Released: May 4, 2017
KARL leaders graduate to assist Kansas
Newest class of 30 trained, traveled and listened to different perspectives
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Thirty Kansans recently graduated from the two-year Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership program.
“The Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership Program helped the Class XIII leaders find a way to change their world by building on their integrity, confidence, discipline, professionalism, self-development, global viewpoint and servant ethos,” said Al Davis, president of Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership, Inc. during its last seminar. “Our newest KARL graduates now possess a sense to serve and follow, in order to lead.”
“Rural Kansas, the agricultural industry, our state, nation and world need your leadership…now get to work,” Davis told the class members.
The KARL Program is a two-year educational experience offering intensive study, training and travel for emerging leaders in agriculture and rural communities.
The new leaders participated in nine in-state seminars, plus out-of-state study tours that included a national seminar to study a Fortune 500 corporation, a tour to Washington, D.C. to study decision-making on the federal level and an international study tour to Chile, providing a capstone to the intensive 52-day training spread over two years.
At the final seminar, KARL Board Vice Chairman Jerry McReynolds thanked the more than 1,000 donors who supported the graduating class’s two-year participation: “More than $500,000 was contributed as fellowship support to supplement the tuition paid or raised by class members. This KARL training experience carried a value of over $25,000 per person and four-fifths of that value was contributed through the generous support of our not-for-profit charitable educational organization.”
KARL graduates and spouses, or adult guests become members of the KARL Network, which includes the KARL Graduate Program. That program supports the KARL Program and expands graduates’ networks, plus provides further learning opportunities. Through the graduate program, cultural exchange travel opportunities are available.
The new KARL graduates, alphabetically by last name and their community are: Kellie Allen, Parsons; Lori Bammerlin, Council Grove; Chris Boyd, Medicine Lodge; Barry Brandstetter, Overland Park; Billy Brown, Manhattan; Trista Brown Priest, Satanta; Craig Carnahan, Altamont; Michelle Cerne, Altamont; Nathan Eck, Little River; Andy Fahrmeier, Garden City; Tim Flax, Hays; Matt Foos, Spearville; Frances Gorman Graves, Bartlett; Anna Govert-Young, Cheney; Amy Heinemann, Garden City; Trisha Janssen, Geneseo; Dustin Kuntz, Harveyville; Kathy LaScala, Eudora; Jesse Luckie, Ashland; Laura Moffet, Stockton; Clarke Nelson, Long Island; Brad Parker, Topeka; Shawn Powelson, Scott City; Wyatt Rundel, Wichita; Ben Schrag, Canton; Andrew Sigle, Osborne; Tony Wedel, Moundridge; Nick Weibert, Abilene; LaVell Winsor, Grantville; and Mallory Wittstruck, Beloit.
For more information regarding the new class, alumni, the curriculum and program goals visit the website at www.karlprogram.com/.
-30-
K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan.
Story by:
Mary Lou Peter
mlpeter@ksu.edu
K-State Research and Extension
www.ksre.ksu.edu
For more information:
Al Davis - 785-532-6390 or adavis@ksu.edu
www.karlprogram.com
