Four Dordt students receive prestigious American FFA Degree

Dordt College - Four Dordt students recently received the American FFA Degree, an award that is given to less than 1% of the 653,359 FFA members and is one of the organization’s highest honors.
The four recipients are:
Madi Anderson, a senior general agriculture major from Bend, Oregon;
Callie Freeman, a freshman plant science major from Fresno, Calif.;
Sarah Goyne, a sophomore animal science major from Chelan, Wash.; and
Georgia Lucas, a junior general agriculture major from Monroeville, New Jersey.
Lucas, Anderson, Goyne, and Freeman spent years working to meet the qualifications for the American FFA Degree, which includes receiving the State FFA Degree, being an active member for the previous three years, and completing at least three years’ worth of secondary school instruction in agricultural education.
“Receiving my American FFA Degree means a lot to me because it shows my passion and love of agriculture,” says Lucas. “Everything I've been involved with at Dordt has stemmed from my time in FFA, and I am excited to see where it takes me.”
“Earning the American FFA Degree is a dream come true for me,” says Anderson. “It was the best feeling to walk across the National FFA Convention stage, grinning ear to ear, and receive my degree. It took many years of countless hours of work and investment to accomplish this dream, and I’m so proud that I persevered and earned it.”
Although much of the work for the American FFA Degree was completed before the students attended Dordt, Anderson says that her experience at Dordt has played an important role in the completion of her American FFA Degree requirements.
“Dordt’s agriculture department helped prepare me to earn the American FFA Degree by giving me so much support,” says Anderson. “When I first came to Dordt and told the ag faculty that I was pursuing my American FFA Degree, they all encouraged me to achieve it and were quick to offer their support for anything that I needed during the process.”
“Dordt’s agriculture program has been attracting an increasing number of students that have been very involved in the FFA organization,” says Gary De Vries, agriculture professor at Dordt. “We provide an environment for them to continue their development of premier leadership, personal growth and career success. Dordt is blessed to have these students be part of our agriculture program.”
Goyne and Freeman are thankful that Dordt’s agriculture program has bolstered their interest and success in the field of agriculture.
“I appreciate the small class sizes at Dordt,” adds Goyne. “That allows students to have more hands-on experiences and the ability to experience all sorts of areas in the agricultural field.”
“With an agriculture major the opportunities are endless,” says Freeman. “I am not sure what opportunities will arise throughout my life, but I am open to wherever God leads me to help serve others through agriculture.”
The 2017 American FFA Degree ceremony was held on Saturday, Oct. 28 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt College seeks to equip students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Dordt is one of only a handful of Christian colleges in North America to offer a four-year agriculture program. Over the past several years, all Dordt agriculture students have found positions within six months of graduating, most much sooner. Some entered careers not only in farming and technical service support but also in government, finance, and international development. Learn more about Dordt’s agriculture program at www.dordt.edu/agriculture.