sandra and Linda went to WIU in the early 80’s where they met their husbands Tom and Tom. They have told me stories about WIU and what it was like back in the 80’s. It’s also really cool to be able to relate to someone that is older than you and be able to know exactly what the other person is talking about no matter how much things have changed. My great grandmother Zola also came to WIU in the early 1900’s when the only building on campus was Sherman Hall. She later became a school teacher after graduating from WIU. I thought that was very interesting because I’ve had class in 7 or 8 different buildings over my time here at Western.

Sherman Hall during its construction.

surrounding communities

living only 20 minutes from Macomb I have had teachers and student teachers that have went to WIU. Probably over 10 that i can think of from kindergarten until senior year of high school. Also When you live close like I do a lot of employers especially in Ag industry graduated from WIU. I think that is another cool aspect because you both have that pride and fondness for WIU. Its also a good way to connect with them too. I hope someday my boss is a WIU alum so I know I will be in good hands.

Leatherneck pride

I have met so many new people and made so many new friends during my time here at WIU. Some of these people I have met also introduce me to Alum that they know too. So overall western has just been one big connection. Coming here has definitely been one the best decisions i have ever made. No matter what background you come from or where you’re from, students that have graduated from western or are current students all have a love for this university. This really shows you the atmosphere and sense of community at WIU. I am truly blessed to have a school as great as WIU in my life and i will always cherish the time I have spent here and all of the connections I have made. Next year I will be a senior and will have to grow up and make some big decisions. But until then I will do my best to enjoy my time here Like I’ve always done and like so many have done before me. Neck-up.

“If the lights go out, we’ll grab some glow sticks and keep going”.

Mark Hoge.

About the Author

Hi Everyone! My name is Joe Adkisson. I am a junior at Western Illinois University studying Ag science. I am from La Harpe Illinois and one day hope to pursue a Career in the Beef cattle Industry. Thank you for reading my blog!

The Importance of Agriculture Education

Agriculture is a main part of a lot of people’s lives in the midwest regions, either a row crop farmer, livestock manager, truck driver, seed salesman, or even an agriculture constructionist; but we are all associated with ag by being consumers. One disconnect we have with each other is understanding the process and the education required to reach our end goals. For many, the education process started working with dad or grandpa, but for some it was motivation in a classroom.

To those who don’t see agriculture education on the roster this coming school year, here are some reasons to jump in! The reasons are limitless if you come from an agriculture background, but even if you aren’t it will be the class you find friends not just to do your homework with but having countless inside jokes and memories that will last a lifetime.

After reflection of my own experiences within the ag classroom, three reasons why everybody should consider enrolling in your school’s ag department rose to the top of my list.

I. The Shop Skills

The first thing to consider when jumping into a vocational ag class is probably the shop. Growing up in a classroom sitting in a desk chair for 45 minutes will drive you crazy! Now getting your hands dirty was part of my reasons to get into the shop, South Hamilton High School was able to restore multiple tractors that were either brought in by students or donated by older generation farmers. The start to finish program involves a lot of time but also effort, consistency, responsibility, and many more characteristics to complete a project.

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Here is a photo of a senior at my high school painting his restored tractor in the Shop Independence block styled class.

II. FFA

For me FFA served as a melting pot where a wide variety of people, ideas, and beliefs were welcome. Coming together to either eat food, talk business and science, or have countless laughs were common in many FFA settings. The advantages are countless when coming into FFA, so I thought I’d propose a couple that resonated with me.

• Leadership: There are many segments of leadership through your involvement in FFA. Becoming an officer can bring parliamentary procedure knowledge to the table. Some skills from parliamentary procedure include: running a meeting efficiently, the ability to focus on one item at a time, and recognizing the time when the majority are acknowledged and also protecting the rights of the minority.
• Education: According to the National FFA Organization there are over 11,000 agriculture educators that work to deliver a modern application of many facets within agriculture. Helping to provide students with innovative and leading-edge education and enabling them to grow into competent leaders.
• Career Development: When looking into the abilities for leadership you come to think about the possibilities after: college, jobs, and what to do for the rest of your life. The offers that line up after being involved in FFA come together. Students involved in Supervised Agricultural Experiences and Career Development Events have job offers presented to them after managers and CEOs look over resumes and record books. FFA members showing the time, money, and labor put into each entrepreneurship and or placement opens the door for future job endeavors within a company to grow upon. Often members put their SAE’s or CDE’s up for review to be looked upon for awards either at different levels listed as: Chapter, Section, State, and National. 

Here is my chapter having a meeting after school taking role after fruit sales are done. The chapter this year sold a total of $35,647 worth of fruit, cheese, and meat to fund the National FFA Convention trip

III. Courses

When you look deeply into an ag classroom you might not notice all the tools, bolts, and other accessories; but coming into a full class in the middle of the semester you’ll find a different story full of chapters and characters telling their own story. When walking into that math class you’ll see algebra books or statistics trying to find either a variable missing or the answer to the equation. Coming into a vocational ag classroom you’ll see some FFA projects but looking deeper you’ll see students learning:

• Animal Science, the study of animal life including swine, cattle, poultry, and many more in a domestic ag setting for the production of food for the world or domestic animals as pets. The study of digestion in ruminants and monogastrics and different breeds between species of cattle in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Animal science can also relate to the ecology and ethology of different animals. PETA and HSUS are two organizations fighting for rights of animals and their well being.
• Ag Mechanics, the design and practice of safe maintenance of technicians that may work on agriculture transportation and equipment. Having the ability to troubleshoot and fix problems with machinery in agriculture that wouldn’t be known as much by the farmer or consumer. Abilities including welding, wiring, and in times, troubleshooting complex systems of technology in equipment.

“Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you’re a thousand miles from the corn field.” — President Dwight D. Eisenhower

• Horticulture, the study and practice of diversity in agriculture specifying with garden crops, generally fruits and vegetables, and ornamental plants. This difference falls between large row crop field agriculture and smaller domestic gardening, also tying in cultivation and soil loss or compaction in sub-soil levels or horizons. Horticulture can also intertwine with different soil sciences or fields of Agronomy, including nutrient levels and the different types of soils including sand, clay, and silt.
• Many More include Ag Business, Ag economics, and Introduction to Agriculture.

Being in an agriculture class is an opportunity no one should miss out on! You never know what opportunities will present itself either in FFA, or different contests that include Ag mechanics or animal science livestock judging.

Meet the Author

I am Jamie Hildreth from Jewell, Iowa. I am a Junior at Western. Illinois University getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Education specializing in Agriculture. I was raised showing horses and switched to swine. After helping younger kids in high school and after graduating I plan on becoming an Agriculture Education major and minoring in animal science.

Deciding What You Want To Do For The Rest Of Your Life

Have you ever had someone ask you what you wanted to do or be for the rest of your life? The thought of that question just gives me chills, or at least it used too. Growing up I always used to joke saying I wanted to be “the boss” of Stock Farms one day. It didn’t hit me until my senior year of high school that I should probably really start looking around and exploring my options for what I wanted to do after high school. I’m not your typical girl who has grown up on a farm and been involved in 4-H my whole life, but that’s okay. All I knew was my family farmed for years.

Pictured is my Dad (in tandem), my uncle Aaron (right of tandem), and my late grandpa Glen (left of tandem). This is one of the first semi’s my dad and uncle Aaron purchased off of their father, Glen, in the 1990s.

My first year at WIU I decided I would major in teaching. Well, that wasn’t for me. I felt very sad and frustrated that I couldn’t find something that intrigued me. My first semester at college I also participated in the MC process for Sigma Alpha. This is a professional agriculture sorority at WIU. I had gotten in by the end of that fall semester. Everyone was always confused when I told them I was in an agriculture sorority, but wasn’t studying ag. Trust me, I was confused too, but was super ecstatic to be able to become an active member of Sigma Alpha.

After I realized that education just wasn’t for me, I switched over to studying Business Management. I liked it a lot and enjoyed the classes, but still felt like I just wasn’t where I belonged. I knew I needed to start shadowing people or working certain jobs to find out just what I liked. I had contemplated hair school after college. Even went to visit two cosmetology schools. I thought maybe a couple times that I should just stick to my roots and study agriculture, but I was always indecisive. I knew deep down the only way I would find out if I wanted to work in agriculture was working a job within the field.

This past summer I worked as a field inspector for Bayer. When I first got the job everyone told me how much I would hate being outside in the heat all day and in corn fields. After this I was crying to my dad thinking about quitting before I even started. A dad knows best and he made me stick with it. (Thanks dad!)

After I worked all summer long as a field inspector and enjoyed it, I knew agriculture was for me. I had then changed my major to agricultural business one week before the start of school. Better late than never right! Now I am a junior studying ag business, pretty involved in the School of Agriculture, and excited to see where the future is going to take me!

“Finding the medium that excites your imagination, that you love to play with and work in, is an important step to freeing your creative energies” -Ken Robinson

You don’t want to wake up everyday and dread going to work, and this was honestly how I felt just attending the different classes I took. I knew that if I didn’t like the classes I was taking for being a teacher or managing a business, then I wouldn’t like the job that would come after that. I was so upset and thrown off that I couldn’t find something I enjoyed studying; that I almost dropped out of school. The reason that it is so important that you find what makes you happy is because the more you enjoy your job, the more successful you will be. It was my personal goal to wake up happy to go to school and excited to learn more about what I decided to study, and I have achieved it. My friends and family will sometimes joke how it only took several different majors to find what I actually like, but that is completely okay! The average freshmen will change their major numerous times. What matters is that we come out of college happy with the degree we have and what job we are going to take.

Hello everyone! My name is Megan Stock and I am currently a junior majoring in Agriculture Business. I grew up in Beardstown, Illinois. This summer I will be interning with Bayer Crop Science as a Product Supply Production Intern. I will then graduate in December of 2021 and work within the agriculture field. At WIU I am a member of Sigma Alpha, Ag Council, Ag business, and on the Ag-Vocator Recruitment Team. Thanks for taking the time to read my blog!

How Joining An Ag Based Fraternity Benefited Me

Growing up and working in an agriculturally based area has always inspired me to get a job in the Agricultural Industry. While not growing up on a farm, I knew I had some obstacles to overcome if I wanted to be successful. When I first enrolled at WIU, I heard of Alpha Gamma Rho, an agricultural-based fraternity. I decided to join AGR due to shared interests I had within the group. At the time, I never realized how this decision would benefit me throughout my college career.

The first benefit I noticed was how AGR affected my social life. When I joined four years ago, I quickly got to know the members. Soon after, I met multiple alumni that came around. Coming in as a true freshman, this meant I would get to meet eight new classes of recruits throughout my time in AGR. That opportunity has allowed me to network at a high level. Through my fraternity, I received a summer job with Monsanto and an internship with FS. In both of those opportunities, I met former AGR alumni and members from other schools while building my resume at the same time.

An AGR, classmate and myself presenting our research project for an agronomy class

The second way Alpha Gamma Rho has benefited me is academically. Since we have such a large chapter, there are always members from AGR in at least one, if not all, of my classes. Having friends to attend class and study with becomes very beneficial, especially as an Ag major. We can bounce ideas off of each other and stay informed on what’s going on throughout different industry routes. The other nice part is since we all come from different backgrounds, we can help each other with subjects that another might struggle with. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses in agriculture.

Joining a fraternity isn’t all fun and games. Alpha Gamma Rho has taught me how to manage my time while being a leader. We have philanthropies, intramurals, socials, homecoming, greek week, and multiple community service events during a typical year. These events teach us how to be involved within greek life and our community while maintaining good grades. Without adequate time management skills, this would not be easy. During my career, I have possessed two executive board positions. One involved me coordinating our Golf Outing and Smokin Hog, which are our two philanthropies. The second involved me watching over other member’s grades and taking action when needed. These positions have taught me how to be well organized, time-efficient, and confident with what I do.

2019-2020 Eboard Group, photo taken by Kolby Vandenbergh

As my college career is coming to an end, I am more than thankful I joined Alpha Gamma Rho. The benefits and memories I obtained are going to follow me for the rest of my life. My name is James Talley, and I am a senior studying Agricultural Science with a minor in Agronomy. I am from Amboy, a small town located in Northern Illinois. Thank you for reading my blog.

The Opportunities You Don't Know Exist

By Courtney Thorman

Thinking about my college experience as a graduating high school senior, I had no intentions of being as involved as I am, or having accomplished and participated in the things I have. Throughout my junior year of this school year I have been: President/Treasurer of Collegiate FFA (CFFA), President/Ag in the Classroom Co-Chair of Collegiate Farm Bureau (CFB), Ag Mech Vice President of Expo Operations, Ag Council Reporter and banquet chair, and an active member of Sigma Alpha. That doesn’t include my two-part time jobs I balance, with a third part time job during harvest season and managing the normal day to day experiences a college student is supposed to have. Looking back, I wonder “How did I end up here with all these opportunities?” when I had no intentions of this kind of responsibility starting as a freshman. Phases. That’s how. I’ll take you through my journey, and as you read, think about your experiences as a college student or about someone you may know who is in college right now.

Phase 1

2018 Greenhand Conference Wrap Up Picture. Photo credits Sarah Seitz.

As a freshman the in Ag Ed department, it was kind of expected of me to join the CFFA/AgEd/PAS club. Here, we are able to develop ourselves as future agriculture teachers by hearing presentations from various professionals in the education field. We also plan and host District 3 Greenhand Conference every fall, which is attended by 25+ schools and averages 300 first year FFA members. In the spring, we host other Career Development Events (CDEs) and competitions as well as Aggie Olympics for our fellow clubs. From this club, I found Collegiate Farm Bureau. Here we are able to listen to more industry leaders, provide snack bags to farmers during harvest season, and tour local businesses. Between these two, clubs I was excited for all the opportunities I was getting. Through hometown connections, I found Sigma Alpha, the professional agriculture sorority, my second semester. After an eight-week process, I was finally a sister. At this point in life, I had a typical class load, 3 clubs, and a part time job on campus.

Phase 2

With freshman year rounding out, I was elected for a 4th club as the CFFA representative in Ag Council. This meant, starting my sophomore year in the Fall of 2018, I now had meetings every Monday, Tuesday and every other Wednesday. At the end of the summer, I also picked up another part time job as a Merchandiser for Sara Lee (the bread company) which required eight or more hours a week/weekend, depending on holidays, and occasional drives out of town. Throughout my fall semester, I had a lab with a sorority sister who was responsible for all the 150+ vendors for the largest student run Farm Expo in the nation that WIU’s Ag Mech Club is fortunate enough to host. Man, I thought she was crazy and every time she told me to join or that I should do it (what she does), I told her “No. I’m good. I got enough going on and could not imagine that kind of responsibility. Good luck though!” It took one meeting, and a couple encouraging conversations from her and a couple others and by Spring Break of 2018, I was the Vice President of Expo Operations, the biggest and most time consuming responsibility of the show. While the club only met once a month, from the moment I got in the office, I was in there three hours on a slow week, ten on a busy and then all my free time when the February 2019 show got closer. As sophomore year came to a close, elections came closer, meaning more responsibilities.

Our Balloon Twist artist wrapped up show weekend by giving me his hat. Photo Credits to Jana Knupp

Phase 3

Elections came and went. While two of my responsibilities were changed at the end of fall semester 2019, my junior year I’ve held or am currently in the positions stated at the beginning: President/Treasurer CFFA, President/Ag in the Classroom Co-Chair of CFB, Ag Mech Vice President of Expo Operations, Ag Council Reporter and banquet chair, and an active member of Sigma Alpha. I was meeting every Monday Tuesday and Wednesday each week and Thursday were always the extra events of the week. Being the sane person I felt, I decided I could handle a third job part time helping at WGM grain elevator during harvest working an additional 14 hours a week. If I wasn’t doing homework, I was working on all my stuff for vendors constantly, working minutes for the next upcoming meeting and getting a hold of anyone and everyone for something.

What should you get out of my story?

Without a doubt, you surely know someone in college right now. When you see them, have you asked about what they are up to besides classes? Have they told you about their extra-curricular activities, or do they say “good” and move on? Taking on the responsibilities I had throughout this last school year was a lot, and I knew that going in and accepting all these positions. I knew, at some point, I’d get burnt out, but at the same time, I had this one year. Do it all. Tackle everything I could if I wanted it and do it whole heartedly and rely on those around me to help work through it all. I did this knowing my senior year (Fall of 2020-Spring 2021), I have a semester to relax, just be a member of clubs I want to be in, enjoy college, and then, in the spring, I will be at a high school, student teaching, putting sole focus on becoming the best teacher I can. I loved every chance I’ve been given this school year and wish I would have an entire year left so I could continue on, but those following behind will do amazing things with each and every club and event.

All 17 Ag organizations adopted 22 angel tree kids and went shopping before we let out for the winter break. Photo credits to Andy Baker

Being as active as I was is definitely not for everyone. Usually, being in just a couple can do it for most. But if you don’t put yourself in the situation to be involved, you won’t have opportunities to take a hold of and run with. I hardly knew what the Farm Expo was and I even grew up in Macomb, and I wound up running the show. If you are currently in college, have you found a buddy and gone to the club you wanted to join? If you have, great, but now I encourage you to make sure you are in a second. Be willing to get outside that comfort zone of yours, be willing to fail, but then learn, fix the problem and move on. If you haven’t joined, why not? You have no clue what they could do for you if you never go or what you could be doing for that club if you joined. They could be needing something you have to offer; you just need to take that first step of going. If you aren’t in college but know someone in it, be nosy and ask them how their experiences have been. What cool things have they got to do or be a part of because of it? All colleges have clubs and organizations for just about anything regardless of your major. Seek them out and make your story worth telling.

Photo by Lauren Sims Photography

Thank you for reading about my experiences. My name is Courtney Thorman and I am currently a junior at WIU majoring in Ag Education to become a high school Ag Teacher and FFA Advisor. I grew up in Macomb and have been so lucky to have such strong support from my large extended family and the community. I have truly loved the college experience I have been given. I hope this blog helped provide insight for those that will experience college and see the many opportunities it can provide.

Slow Cookin’ Pork for Charity

Western Illinois University’s largest student organized philanthropy is just a month away! The Alpha Tau chapter of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity will be holding its 24^th annual event of “Smokin’ Hog” on October 22nd. The men of AGR are keeping the tradition of Smokin’ Hog alive with a pulled pork dinner being served from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. As always, the event will be hosted at the AGR house, 1010 North Lafayette Street, Macomb, IL.

Just to inform everyone on what Smokin’ Hog is, it is an all day event that consist of  a meal during the day, games for kids, and a raffle. It all starts with the men of Alpha Gamma Rho smoking 7 hogs Friday afternoon before the event. The hogs are slowly turned and smoked all night before being processed into pulled pork. At the conclusion of the meal, the men of Alpha Gamma Rho start to set up a concert area stage. We are happy to have Walker McGuire as this year’s concert. In addition to selling tickets for the pulled pork dinner, event t-shirts and koozies are also available for purchase.

We’re happy to be donating all proceeds of the event once again to McDonough  County VIBE. In 2015’s Smokin’ Hog philanthropy, AGR’s vigorous efforts allowed the men to donate $13,800 to McDonough County VIBE. In 2015, VIBE gave their yearly donation to the Busnell-Prairie City Backpack program and Court Appointed Child Advocacy
(CASA). The 2016 VIBE recipient with be the Special Olympics and local food pantries.

Tickets for the family friendly event can be purchased for $5.00 before October 22nd from any member of the Alpha Tau Chapter of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity and $7.00 the day of the meal. Stated best by Noble Ruler, Sam Woodrow “Besides all the efforts done by our brothers, this event would not be possible if it were not for the generous hog and monetary donations from sponsors.”  If you are interested in purchasing tickets or being a sponsor for Smokin’ Hog, feel free to contact VNR of Planning, Michael Houston at (217) 617-2043. Take out meals will be available as we know that this is the rush of harvest season.

 

 

Thank you for taking time to read my post about Alpha Gamma Rho’s 24^th annual Smokin’ Hog philanthropy. My name is Mitch Miller and I am a senior studying Agriculture Education at Western Illinois University. I am proud to have come from Pontiac, IL, which is nearly 100 miles straight south of Chicago on I55.  I have been around agriculture my whole life with my father being a hobby grain and hog farmer in rural Chenoa, Illinois and my mother being a quarter horse breeder and trainer. I am a 2013 graduate of Pontiac High School and a 2015 graduate of Joliet Junior College. Since attending WIU, I have enjoyed joining and participating in the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, Collegiate Farm Bureau, and Collegiate FFA/PAS/AG ED Club.

Hope to see you at Smokin’ Hog!