Elizabeth Meyer, junior in agricultural education, said she always had a passion for agriculture and now, she is the Kansas nominee for National FFA organization officer.
Meyer, who got involved with the FFA as soon as she had the chance, stayed active within the organization at a chapter, district and state level.
FFA, once called the Future Farmers of America, emphasizes personal and leadership growth. Programs typically begin in middle or high school and focus on hands-on learning experiences meant to bring real-world experiences into a classroom setting.
Meyer, whose chapter welcomed high school students, stayed active as a member and alumna for seven years total, serving at one point as the president of her high school’s chapter and later as a state officer for the Kansas FFA Foundation.
“What an incredible experience it was,” Meyer said. “Serving as a member of the 2016-2017 Kansas FFA officer team was rewarding and challenging, but it would not have been complete without my wonderful teammates.”
After her term ended, Meyer said she made a point to stay active and volunteer with the organization. As a mentor to newly-elected state officers, she serves as a voice for Kansas FFA officers, chapters and members.
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Before beginning to run for a national FFA position, Meyer completed the American Degree, the highest offered by the FFA. She also completed and application and interview process.
Meyer will travel to Indianapolis on Oct. 19 for numerous interviews, public speaking events and question and answer sessions.
“I’m immensely grateful for everyone who has contributed to the growth in my life and supported this journey so far,” Meyer said. “I can’t wait to continue spreading God’s love—no matter what happens during this exciting season of my life.”
If selected as one of the six national officers, Meyer would be the first Kansas candidate to serve this role in ten years, traveling more than 100,000 miles both nationally and internationally for speaking engagements and connect with business leaders, industry professionals, FFA advisors, members, sponsors and numerous government officials over the course of the next year.
The newly-elected officer team will serve as the voice for personal and professional growth within FFA and assist with leadership training conferences across the country.
Meyer’s brother, Nicholas Meyer, senior in biological systems engineering, said he is excited to see where this opportunity takes her.
“We are all super proud of her and also glad to be able to support her throughout this process,” he said.
