Alumni Spotlight: Laura Stacklin Ringler, ’07

 

Laura Stacklin Ringler majored in agricultural education at Ohio State. After graduating in 2007, Ringler attended graduate school at the Virginia Tech University and now serves as the agricultural educator and FFA advisor at Plymouth-Shiloh Local Schools. Read more about her time at Ohio State and her future was cultivated in the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership.

[ACEL]: Hey Laura! You’re now an agricultural educator, but what initially made you interested in that career and the agricultural education major?
[Ringler]: My passion for agriculture started a long time ago as a youth raising animals in 4-H followed by a wonderful agricultural education and FFA experience at Seneca East High School with Mr. Bryan Crapo. I was honored to serve as our chapter’s FFA President for two years and was a member of several successful and state placing CDE teams. Without my FFA program I would not have obtained valuable life lessons, along with the many leadership roles that I have had the opportunity to hold. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and my FFA experiences affirmed that agricultural education was the right path for my future. My love for agriculture has continued to grow and my life continues to be enriched with the science behind it and also the great people working within the industry. At Ohio State I was warmly welcomed into the ag world and the rest is history.

Why did you choose to attend The Ohio State University?
I was the ninth child in my family to attend The Ohio State University. I grew up attending graduations on OSU’s campus and visiting siblings and attending the occasional football game. For me, there was no other choice but Ohio State, but instead a back-up acceptance to another Ohio college just in case I didn’t meet Ohio State’s requirements which were becoming more rigorous by the year.

How did your education at Ohio State influence your choice of career or your career path?
I was blessed to have Dr. Susie Whittington as a caring professor and Agricultural Education Society professor. Dr. Whittington’s genuine care and concern and passion for teaching are still with me today. She had confidence in me that I did not have in myself. She pushed me to “think outside of the box” and challenged me to continue my education in graduate school introducing me to colleagues who made an assistantship possible. The training I received at both Ohio State and Virginia tech (with Dr. Whittington sitting on my Masters Committee) prepared me to organize, plan and disseminate a quality agricultural education program.

How did you get involved in student life?
While at The Ohio State University I was active in the Agricultural Education Society, Sigma Alpha Professional Agricultural Sorority, Alpha Zeta Partner Agricultural Honorary, Towers Agricultural Honorary, Sphinx Senior Honorary, Crops and Soils Club, the Ohio State Soil Judging Team, Poultry Science Club, CFAES Banquet Committee, Scarlet and Gray Ag Day, Intramural Athletics, and served as a statistician for the Ohio State Wrestling team.

What were some of your favorite classes?
I enrolled in 27 credit hours (only three required for graduation and three being graduate level hours) my last quarter at Ohio State. My favorite classes were taken during my last quarter because it was coursework that I was able to choose ranging from courses in agricultural law to agricultural economics, and a leadership course with Richard Hollingsworth, Vice President of Student Affairs. One of my favorite courses was teaching methods with Dr. Whittington as she demonstrated quality teaching methods, something that we didn’t always witness in every college level course.

What professors were influential to you?
There are too many to choose. Susie Whittington, Micki Zartman, Garee Earnest, Trina Beebe, Bob Birkenholz, Jamie Cano, Pat Whittington, David Latshaw, Paul Heimberger, Kelly Newlon, Neil Smeck, Pat Rigby and many more all had positive influences on myself and many other students. However it was Dr. Whittington and Mrs. Zartman that I spent the most time with planning activities and events. Both are positive, strong, loving, hardworking and compassionate women, women that I aspire to emulate in my own community.

What is your favorite memory related to your time at Ohio State?
The PEOPLE! From meeting the love of my life and the time we spent together on the Ohio State soil judging team together to traveling to Washington D.C. and Brazil with AZP and making memories with friends through various student organizations while bowling, ice skating, attending football games and playing intramural softball.

What was your first job following your education at Ohio State?
The summer after graduation I interned with Ohio Farm Bureau through the Jack Fisher internship working with Nationwide Insurance agents writing insurance curricula. For the next two years I worked as an assistant to the Virginia FFA Executive Secretary while attending graduate school at Virginia Tech. Upon graduation with my masters eegree, I taught agricultural education for one year at Carey High School and am currently in my eighth year of teaching at Plymouth High School.

You’ve been honored with a number of teaching awards. Can you share those?

  • Ohio Association for Career Technical Education Outstanding New Career and Technical Teacher-2016
  • Richland County Extension County Key Leader Appreciation Recognition-2016
  • Ohio Association of Agricultural Educators Outstanding Young Member-2015
  • Franklin B. Walter Award Student Leader Recognition 2013-Levi Myers, 2014-Amy Grube
  • Honorary Chapter FFA Degree: Oak Harbor-2007, Carey-2011, Plymouth-2014
  • National Association of Agricultural Educators Teacher Turn the Key Ohio Recipient-December 2013
  • Ohio Association of Career and Technical Education Pacesetter Award-2012

As of today, what are some of your favorite career highlights?
Being recognized twice as a Franklin B. Walter teacher of leaders is one of my favorite career highlights. It’s not often that the top student in the school is in ag class and when they are with all of the outstanding staff in my school system it was a honor to be honored in front of my administration and schools from five surrounding counties. One former student, Levi Myers is taking his place in the agricultural education classroom this fall. The other former student, Amy Grube is currently applying to medical schools and just completed an internship at St. Jude’s. Keeping in touch with former students and seeing them achieve their goals, get married and start families of their own is the most bittersweet part of this career.

What advice would you give to a current student?
No one can experience everything Ohio State has to offer, the key is to make the most of what you have the opportunity to experience. Get involved, step out of your comfort zone, try new things and embrace new people. You will be able to meet many wonderful people and gain national and international experiences as you develop valuable skills for your future. Most importantly, you will make friendships that will last a lifetime!

What did ACEL cultivate in you?
On a campus of tens of thousands of students ACEL created a comfortable and caring environment. ACEL department members and staff challenged us to get involved and make a difference by joining student organizations and encouraged academic excellence through rigorous coursework. ACEL helped me to think globally through experience in international agriculture and nationally as we provided clean up efforts after hurricane Katrina and traveled to Washington D.C.

Sigma Alpha family.

 

Soils Judging Team

 

Mrs. Ringler’s students receiving State FFA degrees.

 

CFAES Outstanding Senior

OHIO in Brazil with AZP.

With Dr. Whittington at the annual CFAES Recognition Program.

OAAE Outstanding New Teacher

Ms. Stacklin during her student teaching.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One thought on “Alumni Spotlight: Laura Stacklin Ringler, ’07

  1. Your pictures are very special.
    Thank you for sharing, and for passing to your students the care you felt in ACEL at Ohio State.
    Susie

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