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Take It to a New Level

Join Collegiate FFA to extend your FFA involvement

Take It to a New Level


July 2008

For most FFA members, August means returning to the high school hallways and gearing up for another exciting year of FFA activities.

But for some it means heading off to college for the first time. Why should your FFA involvement end with the toss of a graduation cap? With all of the opportunities Collegiate FFA offers, you can continue to lead and serve agriculture for the next four years – and have a lot of fun along the way.

Jeff Papke, team leader of Collegiate FFA programs, says the main goal of Collegiate FFA is to “provide additional leadership and career opportunities to members who are pursuing agricultural careers.”

MAKING CAREER CONTACTS
“In today’s agricultural industry, there is a need for quality employees,” Papke says.

As a result, companies put greater emphasis on recruiting new employees who possess more than just technical skills. According to Papke, employers are looking for “soft skills,” like team leadership, communication, work ethic and public speaking ability.

Papke also explains that company leaders value a student’s supervised agricultural experience (SAE) because it proves that the individual has business experience and has learned to make smart decisions.

Matthew Meyer, a recent agriculture graduate of Western Illinois University, made significant professional contacts through his Collegiate FFA experience.

“The biggest opportunity is the business contacts you can make,” Meyer says, adding that one of the best ways to make those contacts is to attend the Collegiate Career Expo at the annual national FFA convention.

During the event, students can meet with representatives from many of the nation’s leading agricultural companies, share their résumés, learn more about the companies’ values and explore internships or full-time careers.

STAYING CONNECTED WITH FFA
Collegiate FFA is certainly a great way to develop career skills and look for employers. However, it’s not all about briefcases and business cards. Collegiate FFA also provides many opportunities to stay connected with FFA on local, state and national levels.

Dr. Greg Thompson, an Oregon State University (OSU) agricultural education professor, has served as a Collegiate FFA advisor for the past 13 years. 

“Collegiate FFA is a huge organization at OSU and a very active club,” Thompson says.

Each year, members of the OSU Collegiate FFA chapter organize and host the state career development events for high school competitors. Through this event, collegiate students learn to budget big events, collaborate with faculty and develop partnerships with other campus leaders.

Papke says that Collegiate FFA differs from other student organizations because those clubs are often offered only to a specific group of students. Collegiate FFA, on the other hand, is open to all students.

“All you have to be is someone who is studying agriculture,” Papke says.

Story by Andrea Bloom



Web Extra

Collegiate FFA Activities

Are you wondering what you can do as a CFFA member this year?  Activities of many Collegiate FFA Chapters include:
- Taking part in chapter cookouts and tailgate parties
- Judging speaking contests for local chapters
- Coordinating conferences and conventions
- Conducting agricultural education events on campus
- Teaching younger students and community members about the agriculture industry
- Leading community service events like highway cleanups or nursing home visits
- Attending the national FFA convention
- Recruiting new students to the university at FFA events
- Participating in social events such as bowling, mini golf or pizza parties
- Developing leadership skills through workshops and Collegiate LifeKnowledge.



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The National FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Visit ffa.org