AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State University Professional Agricultural Student Organization (PAS), that was formed just last year, has won national and state award competitions.
“Iowa State has been attending PAS competitions for several years, but we have only been a recognized club for two years,” said Nate Dobbels, an advisor in agricultural and life sciences education. “Before last year these students were a committee within the farm operations club.”
The newly formed club started with eight student members last year and quickly grew to 30 members this year.
“I came here two years ago as an academic advisor and was given the opportunity to advise this organization moving forward,” Dobbels said.
The students competed at the state competition in February and the national competition in mid-March. All 20 Iowa State students who competed at state earned the opportunity to advance to nationals.
The students not only ranked well in both state and national competitions, but club members also were selected as state and national officers. Victoria Butt, a senior in agricultural and life sciences, was selected as the national vice president and Katelyn Zimmerman, a sophomore in agricultural and life sciences education, was selected as Iowa’s PAS state secretary.
Attending PAS conferences is a great way to make connections and test knowledge learned in the classroom, Dobbels said, and also a networking tool for students to meet industry representatives.
The winners in the national team events included:
- First Place Overall Livestock Team – Katelyn Zimmerman, a sophomore in agricultural and life sciences education from Spencer, Wisconsin; Hannah Baljeu, a sophomore in agricultural and life sciences education from Charles City, Iowa; and Lane Welsh, a senior in agricultural studies from Riverside, Iowa.
- The Beef Team won fourth place and included Emily Ivey, an animal science junior from Loudon, Tennessee; Victoria Butt, a senior in agricultural and life sciences education from Iowa Falls, Iowa; and Tobin Gach, a junior in agricultural studies from Wever, Iowa.
- The Crops Team won fifth place and included Rosie Roberts, a junior in agronomy from Trivoli, Illinois; and Adam Koch, a sophomore in agricultural and life sciences education from Osage, Iowa.
- The Equine Team won 10th place and included Rachel Nordhoff, a junior in agricultural studies and Keeven Long, a sophomore in agricultural studies from Ruthven, Iowa; and Ethan Faeth, a junior in agricultural and life sciences education from Fort Madison, Iowa.
- The College Bowl placed second and included Zimmerman, Welsh, Ivey, Koch and Roberts.
Iowa State individual results included:
- Hannah Baljeu won first place career planning in the ruminant animal category.
- Keeven Long finished eighth place in agricultural education employment interview.
- Lane Welsh finished fourth place in fertilizer and agriculture chemical employment interview.
- Katelyn Zimmerman won first place in floriculture employment interview.
- Adam Koch won first place in fruit and vegetable production employment interview.
- Victoria Butt finished ninth place in impromptu speaking.