Written by Jordan Richardson, sophomore

In January 2023, the ALEC department had the privilege of hosting the UTK FFA Regional and State Officer Prep Course. Students from across the state gathered on campus to prepare to run for regional or state office within Tennessee FFA. These students had the opportunity to try their hand at letter writing, take a practice FFA knowledge exam, and engage in practice interviews. Students then received feedback from past FFA officers and ALEC faculty. These students will be able to apply the skills they honed during the prep course to the process of running for officer positions this spring.

Students from the Herbert College of Agriculture volunteered their time to help students in the prep course. ALEC lecturer Victoria Beasley, who serves as the coordinator of the event, explained, “the prep course would not run as smoothly without the help from our students.”

UT sophomore, Katie McKinney, explained her experience volunteering with the prep course. She said, “For FFA members to serve as a state or regional officer, attending prep courses, like the one hosted at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, is a crucial part of preparing. I was in these students’ shoes just a few years ago and it’s an honor to be a part of this process and watch these students grow.”