Office of University Communications 

Agriculture department head honored for leadership contribution

SPRINGFIELD — Dr. Anson Elliott, agriculture department head at Missouri State University, was named Agriculture Leader of the Year at the 40^th annual Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture. The title was awarded by Agricultural Leadership of Tomorrow (ALOT), a leadership program representing full-time farmers, agribusiness and other agriculturally-oriented professionals in rural and urban areas.

Elliott has a well-established and long-standing interest in developing agriculture leaders. More than eight years ago, he established a leadership class on campus that he believes helps students develop their own leadership philosophies.

“The most amazing thing about Anson is that he is not only a leader, but he is a trainer of future leaders,” said Dr. Tamera Jahnke, College of Natural and Applied Sciences dean. “Anson’s passion at the university is to not only educate students but, just as importantly, to train and mentor them to be our future leaders.”

Elliott, who came to Missouri State from the University of Minnesota in 1978, became the agriculture department head in 1980. He has served on numerous statewide committees and participated in national organizations, and has received the Distinguished Service Award from the Missouri Farm Bureau. He also received the National Association of Colleges and Universities and Teachers of Agriculture Distinguished Educator Award in 1998.

In fall 2006, Missouri State President Michael T. Nietzel and Missouri Farm Bureau President Charlie Kruse established the Anson Elliott Scholarship for Agricultural Leadership, which will be awarded annually to students at Missouri State who display outstanding academic achievements and demonstrate potential to become future leaders in agriculture.