A Centennial of Agriculture Education

[00:00:00] >> Most importantly, agriculture is the largest industry in the nation. It's the only essential industry. We can't live without it. In looking at the history, it started out in 1918, in the College of Agriculture. Then it went to the College of Arts and Sciences; then it went to the College of Education, and then in 1991, we moved back to the College of Agriculture. [00:00:26] There were 13 different deans during that time. One of the things this department has been blessed with over the years is wonderful people and wonderful leadership. With the Future Farmers of America starting here in the department, I think there's always been a bit of a thread of the leadership development within our department. [00:00:44] All of agriculture, including animal science, horticulture, plant science, basically being able to hit all of those realms. We have people doing program evaluation and community education or development, team leadership education. We have colleagues who are doing science in agriculture. What I like about this program is that I can tailor it to what fit me. [00:01:04] With ALCE, not necessarily see the change, but more or less helping me grow even further from where I already was. There are so many careers in agriculture and life sciences: community development, teachers and Extension agents, entrepreneurs. If you like to work with people in the context of agriculture, this department could really serve you well. [00:01:28] It's such a fulfilling role being an ag teacher. I just really like working with students and being able to teach them about agriculture at anywhere from being in this room through being in the greenhouse, being on the land to being in the shop to being out doing other things around the school property or in the community. [00:01:44] Ag ed, or just agriculture in general, it's everywhere. We have our undergraduates going, again, all over the world. Leadership beyond students and the college experience with thinking about how do they engage in the rest of the world. I could definitively say, with 110 percent accuracy, that without it, I would not be sitting here today. [00:02:05] Individual leadership values, group leadership values, and then community organizational values. We support our students, our graduates and our undergraduate students, to find the path that makes the most sense to them. We certainly wouldn't be here today without those leaders of yesterday, the faculty of yesterday, the students who've come through the system. [00:02:26] We have alumni all over the world who are doing wonderful things and make Virginia Tech look good every day. So I think it's really important and I really hope to see that more people participate in ag education. As we sit here at 100 years, I think it's been an amazing journey from 1918 to 2018. [00:02:59] The cool thing about I guess it's the only department in the school where you could walk in the door and there be a baby in the AG office and nobody questions it it's just there.