School of Agriculture

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  • New Plant Breeding Minor
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Career Development Events

Section 11 Greenhand Conference

Illinois State Job Interview

Illinois State Ag Issues

Section 11 Public Speaking

Section 11 Horticulture/Ag Mechanics

Each school year the Collegiate FFA at Western Illinois University hosts several Career Development Events. The Collegiate FFA does this as a way to "give back" to the organization that its members were involved in when they were in high school.

Section 11 Greenhand Conference

The Section 11 Greenhand Conference is held every September. The Greenhand Conference is for high school freshmen that are joining the FFA. The conference involves various activities and workshops to develop team-building skills and introduce students to the National FFA Organization

Section 11 Public Speaking

The Section 11 Public Speaking Contest is held every February. The contest has prepared public speaking and extemporaneous in both the junior and senior divisions. There is also a creed-speaking contest for freshmen.

State Job Interview

The State Job Interview CDE is held in February. For this contest, students are required to submit a cover letter, resume, and letter of reference prior to the contest. At the contest, the students do a telephone interview and one-on-one interview with the judges.

State Ag Issues

The State Ag Issues CDE is also typically held in February. In this contest, students choose a topic that is currently influential in the agriculture industry and give a group presentation. The students are judged based on the performance of their presentation and accuracy of the information provided.

Section 11 and Invitational Horticulture

This CDE is held in April and is usually hosted jointly with the Section 11/Invitational Ag Mechanics CDE. The Horticulture Club at Western Illinois University sets up the CDE. The students judge various rings of plants, vegetables, etc. and place them from best to worst.

Section 11 and Invitational Ag Mechanics

The Section 11/Invitational Ag Mechanics CDE is hosted jointly with the Horticulture CDE. The Ag Mechanization Club at Western Illinois University sets up the CDE. The CDE covers areas of carpentry, welding, electricity, Ag power, and surveying.

School of Agriculture • College of Business & Technology
Knoblauch Hall 145 • 1 University Circle • Macomb, IL 61455-1390
Phone: 309/298-1080 • Fax: 309/298-2280
Contact: Chairperson, or Webmaster
For more information on any of our programs please contact Ember Keithley, Ag Advisor.