NORFOLK, Neb. – About five years ago, staff members at Northeast Community College dreamed about a leadership program for community college ag students that would include attendance at the USDA Ag Outlook Forum and provide an opportunity to network with USDA and other government officials.
The last week of February, that dream was realized when 29 students and 12 adult advisors spent the week in Washington, D.C.
Although Northeast has sent students to this event in prior years, this time students represented eight community colleges across the Midwest, all members of the Community College Alliance for the Advancement of Agriculture (C2A3).
The Northeast delegation included five students: Braden Monke, Arlington; Barrett Andel, David City; Evan Pankoke, Hampton; Dillon Dubbs, Wood River; and Shea Johnson, Oakland; two faculty members, Brandon Keller and Stacy Aldag; Lynn Gordon, C2A3 national director; and Amy Woerdemann, associate director of C2A3 programming.
Woerdemann explained that the 2025 Ag Outlook Forum and Washington, D.C. student experience were the introduction of the C2A3 student leadership program, ASPIRE, which will be formally launched in September.
“This was an opportunity for the young people to gain leadership skills as they engaged in discussions and learned to network with government officials and agricultural professionals,” she said. “It was wonderful to see the growth in our students from the first day of this experience to the last.”
Keller said Northeast does a good job of preparing all ag students for experiences like this, including training in professionalism, etiquette, and how to dress in professional situations. For the students selected for this trip, Keller focused on refreshers on these topics, as well as safety in the city and helping educate them on talking with elected officials.
“This year I had two students who had never flown,” Keller said, “so I took the time to walk them through each step of the flying experience to ensure they would be comfortable prior to departing for the airport.”
Keller planned the itinerary for the Northeast group, which included stops at the National Archives, American History Museum, White House, Arlington National Cemetery and more.
Northeast students met with members of the Nebraska Congressional Delegation and attended the weekly Nebraska Breakfast on Capitol Hill. First District Congressman Mike Flood provided a night tour of the U.S. Capitol Wednesday evening for the Northeast group. Additionally, the Nebraska students got time to interact with Governor Jim Pillen, who was a keynote speaker at the conference.
Keller said he enjoyed watching the students grow through the travel experience.
“Students became comfortable talking with elected officials and formulated well-rounded and, at times, challenging questions for these individuals,” he said. “By the time we went to the last office we were visiting on the Hill, the students drove the whole conversation.
“I also enjoy watching them become comfortable building their professional networks and seeking out new connections at the conference, even choosing to sit next to total strangers instead of friends,” Keller said. “I truly believe our students came back with a new appreciation for the totality of the agriculture industry, the legislative process, and what their faculty members really are doing when they are attending conferences for professional development.”
Tracy Kruse, Northeast vice president of development and external affairs, is the executive director of C2A3.
“I could not have been prouder of our students,” Kruse said. “They left a favorable impression of their schools and the Alliance with elected officials and USDA staff. I appreciate all the work our staff and faculty representatives did to make this a successful experience.”
C2A3 is a collaboration of eight schools across the Midwest that began eight years ago as a 501c3 organization. Member schools are Central Lakes College, Staples, Minn.; Clark State College, Springfield, Ohio; Illinois Central College, East Peoria, Ill.; Ivy Tech Community College, Lafayette, Ind.; Northcentral Technical College, Wausau, Wis.; Northeast Community College, Norfolk, Neb.; Northeast Iowa Community College, Calmar, Iowa; and Richland Community College, Decatur, Ill.
Northeast Students in Washington, D.C.
Northeast students who spent a week in Washington, D.C. and attended the USDA Ag Outlook Forum are (from left) Evan Pankoke, Hampton; Shea Johnson, Oakland; Braden Monke, Arlington; Dillon Dubbs, Wood River; Barrett Andel, David City; and Northeast Ag Instructor Brandon Keller. (Northeast Community College)
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