Previously Spotlighted Students

Jill DeJong
Andrea Erickson

Jill DeJong

Hello! My name is Jill DeJong, senior from Jackson, MN. This May, I will graduate with a B.S. in Agricultural Education: leadership, training, and development (ALTD) with an emphasis in communications. When I introduce myself to people or mention my major, I am always prepared to tell them what I want to do with my major, because like many students, do not know what you can do with your major! I guess you could say my story is quite unique.

Like many high school students, coming out of high school I had not the foggiest what I wanted to do with my life. Being very involved in the FFA organization, I wanted to continue my education with the FFA and the leadership experiences it brought. I heard agricultural education was a broad major and you could do many things with it, so I went with it and said why not. I could teach, work in extension, or work in an agricultural industry, the sky is the limit! But these statements sounded quite vague to me, I wanted to learn more.

Throughout my first year of college, the question that always came up was "Do I want to be an agricultural education teacher?” I struggled with this and in fact, staying in the agricultural education major, because I knew it was a very flexible major, but I wanted someone to tell me exactly what I should do. Then my academic adviser, Darrell Hartle mentioned to me that I could look into working with adult education and focusing on training and workshops. I reviewed some of the course work and tasks like workshop presenting and recruiting sounded like the right fit for me.

Throughout my college career I was involved in many organizations including The Agricultural Education Club, St. Paul Ambassadors, and Lambda Delta Phi Sorority. I was very involved with these organizations on the St. Paul campus. However I felt that I wanted to broaden my horizons a little more. I found myself not knowing many people outside the St. Paul campus and let alone the Greek Community. Like most people, I found it easy to get in the “St. Paul” rut and only think of St. Paul. In 2006, I had the great opportunity to work as a Freshman Orientation Leader. This student position helped me widen my perspective of life, cultural differences, and diversity. Learning about the different colleges and meeting people from different walks of life made me realize that I was almost “home” when it came to being a student here at the U.

I have held these student positions and organizations but I still felt that I didn’t have a peaking point of realization that “yes” this is what I want to do, this is my major. This past summer, I had the opportunity to work as an intern with the United States House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture. This was probably one of the most learning experiences I have ever had in my entire life so far. I not only was able to learn about public policy and how a bill is run but I also learned a great deal about the working industry; experiencing life in general. Right then and there in D.C., I learned how fake college life can be and how much of a culture shock it can be coming straight out of college. Yes I enjoyed the living on my own for three months and working every day in our nation’s capital. However the thing that I learned the most which is life long learning, is the fact that I can go anywhere, do anything I want, just as long as I be creative and use my resources. Friendships and networking is everything, especially in the government relations industry.

Looking back four years, I would have never guessed that I would stay in my major, Agricultural Education: Leadership, Training, and Development. Like most college students, they are studying majors that they don’t know what they can do with it. To tell you the truth, there isn’t a piece of paper that can tell you what to do. You have to initiate and think for yourself what you want to do in life. I learned that the hard way. Living life and experiencing new things will make you stronger, make you a better person. So enjoy college life, enjoy your friends. It only lasts so long. When you are out in the working world, it’s different. You have to decide for yourself. It is just another stepping point in your life. So do yourself a favor and start now and just experience life.

Andrea Erickson

Hello! My name is Andrea Erickson, and I am currently a Junior in the Ag Ed ALTD program here at the U of MN. I am originally from Hugo, MN where my family has 10 acres and have had many different animals such as chickens (raised for meat and eggs) and a few steer calves. We, however, have always been into horses, and are currently raising four. My family also has the typical animals of a dog, cat and currently my brother is into pigeons.

Throughout high school, I was in FFA and held many offices including Chapter Vice President, President also was Regional President. I participated in several CDEs mainly focusing on Sales. I am currently a member of U of MN Block and Bridle and the State FFA Sales CDE Chair for the Minnesota FFA.

I chose the U of MN because it was still close to home and my family. I chose Ag Ed because I felt really strong about it in my heart. When looking at the 2 page blue planning sheet your advisor gives you and then receiving great resources the department has for its students I knew it was a good fit. The blue mini-book for ALTD students has become my bible. I'm a little strange but mine is color coded and I use it as my guide to track my progress to graduation and help me determine what areas I need to take more classes in.

The ALTD option is so broad that anyone can make it work for their specific wants and needs. I want Adult Education to be my emphasis area for the major so I am taking courses in that area. I chose this because I hope someday to become an adult trainer. You don't have to argue with an adviser why you think you should do something its simple. Dr. Greiman and I sat down and discussed what I wanted to do and how I felt Adult Education and how the Human Resource classes would make me more marketable. My only suggestion would be chose wisely. Do not pick an area because it sounds neat, really think about what you want to do when you "grow up". Some of these classes you can really benefit from.