University of Idaho Agricultural Education, Leadership, and Communications

Each year AEE, in collaboration with the Idaho FFA Association, provides internship experiences to over 20 students through the AGED 350- Leadership and Event Coordination course. In this course, students are responsible for planning and executing the Idaho FFA State Convention. Three student directors are hired each year to assist with the supervision and leadership of their assigned team and in teaching the associated course. We asked the student directors to tell us more about their experience this year hosting a virtual convention. Please describe your position and role in the class/convention:  “In my position as public relations director, I oversee the positions of Communications, Workshops, Industry Relations, and the Delegate process. Our big role as the public relations team is to communicate with the outside sources, and our alumni.” - Hannah Hale, Public Relations “My role is to work with the interns assigned to CDE’s and Stars and Proficiencies and assist them, the CDE ...

Sydney Anderson is a senior studying ASCL in Twin Falls. Growing up in Nampa, Anderson was involved in agriculture in various ways. Her parents enrolled her in 4-H after getting a horse for her older sister and her to share; she continued to do 4-H for 12 years. Anderson got involved in the National FFA Organization because of her grandfather, who was President of the North Miami Chapter in Florida at the time. Her passion for leadership, serving others, and advocating for agriculture grew from then on.  “I chose to study ASCL because of the luxury of distance learning while having the ability to experience all the possible opportunities in the Magic Valley,” Anderson says. She believes that teaching individuals about agriculture and the impact it has on the world is extremely important. Anderson loves public speaking and coordinating events, so studying ASCL has helped her continue to learn about and keep an interest in a future career relating to these passions.  Anderson se...

  Julia Villagomez is a senior studying ASCL with a rich background in agriculture. Growing up on a small family ranch in Wendell with about 200 head of dairy calves and cattle, she’s had many experiences that explain her responsibility, independence, and determined work ethic. Among the most memorable include doing chores with her siblings, bottle feeding calves, going to the sale with her dad, and moving pipes in the alfalfa field. Villagomez has a lot of pride in her family ranch because it helped her grow and makes an income for her family.  Villagomez changed her major to ASCL in her sophomore year when her friend and mentor, Brenda Vega, introduced her to the program. She explained how she felt that there was more she could do with her life and passions with the degree. “After learning more about what ASCL was and what I could do with it, I decided that this major could help me grow and be able to give back to the community,” she stated. Villagomez has always enjoyed wor...

  Erica Wood was a Spring 2020 graduate from the department with a degree in agricultural education. After graduation, she was hired at Cascade Junior Senior High School to start a new agricultural education program. Her hard work and dedication to teaching agriculture is inspiring. Starting a program in the midst of COVID-19 has made it a challenging experience for Wood, but nothing that she can’t handle with the motivation of her resilient and adaptable students. “Students, parents, staff, and the community as a whole have shown nothing but support and excitement for the new program, and so I am confident that in a few years we truly are going to have something special here in this little mountain town,” Wood says.  Wood has found that one of the most important things to being a good teacher is building relationships with the students. She has loved getting to know each of her students and forming connections with them. As Wood sees it, building mutual trust and respect is t...

Sarah Swenson, who grew up in Chewelah and Newport, Washington, is the new Administrative Coordinator for the Agricultural and Extension Education Department here at the University of Idaho. Swenson graduated from Willamette University with a degree in Music Therapy, and then she spent some time working with elderly people in assisted living communities. She moved to Moscow four years ago with her husband of 18 years, Matt, and their two teenagers. She has been a stay-at-home mom, and her husband works as a professor in Mechanical Engineering here at the University of Idaho. Swenson has shared that she is excited to work with the people in this department and says, “Everyone has been very welcoming and it’s a great atmosphere to work in. I look forward to meeting more students.” We are also very excited to have her with us in the department! When asked about her background in agriculture, Swenson tells that she grew up in small towns which allowed her to see agriculture first-hand arou...

Liz Wilder graduated from the University of Idaho in December 2018 with a B.S. in agricultural science, communication, and leadership and a minor in agribusiness. Wilder has recently accepted a full-time position as Programs Director for the Idaho FFA Foundation. Before being appointed to this position, she worked for the Idaho FFA Foundation as an intern for three years during her undergraduate and continued with a part-time position as the Communications Director following graduation. Needless to say, Wilder has dedicated an exceptional amount of time and hard work to rise to her current position. Growing up in Pullman, WA, Wilder was immersed in agriculture. She joined her local 4-H club and began raising and showing lambs in 4th grade, which led her to many learning opportunities about the sheep industry and raising livestock, such as working at her sheep leader’s farm. She continued to expand her understanding of the agricultural industry after joining the Pullman FFA chapter. Wil...

Macy Hess is a junior studying agricultural science, communication, and leadership virtually through College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls. She chose this major because it’s offered at a distance and she could stay in her hometown while gaining a well-rounded agricultural degree. After graduation, Hess plans to pursue a master’s degree in animal nutrition. Her ultimate career goal is to become an animal nutritionist, specializing in ruminant nutrition, and she has plans to run a farm of her own.  Hess grew up on her family’s farm in Filer. This farming community and her family’s agricultural involvement struck her with a passion for agriculture. Hess began showing pigs in 4-H, then switched to FFA when she was old enough. She completed an academic research project on dairy nutrition in high school, which she says has directly impacted her career choice. Macy graduated high school as a junior with over 40 college credits and was able to start her college education early.  Hes...