WIU School of Agriculture

WIU School of Agriculture Please feel free to message us with any upcoming events so we can Post & Invite FB friends!

Congratulations to Amanda Niemann for being named a 2026 Eldon E. Witt Ag Ed Scholarship recipient! This scholarship wil...
05/26/2026

Congratulations to Amanda Niemann for being named a 2026 Eldon E. Witt Ag Ed Scholarship recipient!

This scholarship will help fund Amanda's expenses during her semester of student teaching. Amanda will be recognized at the 2026 IAVAT Conference in June.

05/26/2026

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Ingles on the publication of her latest peer‑reviewed article, "Game-Design Based Learning in Engineering Education: Impacts on Career Readiness,” in the Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research. https://doi.org/10.63504/jstem.v27i1.2778

This publication—coauthored with an outstanding interdisciplinary team—adds meaningful insight to how game‑design based learning can strengthen students’ career readiness skills such as teamwork, conflict resolution, and project management.

Dr. Ingles continues to advance her research program while teaching full‑time in the School of Agriculture. Her commitment to integrating experiential learning, reflective practice, and workforce‑aligned skill development impacts young professionals in agriculture and STEM fields.

This work doesn’t just contribute to academic literature—it directly supports students’ preparation for the workforce by helping them build the competencies that matter most to employers.

Congratulations to Dr. Ingles and her collaborators on this important contribution to STEM education and student success!

Even after finals week, the work continues! This week, Dr. Ingles represented the Western Illinois University School of ...
05/22/2026

Even after finals week, the work continues! This week, Dr. Ingles represented the Western Illinois University School of Agriculture at the National AAAE Conference, where she learned from fellow researchers, served as a paper reviewer, and led discussion during a research session.

Dr. Ingles was also recognized with 2nd Runner-up honors for her article, “Reflective Practice in an Experiential Learning Program: An Exploratory Content Analysis of Reflective Writing in Experiential Learning Portfolios,” published in Volume 66 of the Journal of Agricultural Education. This article was co-authored with her Major Professor, Dr. Michael Retallick, at Iowa State University.

Her research focuses on helping future educators become thoughtful, reflective teachers — work that is directly applied in our agricultural education teacher preparation program at Western Illinois University. We are proud to see scholarship that not only contributes to the field of agricultural education, but also strengthens the learning experiences of our students.

Dr. Ingles would like to recognize and thank Dr. Retallick for his support and mentorship in this work. Their article can be found at https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v66i2.3029

It was an honor to stand on stage and celebrate the Western Illinois University School of Agriculture Spring 2026 gradua...
05/16/2026

It was an honor to stand on stage and celebrate the Western Illinois University School of Agriculture Spring 2026 graduates. This talented group represents the passion, leadership, and work ethic that make the future of agriculture so bright. There is no doubt they will go on to do big things and make a lasting impact on the ag industry and their communities.

A huge thank you to our faculty, staff, advisors, administrators, families, and supporters who help make student success possible every day. We are proud to play a small part in preparing the next generation of agricultural leaders. Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

We had a great time hosting Pre-K Ag Day yesterday! 🌱🐑🐄🐖About 20 Pre-K students from St. Paul School joined us for a day...
05/09/2026

We had a great time hosting Pre-K Ag Day yesterday! 🌱🐑🐄🐖

About 20 Pre-K students from St. Paul School joined us for a day of hands-on learning about agriculture. Students learned about sheep, cows, and pigs, listened to Jack and the Beanstalk, planted bean plants to take home, and even made butter!

We are especially proud of our Western Illinois University agriculture students, who planned and coordinated the entire event. This event created a meaningful impact for both our university students and the young learners in our community.

It’s a great day to be a Leatherneck! 💜🌽

April 15th, 2026 was a day to celebrate all of the accomplishments within the WIU School of Agriculture! We were excited...
04/28/2026

April 15th, 2026 was a day to celebrate all of the accomplishments within the WIU School of Agriculture! We were excited to introduce our upcoming 2026–2027 E-Board and express our deepest appreciation for our graduating students, as well as our incredible faculty and staff. We are so thankful for their leadership, dedication, and lasting impact on our school!

Special shoutout to:
- Macomb FFA chapter for serving dinner!
- Illinois Beef Association for donating the prime rib, and HyVee Macomb for the side dishes!
- The Penny for allowing us to use your beautiful venue!
- Lydia Bennet, and the rest of the Banquet Committee, for organizing an amazing event!
- Bloom, Macomb for the beautiful floral centerpieces!

2,000+ miles later and we’re officially back in Macomb. What a way to wrap up an unforgettable Beef Trip.Final Day Highl...
04/28/2026

2,000+ miles later and we’re officially back in Macomb. What a way to wrap up an unforgettable Beef Trip.

Final Day Highlights

We kicked things off with an incredible tour led by WIU Ag alum Emily Fry with Trans Ova Genetics. Students got a firsthand look at how advanced reproductive technologies are shaping the future of the beef industry—learning how Trans Ova works with clients on ET and IVF programs. From sexed semen to embryo transfer and even cloning labs, this stop brought the science behind cattle genetics to life in a big way.

Next stop: Sullivan Supply in Dunlap, IA. Students saw where it all started—touring the storefront along with an impressive warehouse and repair facility that supports show cattle operations across the country. It was a great look at the business side of the industry and what it takes to build a brand that serves producers nationwide.

We wrapped up the trip with Denny Topf, where students toured a 1,200-head feedlot housed in two monoslope buildings. The conversation centered around diversified ag production, making different enterprises cash flow together, and what it takes to successfully manage crop production, a cow-calf operation, and a feedlot in today’s environment.

This trip is about more than miles traveled—it’s about perspective gained. From elite seedstock and show cattle to cutting-edge genetics, supply chains, and commercial production, our students experienced the full scope of the beef industry.

That’s the goal: open eyes to the opportunities, build connections, and help students see where they fit in this industry.

WIU Ag — leave with a network and a career.

Day 3 might be hard to top. The kind of access, insight, and behind-the-scenes learning our students experienced today i...
04/25/2026

Day 3 might be hard to top. The kind of access, insight, and behind-the-scenes learning our students experienced today is exactly why this trip matters.

Stop 1: Reimann Show Cattle
Barry Reimann walked us through what it takes to raise some of the best club calves in the nation. From elite steer and heifer prospects to the practical side of the operation—feeding cows through the winter, backgrounding calves, and finishing those that don’t make the sale cut—students saw the full picture of a high-level, diversified program.

Stop 2: Custom Genetic Solutions
Next, we stepped into the cutting edge of cattle genetics. Students viewed top beef-on-dairy sires, toured a sexed semen lab, and got an inside look at elite bull housing and collection facilities. This is where science and industry demand meet in a big way.

Stop 3: RJ Cattle
Sam shared how they raise and market multi-breed show stock at a high level, utilizing IVF and collaborating with co-op herds. Seeing those elite donor females in person gave students a real appreciation for the genetic power driving today’s industry.

Stop 4: 605 Sires
We wrapped up the day surrounded by top-tier stud bulls including the impressive How Great Thou Art. A great way to connect everything we’ve been learning about genetics, reproduction, and marketing.

A huge thank you to all of our hosts who took the time to invest in our students today. These experiences leave a lasting impact.

We capped it all off with a great meal at 4 Brothers Bar & Grill in Sioux Center, IA, and are gearing up to finish the final leg of our tour tomorrow.

This is more than a trip—it’s students building knowledge, connections, and a future in the beef industry. Stay tuned as we bring it home tomorrow.

04/24/2026

There are countless ways to make an impact—and it starts with what matters most to you. Support the areas that shaped your experience, such as the WIU School of Agriculture, and help create the same opportunities for the next generation.

Make your mark on the programs that made a difference in your life.💜💛

Visit wiu.edu/westernchallenge/

Are you looking for a way to support the School of Agriculture during this WIU Day of Giving? Considering supporting ou...
04/24/2026

Are you looking for a way to support the School of Agriculture during this WIU Day of Giving? Considering supporting our Ag Vocator Team.
https://www.givecampus.com/s/22mlw6

Address

Knoblauch Hall
Macomb, IL
61455

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+13092981080

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