Ag educator is NCTA recruiter

August 6, 2018

By Mary Crawford, NCTA News

An ag educator knows what it takes to attract young minds into an agricultural career.

The newest college recruiter for the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis is Juliana Krotz Kroeger, who majored in agricultural education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The Kansas native whose family farmed along the Nebraska-Kansas border joined the NCTA staff in June as the assistant recruiting coordinator. She joins Emily Griffiths on the NCTA outreach team.

“Juliana’s experience in student outreach coupled with her enthusiasm and passion for agricultural education will be extremely valuable as she connects with prospective student groups across the state,” said Griffiths, NCTA recruiting coordinator.

“She has a deeply-rooted understanding of the important role that agriculture and veterinary technology careers contribute to the industry and workforce of Nebraska,” she added.

Kroeger was a student teacher at Adams Central High School in Hastings last fall, before graduating with high distinction from UNL’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Her minor was in animal science.

Still part of the University of Nebraska system on the NCTA Aggie team, Kroeger speaks to high school students about a variety of career opportunities in NCTA’s two-year degree programs in agriculture or veterinary technology.

“I am really excited to share my passion for agriculture and education with students and encouraging them to pursue a degree beyond high school,” Kroeger says.

When school sessions start later this month, she will be on the front lines visiting high schools or college fairs.

“It’s during that outreach I share about NCTA’s great programs and career opportunities, both in urban and rural settings.”

She is setting up her outreach schedule now by contacting agricultural educators, guidance counselors and college fairs.

Agriculture and youth are topics she knows well after her career at Republic County High School in  Belleville, Kansas where she was an FFA officer for three years.

“I am excited to use my connections with Nebraska and Kansas agriculture teachers to help communicate and recruit quality students for NCTA,” Kroeger says.

Aggie outreach includes staffing the NCTA booth at the Nebraska State Fair, Husker Harvest Days and then Ak-Sar-Ben, all events in the Grand Island area.

Kroeger's NCTA office is located nearby at Dannebrog where, in her free time, she assists her husband in the family farm enterprise.

Griffiths, who is based at the NCTA campus in Curtis, and Kroeger are dividing outreach opportunities in western and eastern Nebraska, and in surrounding states, which includes a continued presence at the National FFA Convention.

Kroeger's collegiate career at UNL has prepared her well for national outreach, with her highlights which include receiving an American FFA degree in 2015, serving as a Nebraska Wheat Board student ambassador, working with the CASNR Ag Education and Tractor Restoration clubs, and being a CASNR student ambassador.

To contact Kroeger or Griffiths, see ncta.unl.edu or call 1-800-3CURTIS.