Campbell University sophomore Christopher Bell was one of only 3,000 members out of 500,000 to receive the Future Farmers of America American Degree award. The equivalent of the Boy Scouts of America’s Eagle Scout award, the FFA American Degree was instrumental in helping Bell, a government major, to attend the national FFA convention in Indianapolis in October and serve as one of eight convention hosts.”It was really an honor to be selected as a convention host,” said Bell. “It was a great opportunity for networking with members of the Fortune 500 companies represented at the conference.”As a convention host, Bell served as a tour guide to CEOs and representatives of companies like Kraft Foods, John Deere International, Land O’Lakes and Case International. The companies sponsor various FFA initiatives such as career development programs, scholarship programs, leadership programs and others.Bell, who was raised on a farm near Shawboro, N.C., believes in the importance of organizations like FFA.”The best thing we can do is to prepare agriculturists for the future,” he said. “Whether they are aqua culturists, horticulturists or in landscape management, professionals in this field need to know how developing technologies can support farming into the next generation. For example, how new fuels like ethanol point to a brighter future for farmers.”An FFA member since high school, Bell served as a state officer within the North Carolina FFA where he led over 17,000 members statewide and became eligible to receive his FFA American Degree. Upon graduation from Campbell, Bell said he would like to lobby for agriculture either at the state or national level or work for the FFA Foundation.”I originally joined the FFA because of the organization’s leadership aspect,” Bell said. “They teach agriculture in the classroom, but the main focus is on leadership. Farming is the basis of sustainability in society. We would be nowhere without agriculture.”Bell is a member of Campus Crusade for Christ and the Young Republicans at Campbell.Photo Copy: Christopher Bell
Bell attains Future Farmers of America award