19th Annual Agricultural Student Leadership Conference to be held Friday

September 23, 2010 --The 19th annual Agricultural Student Leadership Conference will be held Friday, Sept. 24, at the Arkansas State University Cooper Alumni Center, in Jonesboro. The conference features several ASU alumni and agriculture industry leaders who will speak to students about career preparation and leadership.

Registration begins at 8:15 a.m., and participants will be welcomed by Dr. David Agnew, professor of Agricultural Education, Dr. Bert Greenwalt, professor of Agricultural Economics, and Dr. Gregory Phillips, dean of the College of Agriculture and Technology.

The first session at 8:30 a.m. begins with an overview of leadership opportunities for students on the ASU campus, followed by a panel of industry executives who will provide business and community leaders’ perspectives on leadership. This panel includes Melissa Coles, human resources generalist for Farm Credit MidSouth Services; Leha Pemberton, human resource manager, Ritter Agribusiness and Rick Bormann, senior vice president, Greenway Equipment, Inc. Panelists will discuss what skills and abilities employers are seeking and what students can do to succeed in the career search process.

The second session will include a panel of recent graduates currently employed in the agricultural industry.  This panel will include Tiffany Kirlin from Poinsett Rice and Grain, Mike Engelken with Archer Daniel Midlands and Charles Nicholson with AgHeritage Farm Credit.  The luncheon address will be provided by Lindsay Penn, a 2006 graduate of the college.  

The College of Agriculture and Technology acknowledges this year’s sponsors as the   Agribusiness Committee of the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce, Craighead County Farm Bureau, AgHeritage Farm Credit, Farm Credit MidSouth, Ritter Agribusiness and Greenway Equipment, Inc.

For more information, contact Dr. David Agnew, Agricultural Education, Arkansas State University College of Agriculture and Technology, (870) 972-2453.

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