Jessica Herr, a first-year student at Penn State, has been elected to the National FFA Organization’s officer team as secretary for 2022-23. Herr, who is majoring in agricultural science with a minor in leadership development in the College of Agricultural Sciences, and the other officers were elected in late October during the 95th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana.

“This is a goal I’ve been working toward for a long time, but it couldn’t have happened without countless mentors and past teammates encouraging me every step of the way,” Herr said. “I have gotten to experience true community while wearing the blue corduroy FFA jacket; I’m proud to be part of a community that celebrates, encourages and supports one another. My goal as a national officer is to ensure that every FFA member gets to experience that same community.”

Delegates at the National FFA Convention and Expo annually elect six students to represent the organization as national officers. As they lead the organization during the following year, officers meet business and industry leaders, as well as thousands of FFA members and teachers. They also interact with corporate sponsors, government and education officials, state FFA leaders, and the public.

The officer team leads personal growth and leadership training conferences for FFA members nationwide. They also help set policies that will guide the future of FFA and the next generation of leaders.

Herr described the selection process as intense. Candidates go through seven rounds of interviews, ranging from a one-on-one interview with a member of the nominating committee to facilitated discussions with agricultural industry experts.

Herr said there was even a round where candidates were given a topic for a leadership workshop and asked to design a workshop segment based on the given objectives with just 30 minutes of preparation. Candidates then facilitated the workshop with a group of FFA members.

There were 35 officer team candidates, each representing a different state. The national officer team is decided by a nominating committee comprised of nine FFA members who also go through an extensive interview process.

“FFA is a student-led organization, so national officers help our executive board make decisions about the future of our organization,” said Herr. “They serve as advocates for agricultural education, the agricultural industry and the FFA. This takes place through industry tours with our corporate sponsors, legislative visits and visiting student members across the country.”

Herr noted that she is most excited to experience agriculture in corners of the country that she’s not familiar with and to visit state FFA conventions throughout the year.

Herr, who is from Lancaster County, is a third-generation FFA member.

“My grandpa served as a state officer in 1965-66,” she said, adding that her father and sister also were active FFA members. “We were all members of the Garden Spot FFA chapter at Lampeter-Strasburg High School. It was a natural transition for me to join FFA. I’m taking part in the family tradition and stepping into the rich community that FFA members experience.”

Herr is exploring her career path but is interested in careers in agricultural communications or leadership, specifically in an agricultural youth development organization similar to the FFA.