Five Students Place in Competitions at National Agriculture Conference. 8.9.18

WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Five students in the Agriculture Department at Missouri State University-West Plains placed in competitions at the 2018 National Postsecondary Agriculture Students (PAS) Organization Conference and Convention this past spring semester in Louisville, Kentucky.

PAS promotes career preparation and leadership, according to Dr. Linda Wulff-Risner, associate professor of agriculture at Missouri State-West Plains and the local group’s faculty adviser. Conferences include contests in career planning, career progress, employments interviews and comprehensive subject matter exams. The conferences also feature various workshops, motivational speakers and other events, she added.

The theme of this year’s national conference was “A Race to Success.” Seven students from the local chapter attended the conference with Risner.

Students who placed in the competitions include:

• Jarod Coatney, West Plains, fifth, Career Planning – Agriculture Education Systems.

• Douglas Cooley, Plato, third, Career Planning – Horticulture, Environmental and Natural Resources; third, Employment Interview – Forestry and Natural Resources (second in Interview and fifth in Resume and Materials).

• Bryce King, Alton, fourth, Career Progress – Agricultural Education Systems (second in Case Study and in Interview); fifth, Employment Interview – Agriculture Education (third in Interview).

• Dessa McBride, West Plains, third, Career Progress – Non-Ruminant Animal Systems (first in Case Study and third in Application and in Interview).

• Haden Garrett, West Plains, fourth, Career Progress – Non-Ruminant Animal Systems (fourth in Application and in Case Study and fifth in Interview).

Other students attending included Sabrina Brinkerhoff, West Plains, and Jerica Will, Winona. Will and King were speakers at the conference.

The National Postsecondary Agriculture Students Organization was founded in 1980 in Kansas City to provide opportunities for individual growth, leadership and career preparation for college agriculture students. An estimated 1,400 members from 62 chapters in 18 states are PAS members.