Iowa State University Department of Agricultural Education and Studies

New on our website: a News tab! Visit for the latest stories and press releases regarding AGEDS faculty, staff, and students.

Keep an eye on your mailbox! The 2026 Fall edition of STORIES magazine is arriving this week. Dive into inspiring stories of innovation and entrepreneurship from Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students and alumni, including AGEDS' own Ella Peterson ('27 agricultural communication).

https://stories.cals.iastate.edu/2026/08/rabbit-business-fueled-innovation-and-passion

Rabbit business fueled by innovation and passion Ella Peterson says there has never been a time when rabbits were not in her life. Now a junior in agricultural communication, Peterson started raising and breeding rabbits when she was 15. She has built her entrepreneurial and career-readiness skills through the Start Something CALS and Pathways to....

Reminder: Submission deadline is today!

The Department of Agricultural Education and Studies is updating photos around the office, and we knew our alums would be the perfect people to start with. Who better to capture what Iowa, CALS, and agriculture mean than the amazing individuals who have been part of our community?

Criteria:
- Submitted photos should directly represent or relate to Iowa agriculture and/or Iowa State University.
- Alums may submit up to three photos.
- If any individuals are recognizable in a photo, please ensure you have obtained their permission before submission.

Deadline for submissions is Monday, August 3rd (TODAY!) at 11:59 pm. Submission link is in the comments.

Congratulations to T.R. Putz ('27 agricultural studies) on being awarded the Hereford Herdsman Scholarship through the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) and National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA)!

Putz and other scholarship awardees were recognized for their achievements at the 2026 VitaFerm Junior National Hereford Expo in Madison, WI this summer.

https://herefordyouthfoundation.org/pillars-of-foundation/scholarships/

Scholarships - Hereford HYFA The Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) and National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) work together to provide opportunities for our breed’s future leaders so that they may excel in their college and career paths, strengthening this industry and the breed. Scholarships were HYFA’s firs...

From Iowa Pork Queen to nation’s top Young Pork Advocate Talking about pork and its importance is something Amanda Ostrem could do all day long, and she recently won an award for it.

Congratulations to Sydney Septer ('26 agricultural communication and agricultural and rural policy studies) on being awarded the John Deere Scholarship through the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) Foundation!

Septer and other scholarship awardees will be recognized for their achievements at a special luncheon during the 83rd NAFBA Convention in Kansas City this fall.

https://nafb.com/foundation/scholarships

Scholarships | NAFB Scholarship Program Investing in the Future of Farm BroadcastingFor nearly 50 years, the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) and the NAFB Foundation have been committed to supporting the next generation of agricultural communicators and leaders.Since 1977, the NAFB Foundation has provid...

Congratulations, Aneesha!

Aneesha Kakara has successfully defended her dissertation titled "The origins of climate change beliefs among Midwestern agricultural producers: The role of questionnaire framing and research focus." Aneesha will graduate in August with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Agricultural Education.

Congratulations, Sidney!

Sidney Schnor has successfully defended her dissertation titled "Trust and Implicit Theories of Morality Collide Through the Lens of Public Perceptions of Agriculture." Sidney will graduate in August with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Agricultural Education.

The Department of Agricultural Education and Studies is updating photos around the office, and we knew our alums would be the perfect people to start with. Who better to capture what Iowa, CALS, and agriculture mean than the amazing individuals who have been part of our community?

Criteria:
- Submitted photos should directly represent or relate to Iowa agriculture and/or Iowa State University.
- Alums may submit up to three photos.
- If any individuals are recognizable in a photo, please ensure you have obtained their permission before submission.

Deadline for submissions is Monday, August 3rd at 11:59 pm. Submission link is in the comments.