Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Emily Jay is named Agricultural and Extension Education March Student of the Month!

 AEE March Student of the Month


The Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize Emily Jay as the March Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month. Emily is from Shermans Dale, Pennsylvania and is a graduate of West Perry High School. Emily received an associates degree in General Studies from Fort Hays State University in 2021 and a graduate certificate from Miracle Mountain Ranch School of Discipleship in 2017. Currently, she is majoring in Agricultural and Extension Education and will graduate in May. Emily shares, "Ever since I began school, I wanted to attend Penn State (the best school in the state!). Also, my dad attended Penn State."

During her time at Penn State, Emily was a member of the PSU FFA Alumni & Supporters Chapter and also a Teach Ag! Avenger. Her favorite class at Penn State was Ag Mechanics with Dr. Ewing. On campus, she enjoys hanging out in Ferguson 213. Her favorite place to eat in State College is Chick-Fil-A. Of course, her favorite team is the Penn State Football team. Emily enjoys riding horses, painting, swimming, and hanging out with friends.


With an extensive background in her own FFA chapter, Emily is no stranger to the duties of an ag teacher. She was a part of the West Perry FFA chapter and held officers positions such as Vice President and Secretary. Emily has received her Greenhand, Chapter, CDP Area, Keystone, and American degree. She has competed in Parliamentary Procedure, FFA Knowledge, Vet Science Skills, and Farm Business Management at PA FFA State Convention.

Emily has had a couple of different internship experiences. First, with Miracle Mountain Ranch as Summer Barn Staff. Also, she was a part of the Global Orientation to Agricultural Learning Program where she not only got to attend the World Food Prize but also have a short teaching immersion. She spent a week in Minnewaska, Minnesota teaching Global Agriculture to middle schoolers.

Some defining experiences during her college career have included working at Sheetz while also completing her degree. She also got to assist state officers and other Ag Ed students with the Fall Leadership Conference for two years, helped to create an exam and judge the 2023 Horse Evaluation CDE at PA FFA State Convention, and is ServSafe Certified. Her passion is teaching animal science as well as just helping her students to reach their full potential and be better consumers in the world.


Emily is completing her student teaching experience at Big Spring Middle School in Newville, Pennsylvania. She is teaching a variety of classes including 7th/8th grade Woodshop, 6th grade Intro to Ag, 7th/8th grade Family and Consumer Science, Plant & Greenhouse, and Living On Your Own. When asked what she is most excited for during her time student teaching, Emily says,
"Planning and taking FFA events/trips like the Spring Ag Careers Day and Trout in the Classroom(Earth Day-release day)!"

For her future, she states, "[my future plans are] to teach at either a middle school, high school, or both (wherever this profession takes me) [and] work towards my master's after teaching for a few years." Emily does not have a specific area of agriculture that she hopes to teach. She shares, "What I enjoy most about agriculture is its diversity in subjects, so it’s difficult for me to pick one area I like the most."

Emily's favorite quote:

"To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny

bone." - Reba McEntire

Follow Emily on Social Media: @EmilyJay0108









Erica Teagarden
CPPD Student Worker
Agricultural and Extension Education
Class of 2026


Friday, February 2, 2024

Emily McGowan is named Agricultural and Extension Education February Student of the Month!

The Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize Emily McGowan as the February Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month. Emily is from Millerstown, Pennsylvania and is a graduate of Greenwood High School. Currently, she is majoring in Agricultural and Extension Education and will graduate in May. Emily shares, "Upon my first visits to campus, before I applied, I was impressed by the resources that Penn State offered its students within the college of agricultural sciences and the impact the institution has had on agricultural research. But as I engaged with Dr. Ewing and the other staff in the agricultural and extension education program, I knew I was in an environment that would best support me on my journey to becoming an agricultural educator.".

During her time at Penn State, Emily was a member of the PSU FFA Alumni & Supporters Chapter. She enjoyed taking the Soils 100 and Ag Business Management 100 courses. On campus, she enjoyed hanging out in the Paterno Library. Her favorite on-campus spot to grab something to eat is the Penn State Berkey Creamery.

Emily enjoys hunting, drawing, skiing, and traveling. Fun fact- she has been to seven countries! She has also done her fair amount of traveling during her time in ag education. Emily has traveled to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, National Association of Agricultural Educators Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, and the School Leader Conference on Intercultural and Intersectional Competence.

Emily is completing her student teaching experience at Tri-Valley Jr/Sr High School with Mrs. Gretchen Dingman. She is teaching a variety of classes including 8th Grade Rotation, Ag Science and Mechanics I, Ag Science II, III, IV, Ag Practicum, Woodworking, and Welding. When asked what she is most excited for during her time at Tri-Valley, Emily says, "That’s a hard question, there’s so much to the teaching profession that can’t be taught in a college classroom, some of my most important lessons may come from the experiences I least expect. I’m excited to see how my students grow through these experiences in the classroom and their efforts in the FFA, and learning how to better support them on their journey.".

For her future, she states, "I’m keeping my doors open, but currently I’m looking into teaching in a high school setting after a Master’s degree.". Emily does not have a specific area of agriculture that she hopes to teach. She shares, "What I enjoy most about agriculture is its diversity in subjects, so it’s difficult for me to pick one area I like the most.".



Emily's favorite quote:

"To make a difference in someone's life, you do not have to be brilliant, rich, beautiful, or perfect. You just have to care." - Mandy Hale

Follow Emily on Social Media: @EmilyMcGowan_25









Erica Teagarden
CPPD Student Worker
Agricultural and Extension Education
Class of 2026

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Noah Phillips is named Agricultural and Extension Education January Student of the Month!

 
The Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize Noah Phillips as the January Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month. Noah is from Dushore, Pennsylvania and attended Sullivan County Jr./Sr. High School. He is a part of the #psuaged24 cohort at Penn State and will graduate in the spring with a degree in Agricultural and Extension Education. Noah shares, "I chose Penn State for the amazing connections it provides, the worthwhile money spent towards my degree, and the Penn State Community. Free entry to Penn State wrestling matches is also an awesome bonus."

Although Noah did not have the opportunity to be a part of FFA, he was a member of Sullivan County 4-H for 10 years. As a member of the Sullivan County Livestock Club he raised market lambs and market swine which he exhibited at the county fair. He was also a member of the Future Leaders of the Dairy World 4-H Club and raised dairy heifers, calves, and cows. Noah also had the opportunity to show around the state and in New York at fairs and competitions. He has also had many internship opportunities within the agricultural industry. He was a Sullivan County 4-H Intern, Dairy Farm Manager at a farm in Slippery Rock, PA, and a Dairy Cattle Hoof Care Intern. Over the past few years he has worked on seven different dairy farms across Pennsylvania. Some with just 40 cows and others with over 1,000.

On campus, Noah is involved in the Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity, Alpha Tau Alpha, the Penn State Dairy Science Club, and College of Agricultural Sciences Student Council Representative. He is also working on getting his minor in International Agriculture. Noah enjoyed taking the Psych 100 course he shares, "[it] enabled me with the tools to understand my students more." He enjoys spending his time watching his favorite sports team, Penn State Wrestling, hanging out in the Ferguson Building, or eating at his favorite downtown restaurant, Uncle Chen's. When he is not busy lesson planning, Noah enjoys reading, watching tv shows and movies, and hanging out with his friends. 

Currently, Noah is way out in western Pennsylvania at Fort Cherry Jr./Sr. High School with Mrs. Jodie Hoover. He will be teaching Introduction to Ag, Animal Science, Horticulture, Ag Leadership, Vet Sciences, Ag Marketing, and Floral Design. Noah says, "I am excited to work ag mechanics into my curriculum to a school that does not have an ag mechanics program." Upon graduation, he is hoping to secure a job as a high school agricultural teacher. When asked about his agricultural interest, Noah shared, "My interest is to provide opportunities for the next generation of ag leaders and to encourage them to pursue their future dreams with an exemplary understanding of the agricultural industry."


Noah's favorite quote:
"Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." - Albert Einstein 
Follow Noah on Twitter: @NoahAgEd




Erica Teagarden
CPPD Student Worker
Agricultural and Extension Education
Class of 2026


Monday, December 4, 2023

Seanna Geiger is named Agricultural and Extension Education December Student of the Month!

The Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize Seanna Geiger as the December Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month. Seanna is from Sheshequin, Pennsylvania and attended Athens Area High School. She transferred from Lackawanna College where she received an associates degree in Professional Studies and is now a part of the #psuaged24 cohort at Penn State and will graduate in the spring with a degree in Agricultural and Extension Education. Seanna shares, "Penn State was always a dream for me after attending FFA summer convention as a student. When I decided I wanted to pursue Ag Ed I knew that Penn State is where I wanted to go."

Seanna is not a stranger to agricultural education as she went through the Athens FFA program in high school. She was a member for all four years of high school and participated in many events such as livestock judging, public speaking, and many conferences. She also held the office positions of Historian from 2018-2019 and Vice President from 2019-2020. Seanna grew up in agriculture living on her mom's dairy farm and raising her own laying hens. Seanna says, "This was just the start of my love for agriculture, once I joined the ag program my high school offered it truly opened my eyes to how much more ag held. My true passion lays in the poultry industry where I hope to learn more as time goes on and start a meat chicken operation of my own."

During her time at Penn State, Seanna had the opportunity to participate in the GOALs program and teach in Henry County Kentucky. She says, "This was an incredible experience not only in Kentucky but also attending the World Food Prize was an awesome experience that I was able to make a lot of connections at.". She was also a camp counselor for Outdoor School, go to teach in a non-traditional setting, and gain confidence in herself professionally. Seanna is a member of the Sigma Alpha Professional Sorority where she is chair of philanthropy and works part time in West dining hall as a crew leader. Her favorite place to hang out on campus is in the ASI building. Seanna says, "Anytime I need a place to focus or to have study times with my friends this is where we have gone and it now has become my favorite building on campus". Her favorite class at Penn State is AEE 311 because she has been able to learn about everything that goes into preparing to be an ag teacher and has her excited to be an FFA advisor. She enjoys eating at her favorite restaurant SNAP Pizza, cheering on Penn State sports teams, and having coffee or going for walks with her friends. When she is home, Seanna loves hiking, hunting, fishing, and scrapbooking. In her future, she would like to move back home to Bradford county and find a job teaching agriculture in either Pennsylvania or New York.

In January, Seanna will begin her student teaching experience at Red Lion High School with Ms. Krista Moser. She will be teaching Intro to Agriculture, Animal Science, Vet Science, and Plant and Soil Science. Also, she will be coaching the poultry judging team. Seanna says, "I am looking forward to coaching the Poultry Judging team in the spring. It is exciting that I will be able to help these students succeed in Poultry Judging and see their excitement about the CDE as well.".

Seanna's favorite quote:

"Be better not bitter."

Follow Seanna on Twitter and Instagram
Twitter: @seannageiger
                                               Instagram: @seanna.rae._




Erica Teagarden
CPPD Student Worker
Agricultural and Extension Education
Class of 2026







Monday, November 6, 2023

CPPD November Student of the Month- Celia Graef!

 

AEE November Student of the Month



The Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to congratulate Celia Graef for being recognized as the November Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month. Celia is a Senior Majoring in AEE with an Environmental Science Focus and minors in International Agriculture, Entomology, and Biology. She is from State College, Pennsylvania, and graduated from State College Area High School.

When asked why she chose Penn State Celia states that because      "[it]  made sense financially, and I originally wanted to study Entomology, so I was planning on majoring in Immunology and Infectious Disease with a minor in Entomology. I quickly realized that I do not like Chemistry, and I like working with people, so I


switched to AEE. I kept the entomology minor and picked up Biology and International Agriculture so that I can have a well-rounded base of knowledge to use with the teaching skills I've learned through AEE. I'm happy I picked Penn State, and I'm glad I did not stick with Chemistry." Her favorite class that she has taken was Biology 417 which is Invertebrate Biology. On campus, she is involved in the PSU Beekeeper's Club as an executive member and the Entomology Grad Student Association as the Undergraduate Representative.

Celia is particularly interested and passionate about the connection between Agriculture and Environmental Conservation and the importance of teaching Global Agriculture. She has had internships in the Frost Entomological Museum as a Collections Assistant, as a Shaver's Creek Environmental Center Naturalist, and in Boulder, Colorado as a Growing Gardens Educator. A couple of defining experiences in her college career included her Student Engagement and Experiential Discovery (SEED) semester and her involvement in the Global Orientation in Agricultural Learning (GOALs) program. For the future, Celia says" I plan to teach in some capacity, but I'm not exactly sure how I want to do that yet. I can see myself teaching in a high school or middle school classroom teaching Ag, Environmental Science, STEM, or Biology. I can also see myself teaching in an informal setting at an outdoor

school or environmental center.

While on campus, Celia enjoys hanging out in the big comfy chairs in the Forest Resources Building. Her favorite place to eat in State College is Cafe Alina. Her hobbies include sewing, hiking, cooking, and playing the piano. One interesting thing about Celia is that she can play the accordion. 

In January, Celia will begin student teacher with Mrs. Carly Rippole at Derry Area High School. She will be teaching Natural Resources and Ecology, Floral Design, Food Science, Intro to Horticulture, Plant Science, and Equine Science. Both Celia and Mrs. Rippole participated in the SEED semester during their time at Penn State and Celia is excited to learn more about her experiences and how she uses what she learned in the classroom.

Celia's favorite quote:

"A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there." - Gina Milicia

Follow Celia on Twitter: @celia_graef





Erica Teagarden
CPPD Student Worker
Agricultural and Extension Education
Class of 2026




Friday, October 13, 2023

CPPD October Student of the Month- Mckenzie Mahler!

AEE October Student of the Month

The Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to congratulate Mckenzie Mahler on being recognized as the October AEE Student of the Month. She has showed exemplary efforts within her academic and extracurricular involvement. 

Mckenzie is Senior majoring in Agricultural and Extension Education with a minor in International Agriculture. Her future plans include either working in a high school agricultural education program or in a local extension office. Mckenzie chose Penn State because of the many opportunities that are offered to preservice agriculture educators.

Mayan Ruins in Belize
She is from Somerset, Pennsylvania and attended Somerset Area High School. Mckenzie was involved in 4-H and FFA for many years. She was apart of the Steaks and Chops 4-H Club for six years and served as the Secretary. She was also a member of the Somerset Area FFA Chapter and held the officer positions of President, Vice-President, and Sentinel. She served as the President, Vice-President, and Treasurer of the Somerset County FFA Association. Through her experiences in these organizations she participated in raising market lambs and goats as well as various career and leadership development events.

 

Teaching for a week in Montana for GOALs

On campus, Mckenzie has been involved in the Teach Ag! Avengers for the past year and is a Global Teach Ag Network Undergraduate Intern. Also while at Penn State, she has been a part of the Global Orientation to Agriculture Learning Program (GOALs) which provide pre-service agriculture educators with an opportunity to receive an international teaching experience. In addition, she took AEE 499 which was an embedded course that allowed her to travel to Belize for 10 days to learn about agricultural education. Her favorite class that she had taken at Penn State has been AEE 349 which is Shop Processes for Agricultural Educators. 

When asked about her passion or specific interest in agriculture Mckenzie says, "I would like to think that I truly have an interest in every agricultural content area. Admittingly, I am very passionate about all things plants, horticulture, and floriculture, however, I enjoy learning about all areas of the industry." She enjoys growing and propagating plants and dreams to run her own greenhouse someday.


Building Kestrel Boxes in AEE 349
Some other interesting things about Mckenzie are that she completed an internship as a Direct Support Professional for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Her favorite place to hangout on campus is in Ferguson building room 214. She enjoys going to Otto's in State College to eat. Mckenzie's hobbies include growing and propagating plants, reading books, and listening to true crime podcasts. Mckenzie also has a dog named Buddy who came to college with her.

In January Mckenzie will begin her student teaching experience at Biglerville High School with Mrs. Michelle Miller. She will be teaching Vet Science, Small Animal Science, Large Animal Science, Ag Science, and Ag Mechanics. In her time student teaching Mckenzie is most excited to work with students in Biglerville's new greenhouse.

Mckenzie's favorite quote:
"Find out who you are and do it on purpose." - Dolly Parton

Follow Mckenzie on Twitter and Instagram
Twitter: @MahlerMckenzie
Instagram: @mckenzie_mahler






Erica Teagarden
CPPD Student Worker
Agricultural and Extension Education
Class of 2026











Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Penn State Teach Ag Alum Leads Exemplary Program in PA

The Center for Professional Personnel Development and the Penn State Teach Ag team would like to highlight Carly Rippole for her work on leading an exemplary program in Pennsylvania with horticulture and greenhouse operations.

Carly is in her 8th year of teaching at Derry Area High School. She is a 2015 graduate of Penn State with a degree in Agricultural and Extension Education. She looks to create a program that would conduct a regional floral competitions. In this, teams of two would travel to Pittsburgh to work with industry partners. They would have one hour to design a theme. After, their design is reviewed by a panel. 

This program can help to provide a hands on experience for a diverse audience of students to engage in. Mainly, those who do not come from traditional agricultural backgrounds. It would help to relate to more suburban and urban populations. Also, this program would help students to form a meaningful connection to the Floriculture industry. This is a large industry in Pennsylvania that hold many opportunities for apprenticeships and work-based learning that students often are not aware of. 

It is expected that close to 20 students or 10 teams will be participating. The date for this pilot program is January 17, 2024.








Erica Teagarden
CPPD Student Worker
Agricultural and Extension Education
Class of 2026