Alumni Spotlight: Brad Moffitt, ’83

Ronnie B. “Brad” Moffitt came to Ohio State from Urbana, Ohio in 1980. At 22, he started a dual degree in agricultural education and animal sciences. He graduated from Ohio State in 1983. After years as an agricultural educator, high school principal and working for the State of Ohio, Moffitt is now in his “second career” with Ohio Corn & Wheat as director of market development and membership.

[ACEL]: You majored in agricultural education. What influenced you to choose that direction for your undergraduate career?
[Moffitt]: My focus in high school was my agricultural classes and FFA under the direction of three great teachers.  My freshman teacher, Willie Kanagy was the catalyst.  My senior agriculture teacher and Young Farmer advisor, Clif Baughman, offered the nudge it took to get me to Ohio State.  I farmed and raised cattle for four years after high school, starting at Ohio State when I was almost 22 years old. I chose agricultural education as my undergraduate major because I had wanted to be an ag teacher since first setting foot in my high school ag class. At some point, I decided I wanted to be a high school principal.  I found that having been an active agriculture teacher set a great foundation for that career step.

Why did you chose to attend Ohio State?
I never thought of anything else! if you wanted to be an agricultural educator, that’s where you went!

How did your education at Ohio State influence your career choice and path:
The career choice was set before I even entered my first quarter.  In addition to the agricultural education program at OSU, the technical agriculture courses in animal science, agronomy, entomology, agricultural economics, and agricultural mechanics were outstanding supplements to the agricultural education learning and experience.

What were you involved in as an Ohio State student:
Within the college, I was involved in Agricultural Education Society, Phalanx, Towers Honorary and on the Agricultural Recognition Banquet Committee. In Greek Life I served as rush chair and president of Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity, chief justice of Interfraternity Council Executive Officer, treasurer of Jr. Interfraternity Council, was a member of the Greek Week planning committee and won the Ross Gainer Award, which was the top senior award for the Greek community.

I was in a number of honor societies as well, including Phi Eta Sigma Freshmen Honor Society, Alpa Lambda Delta Freshmen Honor Society and Sphinx Senior Honorary.

What classes did you enjoy the most as a student?
The three key agricultural education classes: the introduction class with Dr. Knight, methods with Dr. Newcomb and curriculum development with Dr. Hedges.  The best teacher educators in the universe taught them and inspired us to be aggressive and innovative professionals

What professor, faculty, or staff members had an impact on my education career?
The first class on my first day as a student was agricultural education 200 with Dr. Jim Knight, who I believe is the PERFECT teacher educator for freshmen aspiring to be teachers.  Those of us that went through Ohio State during that era in agriculture education had the honor to have Dr. Knight, Dr. Newcomb, and the great Dr. Lowell Hedges… we had to go through that pedagogical gauntlet of great educators in order to become teachers. That was good for us and it was good for the profession.  We also had GREAT graduate teaching assistants: George Wardlow who would later lead the Arkansas’ teacher education program, Stacy Gartin who would later lead West Virginia’s teacher education program, Phil Buriak and Joe Harper who both went on to great careers at The University of Illinois.  While my class did not have Dr. Leon Boucher directly, Dr. Boucher was a positive influence through the personal time he spent with undergraduate students.  We were also VERY fortunate to have had to have to go through the legendary Dr. Bill Tyznik’s animal nutrition class and Dr. Glen Himes’ agricultural economics 100… two world-class instructors.

Share a favorite memory you have from your time at Ohio State.
Being linked into Sphinx while sitting in one of Dr. Wilson’s 500 level animal science classes, then having Wendell Ellenwood (Director of the Ohio Union) lead me on the Sphinx walk across the oval.

Following your time at Ohio State, what was your first job?
I became an agricultural educator at Ridgedale High School in Morral, Ohio.

Over your career, what other positions have you held?
1983-1993: Ridgedale High School, agricultural educator
1993-1997: Ripley Union Lewis Huntington High School, agricultural educator
1997-2005: Ripley Union Lewis Huntington Local Schools, principal
2005-2010: State of Ohio, Department of Education, agricultural education area supervisor
2010-2012: Vocational Administration and school accreditation/assessment (various)
2012-Present: Ohio Corn & Wheat- Director, Market Development and Membership

• From 1996 to 2008, was adjunct professor for The University of Dayton (masters and post-masters courses)
• From 1970 to present: Hunting and fishing enthusiast. Have performed outfitting for hunting and fishing excursions

What are some honors or awards you have received over the years?
Ohio Ag Teachers- Outstanding Young Teacher
National FFA- National Agriscience Teacher of the Year, Eastern Region
Ohio FFA- Ohio Agriscience Teacher of the Year
U.S. Department of Education- Christa McAulliffe Fellowship

What are a few career highlights for you?
I have to note three:

• Building and helping build two- 200 student programs of high school agriculture education (Ridgedale and Ripley)
• Initiating U.S Marine Corps Junior ROTC at Ripley High School
• Working for Ohio Corn & Wheat and leading the ethanol, export, and membership programs. I am the fortunate recipient of a totally unexpected second career!

What advice do you have for current students?
This is directed at future teachers: Understand that when you graduate and land that first job, you are in for the toughest 2 years of your life professionally and personally. Understand that going in, get tough, work hard, and make sound professional and personal decisions.  ALSO… do not forget to have a personal life, too!  Do not let the stress (yes, there will be stress) drive you to “knee-jerk” decisions.  Teaching high school agriculture was the best job I ever had… and my first annual salary was $13,000.

Advice that Dr. Lowell Hedges gave all outgoing agricultural education majors: “Teaching is a commitment in both length and intensity.” Dr. Hedges was telling us that teaching is not an 8am to 3pm job… it’s a career that will require time investment beyond the normal school day and beyond the typical school year.

And… get to know your students and their families on a personal andprofessional level.  That networking is what leads to future success and valued friendships. You become a mentor to your kids for your lifetime.

What did ACEL cultivate in you?
I mentioned it before, my time at OSU and as an agricultural education major gave to me and my peers the greatest mentors in the universe. While we were exposed regularly to the greats like Knight, Newcomb, and Hedges, also close by were Boucher, McCracken, Barrick, Miller, Gliem, Papritan, and those super-graduate assistants.  To answer “what did ACEL cultivate in me?”  I have to reference the fact that ACEL in the 70’s and 80’s was a glowing example of the power of mentorship via strong agricultural college teachers and staff.  I have taken with me into every level of my career a passion for connecting young professionals to strong, positive mentors.

Brad Moffitt and the first FFA officer team at Ripley High School.

Filling the Ohio Corn & Wheat Tahoe with E85 (85% Ethanol Fuel) at a 2017 stop on the Ohio Ethanol Tour. Moffitt is the staff lead for the Ohio Corn Checkoff’s ethanol programs.