On November 16, 2023, the Department of Agriculture at Illinois State University hosted nearly 200 college students from across the state of Illinois for the National Professional Agricultural Student Organization (PAS) fall conference.
Throughout the day, students could be found competing in the following contests: Employment Interview, Career Planning/Progress, Crops, Landscaping/Horticulture, Farm Business Management, Equine, Agricultural Education, and Ag Sales.
Illinois PAS President and Joliet Junior College sophomore Keely Wixted said the purpose of PAS is to unite education and industry in agriculture.
“PAS is leadership focused, and the awards are secondary,” she said. “Our first priority is the connections and experiences we provide students.”
Southern Illinois University student Haley Bode spent the day competing in the Agriculture Education competition.
“In high school I was extremely active in FFA,” she said. “I’m thankful that PAS helps to bridge the gap and is another outlet for professional agriculture activities in college.”
In the Agriculture Education competition students prepare, organize, and write a lesson plan and then teach that lesson plan to a panel of judges. The student must then assess the judges for learning and answer any questions related to the lesson.
“The fall conference provides us with a hands-on, realistic approach to what our future careers may look like and is, in turn, helping to grow the future leaders of agriculture,” Bode said.
“The fall conference provides us with a hands-on, realistic approach to what our future careers may look like and is, in turn, helping to grow the future leaders of agriculture.”
Haley Bode
The events took place in the Hancock Stadium Aaron Leetch Club, Ropp Agriculture Building, and Hudelson Building. The Agriculture Ambassadors, a group of Illinois State agriculture students who help promote the Department of Agriculture, were there to give students tours of Illinois State’s campus and University Farm.
“We are appreciative of Illinois State University for hosting our fall conference and enjoy how the buildings and rooms match the energy and professionalism of the events,” Wixted said.
