BRANSON D. VAN FLEET

 branson d. van fleet

Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership
Agriscience Education 
Pleasant City, OH 

Branson Van Fleet knew he was on the right career path when he participated in a field experience with Mrs. Stephanie Jolliff at Ridgemont High School, working both in her classroom and with the high school’s successful FFA Chapter. He admired the ways Mrs. Jolliff managed her classroom work and FFA events, while balancing her family and farm. Branson considers his greatest accomplishment to be his student teaching experience at Licking Valley High School. He acknowledged feeling a bit apprehensive at first, but his mentor teacher Colton Kreager helped him feel comfortable in the program. Branson reported, “the relationships I have built with both the students and my mentor teacher have made me excited to go to school each day.”

One of the best organizations Branson joined was the Agricultural Education Society, serving in several leadership positions, including president of the organization. He and the executive team planned events, recruited members, and brought in guests from the agriculture industry to speak at meetings. He believes he benefited from other officers’ passion for the club and agriculture industry, and learned the value of working with a strong team of committed people who care. His nominator noted the club also developed new service-learning opportunities and established a collaboration with Purdue University during his tenure.

Internship experiences have offered Branson leadership skills, as well as travel! For the Ohio FFA he served one year as a State Officer. He visited agricultural classrooms across the state to facilitate student leadership development workshops. He spent a summer at Ohio FFA Camp Muskingum in Carrollton, Ohio, where he worked with a team to plan and implement programming to hundreds of students who attended FFA Camp throughout the summer. As a State Fair intern for the Ohio Farm Bureau, he worked with two other interns to design, assemble, staff, and oversee the Land & Living Building at the 2023 Ohio State Fair. Branson also worked with the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) as both a #TeachAG Ambassador and an NAAE Convention Intern. He attended the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, with NAAE as well as NAAE Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. Within CFAES, Branson worked with the Office of Prospective Student Services, which allowed him to connect with over 200 potential future Buckeyes. He believes these experiences have given him skills in leadership, teamwork, public speaking, communication, event planning, and working with youth that will help him become a successful agricultural educator.

Dr. Kellie Claflin has been a great mentor for Branson. She served as faculty advisor to the Agricultural Education Society and supported Branson’s research project. He interviewed agricultural educators in Ohio to study factors that influence teachers to stay or leave the profession.

Branson has accepted a new teaching position at Marysville High School as an agricultural educator and FFA advisor starting in the fall of 2024. He also plans to get his master’s degree.

Service, involvement, and accolades: FFA National Officer Candidate | Dean’s List | CFAES Ambassador | CFAES Office of Prospective Student Services, student visit coordinator | CFAES Student Council