Jackrabbits Now and Then
Jackrabbits Now: Becky Cronk
Current job title: Agriculture, food and natural resources educator and FFA advisor
Graduation years: Agricultural education, communication, leadership – agricultural education specialization (2016 B.S.), agricultural education (2026 M.S.)
Hometown: Armstrong, Iowa
Current City: Watertown, Minnesota
Q: Why did you choose SDSU?
A: I chose SDSU because it had the small town feel. SDSU also has a reputation for being an excellent agriculture college and I wanted to learn here.
Q: What or who inspired you to pursue your career path?
A: I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. I had a passion for agriculture but didn't know if I could be an agriculture teacher since my high school didn't have an agriculture program growing up. My roommate my first year at SDSU encouraged me to give it a try and I haven't looked back since.
Q: What was your research focus?
A: The research I did for my master's program was on how to effectively give direction sets in a lab setting. I chose this because I was frustrated that my students struggled to follow step by step processes and I wanted to find a better way to teach them.
Q: What was your most impactful experience at SDSU?
A: My most impactful experience was a service-learning trip to Belize my junior year. While there, I got to teach a lesson to high school students about how to do soil nutrient testing. I still do that lesson in my classes! It was my first experience teaching students who spoke a different language than me, which I do regularly now.
Jackrabbits Then: Sara Colombe
Current job title: Agriculture teacher
Graduation years: Agricultural education, communication, leadership – agricultural education specialization (2016 B.S.), agricultural education (2018 M.S.)
Hometown: Little Falls, MN
Current City: Millbank, SD
Q: What or who inspired you to pursue your career path?
A: I was very active in Minnesota 4-H. I loved the demonstration project and enjoyed educating people about agriculture. My SDSU field experience teachers Dan Robbins, Kelly Keller and Mark Ketelhut, inspired me to journey along the high school education career path. SDSU agricultural education professors Amy Smith and Scott Smalley were also great role models who helped me navigate the education specialization instead of other options.
Q: What was your most impactful experience at SDSU?
A: Getting to be involved in campus groups was my most impactful experience at SDSU. I didn’t have a vehicle, so I stayed on campus many weekends. Being part of the Pride of the Dakotas enabled me to get more involved with SDSU activities and meet more people.
Q: How did SDSU prepare you for life after graduation?
A: I didn’t know any South Dakota agricultural educators since I came from Minnesota. Participating in South Dakota Agricultural Educators’ professional development opportunities and field experiences enabled me to establish a professional network. This was very beneficial, as I could ask any South Dakota agriculture educator for advice or questions.
