FERRUM REPRESENTED AT FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA

November 13, 2003

       Ferrum College presented a booth   for the fourth straight year at the 76th annual national Future Farmers of America Convention in Louisville, KY on October 29 th through November 1 st .    The event caters to over 51,000 high school students and vocational-agriculture teachers.

         Ferrum was one of several hundred participants in the Convention's annual Career Show.   Other participants included state-funded agricultural universities including VA Tech and NC State, major auto manufacturers, textbook publishers, branches of the armed forces and multi-national agri-businesses such as Case IH, John Deere, Monsanto and ADM.

         Assistant Professors of Agriculture Dr. Daryl Nash and Dr. George Byrd brought students Jamie Morton, Derek Ritenour, and alumnus and Agriculture Alumni president Sam Goin to the event.

         At the FFA Convention sophomore agriculture education major Derek Ritenour received his American Farmer Degree.   This is the highest award that can be achieved by FFA members, with total FFA membership over 450,000 nationwide . Less than 1/2 of 1 percent of all FFA members nationally win this award each year. Derek was one of 44 FFA members from Virginia to win this award in 2003. Derek was the Treasurer in the Virginia State FFA officer team last year.

      Ferrum College is a four-year, private, co-educational, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Ferrum offers a choice of nationally recognized bachelor’s degree programs at a cost well below the national average for private colleges. For more information on Ferrum, visit www.ferrum.edu. # # #