Through their involvement in 4-H, these students were led to the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at Ohio State! They turned their 4-H green and white to scarlet and gray!
faculty
Reflecting on Lessons Learned through 4-H
By: Dr. Tracy Kitchel
Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership Chair
As the youngest of four children, I could not wait to join 4-H like my siblings. Showing animals, completing projects, earning ribbons, and having your own t-shirt with a felt green 4-H clover on the back and your name on the front – who wouldn’t be excited? I was an 11-year member of the Monroe Better Livestock 4-H Club in Preble County, Ohio and I can say without doubt that 4-H had a tremendous impact on my career success and life.
Dr. Kitchel was an 11 year 4-H member in Preble County.
In so many ways, I felt out of place through my elementary, middle and high school years. But, when I went to 4-H meetings or to the fair, those out-of-place feelings quickly dissipated. Through 4-H, I had the opportunity to demonstrate my life on a farm through showing animals. I also had the opportunity to explore my family and heritage through a genealogy project. Beyond that, 4-H laid a foundation of hard work and character that are still present in my day-to-day life.
The first lesson 4-H taught me was hard work. Growing up on a farm certainly contributed to that lesson, but with 4-H there was more. In particular, I learned that what you put into something has a relationship to what you get out of it. In most cases, I did better in showmanship the years I worked with my markets hogs more. The more effort I spent on researching for my genealogy project, the more accolades I had earned for that project. But even further, I learned there were no shortcuts to hard work. As a good friend of mine says, “pay now or pay later.” There were years where I may have spent many hours on my projects earlier in the summer, but not as much in the last month leading up to the fair. Instead of paying now and working hard through the entire summer, I paid later with an animal that wasn’t as prepared for the show as could it could have been.
The second lesson 4-H taught me was that life isn’t always fair and winning isn’t everything. Although hard work and positive outcomes are linked, hard work does not always guarantee the outcome you want. I vividly remember a particular year in swine showmanship at the fair when I was about 14 years old. I had worked exceptionally hard that summer and was feeling good about my chances in winning showmanship. My age group was large, so there were two or three classes before the final class where the age group winner would be selected. The judge worked with me and my pig particularly hard (and in comparison to everyone else) and I remember how complementary the judge was over the microphone as I left the arena. I returned for the final drive for my age group. He had requested more people back than was in my first class. Somehow, I ended up at the back of the line and literally walked in and out of the ring with my animal. I barely had a chance to demonstrate my abilities and clearly the judge forgot about me. It was reinforced to me that life isn’t always fair. But I also learned that it was fine that I did not achieve the outcome I thought I deserved. In the grand scheme of life, this one instance did not define me or my future successes. The work, self-esteem and lessons learned are what you truly carry with you after the fair, not the ribbons, trophies or awards. I knew I had worked hard and I knew I had done well. That was the better award to have won that day.
Tracy Kitchel (middle right) 1993 Preble County Fair Royalty Court. He was the 1993 Preble County Fair King.
The third lesson 4-H taught me was being a part of something bigger is much better than focusing on only you and your goals. Later in my 4-H career, I joined the Junior Fair Board. In many ways, I became more excited about my work with the fair board than my individual 4-H projects. From developing a sense of ownership over the junior fair to working with my fellow board members, and from setting up stalls to running a livestock show, I found reward in accomplishing something that was bigger than me and something that was more than just me. Being a part of something bigger also meant that winning became less important and putting on a great fair experience for others became more important. When I lifted others up, I myself was lifted, too.
I have carried these and many other lessons learned through 4-H throughout my life and career. As my life continues to intersect with others outside my background, I continue to learn how fortunate I was to have 4-H in my life and the advantages I had from having participated in it!
When FFA Comes Full Circle
By: Dr. Tracy Kitchel
Chair of the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership
There are times in your life when things come full circle. It’s the idea that who you knew in one setting or what you had done previously surfaces or links to something in present time in a new, yet familiar way. After having had the opportunity to move back to Ohio this summer, I’ve had a number of “full circle” moments. For example, my office at OSU is the room where I defended my master’s thesis. When I met the donor of my first Ohio State scholarship this past fall where I’m now in a capacity to give back myself. When I walked into the Agriculture Hall of Fame breakfast, I found myself catching up with numerous friends, college mates, and acquaintances I had not seen for years after having convinced myself I wouldn’t know a single person in the room. When those full circle moments occur, I find myself reflecting on those links that had made those full circles come to fruition. I would argue that some of my most powerful full circle moments are connected with my involvement in FFA.
My first set of full circle moments happened when I had the opportunity to serve as the 1994-1995 State FFA Reporter. It makes sense, really. I had the opportunity to conduct chapter visits to inspire other FFA members like I had been inspired by state officers before me. I had the opportunity to be a part of running the state FFA convention, an event that had motivated me year after year as a high school student. The most significant full circle moments for me as a state officer was spending time with FFA members one-on-one. I was not the best officer in terms of meeting a large proportion of FFA members at any given event, but the members I did meet I knew well. I remember when state or national FFA officers took time to talk to me one-on-one. Those were very impactful conversations that helped shape my FFA career. I can only hope that some of my conversations did the same for others.
Tracy Kitchel, 1994-1995 Ohio FFA State Reporter
More full circle moments occurred when I became an FFA advisor. I was the agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Archbold High School from 1999-2002. Again, there were many opportunities for those full circle moments. Some full circle moments felt more like karma. For example, I had know-it-all students in my class that drove me crazy – a characteristic that I’m sure I surfaced for my agriculture teacher who was equally annoyed with me. Others were more powerful. I remember the faces of my students when I took them to their first national FFA convention session – the same awe-inspiring face I had years prior. I recall my students understanding – and even thanking me – for requiring them to have nice-looking official dress, which is something I took pride in as an FFA member myself. I think my favorite full circle moment was watching students fall in love with agriculture in my classroom, just as I had fallen in love with agriculture from having lived on a farm and a love that was reinforced from my experiences in FFA.
Dr. Kitchel driving the pontoon boat at FFA camp during his chapter’s FFA officer retreat.
I would be remiss in not sharing one of the most powerful full circle moments. As a professor and teacher educator, I have the opportunity to train future agriculture teachers and FFA advisors. I could spend hours on the full circle moments watching these future teachers move from student to student teacher to beginning teacher and now to master teacher. However, that powerful full circle moment is connected to one of my first college students, who happened to be the daughter of my agriculture teacher. Joseph K. Slone, former agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at National Trail High School, is on a short list of pivotal people who helped shape my career. Needless to say, there was immense pressure to make sure his daughter was take care of and trained well. I was a new Assistant Professor and newly-minted Ph.D. when Joe Slone brought his daughter Jessica to summer registration in 2005 at the University of Kentucky. I would be assigned as her academic advisor, would later teach her teaching methods course and eventually would be her university supervisor for student teaching. Whether she liked it or not, she was stuck with me. My parents shared with me that throughout Jessica’s college career, Joe would quiz them about whether I was staying or leaving (even when there was no evidence of me leaving). He shared with them that he had great relief knowing I was in Lexington and that I was her advisor. Be he also shared that if I ever left, 1. that relief would go away and 2. he would likely hunt me down. I took great pride (and felt great pressure) in knowing the trust he placed in me to not only take care of his daughter, but felt that pride and pressure even more so in being a key part of her development as an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor. It truly was full circle in the most fulfilling way. I’ve enjoyed watching her career blossom and now that I’ve returned to Ohio, I am much closer to see her change students’ lives as she continues to build the Covington agriculture program and FFA chapter.
Dr. Kitchel (left), Spring 2009 University of Kentucky graduation.
There were great things that occurred while I wore that blue corduroy jacket. My experiences in that jacket took me to places I had never been, both physical and otherwise. It transformed how I thought about myself, who I wanted to be, and gave me tools that I use in my life today. With that said, I think some of my best experiences with FFA have been after wearing that jacket. Your experiences with FFA do not end in high school – that’s only where they begin, if you let it. Find your full-circle moments by staying connecting with FFA locally, state-wide or nationally and consider becoming an agriculture teacher/FFA advisor yourself. You will find joy and fulfillment in engaging in those FFA full circle moments.
Meet the Faculty: Mary Rodriguez
Assistant professor of community leadership, Mary Rodriguez tells us a little bit about herself for this week’s “Meet the Faculty”:
“I am originally from Texas and living in the MidWest for the first time! I did my undergrad at Texas A&M (2008) and my masters (2010) and PhD (2015) at University of Florida. In between my Masters and PhD, I served in the U.S. Peace Corps from 2010-2012 in Cameroon, West Africa! I loved my time there as an agro-forestry volunteer where I worked with women’s groups and taught at an agricultural technical school. I lived in a village in the North region of Cameroon that had no running water, sometimes had electricity, and spotty cell service.
“I am currently an Assistant Professor of Community Leadership here in the department. I hope to bring more of the community (development) perspective to leadership, Ag education, extension, and communication. I am passionate about learning about people’s food security status in order to work with them to help build more resilient communities. Currently, I am excited to start working with a local Somali Refugee community to learn more about their food security!
“In my personal life, I love to take hikes and walks with my dogs and explore new places! I have a tremendous passion for traveling and learning more about people’s cultures and ways of life! Actually, I am writing this from South Africa where I have gotten to spend the last week or so and looking forward to another week learning more about the various cultures in SA!
“I am a first generation America. My mother is from Columbia and my father from Nicaragua. I spoke Spanish as my first language and then learned English in school. I learned French and a local tribal language during my time in the Peace Corps and consider myself fluent in English & Spanish and conversational/ semi-fluent in French (I need more practice!). I have nearly forgotten all of the tribal language… no one else speaks it! My favorite food is probably pizza, however, I love good Mexican food as well! The most odd thing I have ever eaten was python in Cameroon.“
ACEL in the News: 2016 Recap
Alumni, Faculty and Staff
W. Tyler Agner, PhD candidate, Resident helps coordinate OSU trip to Honduras, Bellefontaine Examiner
Dr. Emily Buck, faculty, Two Ohio women selected to faces of farming, Ohio’s Country Journal
Dr. Emily Buck, faculty, Finalists for Faces of Farming announced, Ohio’s Country Journal
Dr. Emily Buck, faculty member, US Farmers and Ranchers Alliance Announces 2016’s Faces of Farming and Ranching Finalists, Oklahoma Farm Report
Dr. John Ewing, alum, Agricultural education professor wins USDA teaching award, Penn State News
Stephanie Jolliff, PhD student, Hardin County Agricultural Hall of Fame, Your News Now
Stephanie Jolliff, PhD candidate, Ag Hall of Fame to induct new members, Lima News
Stacie Seger McCracken, alum, McCracken addresses Rotary Club, Sidney Daily News
Aaron Miller, alum, Helping Teachers Teach
Kelly Newlon, PhD student, The market knows no border, Farm & Dairy
Ericka Priest, alum, Getting to know… a first year Ag teacher, Ericka Priest
Adam Sharp, alum, Adam Sharp sets course to prepare OFBF for the next 100 years, Farm and Dairy
Katherine Terrell, alum, Gallipolis FFA competes at state soils contest, Gallipolis Daily Tribune
Dr. Susie Whittington, faculty, CASE Institute provides professional development at Upper Valley Career Center, Troy Daily News
Emily Wickham, staff, Local OSU student studies in Honduras, Pike County News Watchman
Current Students
Honduras Study Abroad, Ohio State students study abroad in Honduras, Ohio’s Country Journal
Amanda Bush, agricultural communication student, Mount Gilead student joins Ohio State study abroad trip to Honduras, Morrow County Sentinel
Amanda Bush, agricultural communication student, Bush to serve term as National ACT officer, Ohio’s Country Journal
Amanda Bush, agricultural communication student, Mount Gilead grad to serve as communications coordinator for National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow, Morrow County Sentinel
Blake Campbell, agriscience education student, A roundup of FFA news for the week of November 24, 2016, Farm and Dairy
Mariah Carey, agricultural communication student, Mount Gilead student awarded Ohio State agriculture scholarship
Lauren Corry, agricultural communication student, Farm bureau offers interactive agriculture exhibit
Katelyn Deaton, agriscience education student, Deaton awarded agriscience education scholarship, Register Herald
Nick Fowler, agriscience education student, Three young sheep farmers receive scholarships, Ohio’s Country Journal
Brianna Gwirtz, agricultural communication student, Shelby grad interns at Lynd Fruit Farm, Mansfield News Journal
Audrey Hoey, community leadership student, Emily Wickham, ACEL staff, Local OSU students and staff travel to Honduras, Chillicothe Gazette
Audrey Hoey, community leadership student, Hoey completes internship with ADM Grain, Chillicothe Gazette
Caleb Hickman, agriscience education student, Buckeyes feed the funnel, Mount Vernon News
Sarah Johnson, agricultural communication student, Johnson awarded agricultural communication scholarship
Sarah Johnson, agricultural communication student, Johnson completes internship with CFAES Advancement Office
Lea Kimley, agricultural communication student, Southeastern High grad named 2016 fair queen
Haley Kocher, community leadership student, OSU awards local woman scholarship
Rachel McClellan, agriscience education student, Xenia grad spends time in Honduras, Xenia Gazette
Summer McLain, agriscience education student, McLain awarded agriscience education scholarship
Summer McLain and Justin Feltz, agriscience education students, Area OSU students relate experiences in Honduras, Sidney Daily News
Abby Myers, agricultural communication student, Tuscarawas County Fair is showtime for 4-H members, alumni, Times Reporter
Meredith Oglesby, agricultural communication student, Shelby FFA hosts multi-chapter leadership night, Ohio’s Country Journal
Taylor Orr, Abby Motter, agriscience education students, Sarah Bookman, community leadership student, Roundup of FFA, Farm and Dairy
Leah Schwinn, agricultural communication student, Sam Wander, agriscience education student, OSU students named national scholarship recipients
Leah Schwinn, agricultural communication student, Syngenta names winners of scholarship essay contest, Greenhouse Management
Carley Snider, agriscience education student, Snider awarded scholarships
Carley Snider, agriscience education student, Moscow’s Snider to complete internship with The Fatted Calf
Carley Snider, agriscience education student, Snider attends annual agriculture educator conference, Ohio’s Country Journal
Demi Snider, agricultural communication student, Summer interns strengthen their careers and enrich programs, Kenton Times
Sydney Snider, agricultural communication student, Snider awarded scholarship
Sydney Snider, agricultural communication student, Members challenged to Transform FFA, Farm and Dairy
Emily Starlin, agriscience education student, Logan native travels to Honduras on service study trip
Mandy Taylor, agricultural communication student, Growing on social media, Wooster Daily Record
Kayla Thompson, student, Thompson awarded community leadership scholarship
Bailey Wagner, agriscience education student, Honduras trip gives OSU student new appreciation for family,Kenton Times
Mallorie Wippel, agricultural communication student, Wippel awarded agricultural communication scholarship
Mallorie Wippel, agricultural communication student, Wippel holds internship with Ohio Farm Bureau, Circleville Herald
Ryan Vonderhaar, agricultural communication student, Vonderhaar awarded agricultural communication scholarship
ACEL Faculty & Staff Celebrate the holidays
Faculty, staff, and graduate students from the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership came together to celebrate the end of Autumn Semester and the upcoming holidays.
During the event, many sported their favorite Christmas attire and enjoyed fellowship, food and many laughs!
Department faculty, staff and graduate students celebrate the end of a semester and the holidays!
Dr. Specht and Dr. Kitchel both arrived in their favorite Christmas sweaters – Star Wars!
We wish our students a relaxing winter break and can’t wait to see you when you return to campus in January!
Honduras Visit Video
In October, members of the ACEL faculty and staff traveled to Choluteca, Honduras. During this short trip, they met with the Ministry of Education, the advisory board of the Choluteca Vocational School, visited rural villages, the mercado and leadership team of World Gospel Mission.
Dr. Jamie Cano and W. Tyler Agner were recognized by the mayor of Choluteca for the work they have been doing to improve the lives of the residents in the city.
This short video captures the highlights of the trip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l69M49V_BE4
Each year, students from CFAES travel to Choluteca, Honduras as part of the a community development study abroad offered through the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership. The education abroad experience will travel again in May 2017. More details here.
Students interested in this program should attend the upcoming info session on December 1, 2016 at 6pm in 246 Agricultural Administration.
Meet the Faculty: Mary Kivel
Loving to travel and hike, one of the newest faces to the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership (ACEL) is Mary Kivel. The graduate and eLearning coordinator for ACEL, Mary works primarily with graduate students and helps with the eLearning within the department.
For the five years prior to becoming a member of ACEL, Mary worked with graduate students in the College of Pharmacy. Prior to working at Ohio State, Mary worked at the high school level as an English teacher in Arizona, putting her English degree she earned as an undergraduate at Ohio State to good use. She has also previously worked on outreach programs with the Ohio Association of Foodbanks.
Day-to-day, Mary helps graduate students in a variety of facets, ranging from helping them apply to the program, to assisting them in orientation, to the minute nitty-gritty daily struggles graduate students might have. As for the eLearning, Mary helps with the online master’s program along with the eLearning that the department has for the face-to-face courses.
She advises students not to be afraid to ask questions. Mary says that within the department there is always someone to help. To contact Mary about any graduate questions within the department of ACEL, email kivel.1@osu.edu.
Meet the Faculty: Tracy Kitchel
Although just recently hired to the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership as a professor and the chair of the department, Dr. Kitchel is anything but the new kid on the block. Before graduating with both his bachelor’s and
1998 Top 10 Seniors of CFAES
master’s degrees from The Ohio State University in 1998 and 1998 respectively, Dr. Kitchel was an active and involved student. His resume included being the president of Ag Ed Society, the president of Phalanx (today known as CFAES ambassadors), and a brother of Alpha Tau Zeta, (now FarmHouse Fraterntiy, ATZ Chapter), just to name a few.
After graduation in 1999 Dr. Kitchel spent a few years teaching agriculture and serving as the FFA advisor at Archbold High School where he met his wife Laura, who at the time was the choir teacher across the hall.
2013 National FFA Board of Directors
Returning back to school to earn his PhD in agricultural education from the University of Missouri in 2002, Dr. Kitchel then spent the next decade teaching both undergraduate and graduate classes, serving as director of graduate studies, as well as serving as assistant vice provost for graduate and postdoctoral affairs. His work took him to the University of Kentucky as well as back to the University of Missouri.
“When I had the opportunity to return home in a role allowing me to provide leadership for a department where I fell in love with higher education, I jumped at the chance. My career has come full circle from Ohio to Missouri to Kentucky back to Missouri and now back to Ohio,” Kitchel said.
Growing up on a hog and crops farm in northern Preble County, Dr. Kitchel was involved in 4-H and FFA. He attributes this background as being the guiding factor of pursing a career in agricultural education. To students, Dr. Kitchel advises to get involved in as much as you can and to study abroad, as travel will never be this affordable at any other time in your life. While grades are important, he is a firm believer that there is a lot of learning to be had outside of the classroom.
A movie buff in his spare time, the Dr. Kitchel says his basement is decorated in movie posters such as Raiders of the Lost Ark, Back to the Future, Star Trek, Star Wars, and Harry Potter. For vacation, Tracy and his wife Laura – along with their two daughters Isabel and Violet -love going to Disney World.
Tracy, wife Laura, and daughters Isabel and Violet at Disneyworld meeting Chewbaca from Star Wars.
Meet the Faculty: Jeff King
From spending a summer in college traveling the United States with the real “Elsie the Cow,” to serving as the state 4-H director, Dr. Jeff King has quite the extensive resume.
Reared on a Jersey dairy farm, Dr. King’s family also raised and showed Belgian draft horses. Heading off to college, Dr. King kept agriculture a prominent part of his life as he majored in agriculture education and dairy science at The Ohio State University. Once out of school, Dr. King taught vocational agriculture at United High School in Columbiana County. After teaching for several years, he took the position of 4-H educator in Columbiana County, and then later transferred to Clark County.
From his role in Clark County, Dr. King returned to Ohio State to work on his Ph.D. in extension education. Not long thereafter Dr. King became the associate state 4-H director, then the state 4-H director. Now as an associate professor at Ohio State within the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership, Dr. King teaches both undergraduate and graduate classes that are primarily based upon leadership. In addition, he also conducts leadership seminars and workshops outside the department. His expertise in the areas of organizational and staff leadership development led to successful contributions to Extension at The Ohio State University.
A native of Fremont, Ohio, Dr. King now lives in Columbus with his wife, Jill, and their two daughters, Ashley and Megan. In his spare time, Dr. King enjoys showing Belgian draft horses with daughter Ashley, and “thrifting” with his wife.
Jeff King and his family celebrating his daughter’s graduation.