Agricultural Student Council unifies students in the College of Agriculture. At biweekly meetings, council members representing 27 agricultural student organizations meet to discuss what their clubs are doing. Ag council members also each serve on two planning committees, helping to run events for students in the College of Agriculture such as the Freshman/Transfer Student Barbecue. New officers will begin their duties Wednesday at the council meeting.

PRESIDENT

Scott Beenken, junior in agricultural studies from Buckingham

Past Agricultural Student Council presidents were an example of leadership to him, Beenken said. In his term as president, he said he wants to set an example for underclassmen and members of the council.

“I’ve always been a firm believer in leading by example,” he said.

Beyond leading council meetings, Beenken will serve as a liaison between the Agricultural Student Council and the College of Agriculture administration and faculty.

“This college has given me so much,” Beenken said. “This was the least I could do to repay it — by serving it to the best of my ability.”

Beenken will balance his duties as president with his involvement in the Farm Operation Club, the agricultural studies curriculum club and Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, where he serves on the executive board.

Beenken said he values Agricultural Student Council for the exposure to people with other interests it provides.

Within his major, Beenken meets students with corn-soybean-dairy backgrounds like himself, but at council he meets forestry majors who can rattle off facts about trees.

“Their many interests are fascinating to me,” he said.

Because of his own variety of interests, Beenken enrolled in agricultural studies so he could take a mix of classes from the College of Agriculture.

“I chose this major because it was truly the best fit for me,” Beenken said. “With my degree in ag studies, I plan on returning home to my family farm and, well, farming.”

VICE PRESIDENT

Jason Haegele, junior in agricultural engineering and horticulture from Davenport

As vice president for Agricultural Student Council, Haegele will oversee the council’s 11 committees, and will begin his term by dividing members of the council into committees based on preferences in January.

Haegele will also fill in for the council president as needed and represent the council at college and university events.

For example, at the Dec. 20 convocation, Haegele and Beenken will hand out senior awards and awards for leadership, service and academics.

Most officers are content with one term, but he may be interested in running for president when his year as vice president is up, Haegele said.

In addition to the council, Haegele was recently elected chancellor of the ISU Wilson chapter of Alpha Zeta, a professional fraternity for students in agriculture and the natural resources.

He is currently serving as chairman of the poinsettia sale committee for Horticulture Club and just completed a term as vice president of the International Agriculture Club.

He is also an ag ambassador for the College of Agriculture, assisting the college with recruiting and hosting tours for prospective students.

Haegele’s two-year term as the Horticulture Club representative from was up at the end of 2003.

“As my term as representative began to come to a close, I desired an opportunity to continue on ag council in a position with more responsibility and leadership,” he said.

SECRETARY

Todd VerHeecke, senior in agricultural systems technology and agronomy from Geneseo, Ill.

Agricultural Student Council’s purpose is to bring ag council representatives up to date on events so those representatives can report to their respective organizations, VerHeecke said.

“With my job as ag council secretary, I plan to keep the members more informed on the events that are taking place that month by posting them on the Ag Council Web site,” VerHeecke said.

He said he hopes providing information online will increase participation in events sponsored by the Agricultural Student Council. While there is good attendance at council meetings and reasonable participation at council events, VerHeecke said it seems like the same people are always there.

“Getting involved helped me get acclimated to the college,” he said. “I lived three hours away and it was hard for me to go home for the weekend.”

VerHeecke grew up on a crop and livestock farm and chose his majors because he enjoyed working with farm equipment and being outdoors.

“I would really like to work for a seed company, local co-op or an equipment manufacturer like John Deere or Case-New Holland and then farm on the side,” he said. “My dream job would be to go home and farm and take over for my dad, but I know that is tough in this day and age.”

VerHeecke is also involved with the Agricultural Systems Technology Club. He was the Agricultural Student Council representative from FFA last year and was just elected vice president for Collegiate FFA.

“You feel left out if you don’t get involved,” he said.

TREASURER

Jeff DeWall, junior in agronomy and seed science from Pocahontas

DeWall will be responsible for the finances of Agriculture Student Council and giving the current status of the council’s account at each meeting.

He served as an officer in high school FFA, but has never been a treasurer before. He said serving as treasurer will broaden his horizons.

DeWall said he ran for the office to gain leadership experience and become more active in the College of Agriculture.

Currently, DeWall is actively involved in the Agronomy Club. He was the Agricultural Student Council representative for the Agronomy Club and played a part in the club’s fundraising food stand for Veishea.

As a sophomore, DeWall was a member of the Iowa State crops judging team, a contest students can only compete in one year.

At that contest he identified weeds and seeds and took a mathematical and a general knowledge exam.

“It was all things you learn in the agronomy major,” he said.

Growing up on his family’s farm in Pocahontas, DeWall helped produce various row crops.

“We’ve produced corn, soybeans, alfalfa, oats, a wide spectrum of crops,” he said. “That’s what agronomy is.”

He said he wants to use his agronomy knowledge to interact with farmers in the field, answering questions and solving problems.

“After graduation, I would like to work for a large seed company as an agronomist or as a district sales manager,” DeWall said.