Purdue Student takes 2nd Crack at National FFA Office

jacobs-makes-2nd-ffa-attempt

kathleen-jacobs-pre-16-nat-conventionWill a current Purdue student and former Indiana FFA state officer realize her dream of National FFA office this week? The 89th National FFA Convention runs this Wednesday through Saturday in Indianapolis, and Kathleen Jacobs is running for national office for the second year in a row. She was a finalist last year and then took a year away from FFA when she didn’t make the officer team.

“I delved into everything Purdue,” she told HAT about her year since last October’s run. “I found out where I fit in terms of youth group, extracurricular activities and where I fit in the College of Ag. I got totally immersed in Purdue and it was something I prayed about really hard for a year because I wanted to make sure I was coming back for all the right reasons. When it came time to run again I really felt that’s where I needed to be, so I decided to try again and was very fortunate in being able to get the candidacy bid again.”

So why is Jacobs attracted to national FFA office?

“If I had an hour I could give you a really great answer, but to shorten it up, through my years of being a state officer, and even through my years of being involved in FFA not in an officer position, I’ve gotten to meet a lot of amazing students. They all have an incredible passion, and what just absolutely entrances me is that passion found within students is mind-blowing, but it’s not just one student that has it. It’s students across all of the national FFA organization. So for me that allure that office holds is getting to meet those students and being able to see their passion and hear their stories, and at the end of the day saying I believe in you, you can do this, how can I help?”

The Huntington, Indiana native first hopes to make the cut of finalists to be announced Tuesday. Then come more interviews and the long wait to Saturday when the 6 new officers are introduced. Jacobs is currently majoring in ag economics and minoring in psychology with an eye towards a career in agricultural law concentrating on intellectual property.

Hear the full HAT interview:kathleen-jacobs-set-for-2nd-run

Listen for convention coverage all week, made possible by Beck’s Hybrids. Join Beck’s in saluting the National FFA organization and its members.ffa-convention

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