
Richland Community College is pleased to announce the participants of the FY2023 agricultural education pre-service internship program. The initiative was identified as a need by agricultural education organizations in Illinois and the Illinois State Board of Education as a way to address the teacher shortage gap. View Quick Facts. Frequently Asked Questions. This grant program is funded through the Agricultural Education Line Item in the ISBE budget.
Richland Community College is administering the nine-week summer internship program that is designed to recruit and retain agricultural educators. Through work-based learning experiences, the internship program will develop the pre-service teachers’ technical skills which will be critical to their success.
The following selected participants are pursuing a bachelor’s in agricultural education and are committed to becoming a high school agricultural teacher and FFA advisor:
Jack Applebee (Southern Illinois University)
Sophia Biehl (Southern Illinois University)
Jessica Carlson (Joliet Junior College)
Katie Cole (University of Illinois)
Zoey Dye (University of Illinois)
Laurel Keyt (Western Illinois University)
Adelaide Linehan (Western Illinois University)
Kadie Pierson (Lake Land College)
Christina White (University of Illinois)
Keely Wixted (Joliet Junior College)
If you would like more information about the agricultural programs at Richland Community College, contact Jess Smithers at 217-875-7211, ext. 6223, or Dave Shiley at 217-875-7211, ext.6408.
Jess Smithers, Director of Agricultural Programs
Richland Community College
Decatur, IL
(217) 875-7211, Ext. 6223
jsmithers@richland.edu
(sent to all contacts, administrators, counselors)
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Dean Dittmar
Facilitating Coordination in Ag Education (FCAE)
Phone: 217-893-0091 Cell: 618-604-1622
Email: ddittmar@ILAgEd.org
Address: 3358 Big Pine Trail , Champaign, IL 61822