NDSU Student Elected National FFA Central Region Vice President

North Dakota State University student Teagan Erbele will represent the Central States on the National FFA Officer Team after being elected National FFA Central Region Vice President on Saturday, Oct. 24, during the 99th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis.

Erbele, an agriculture education major at NDSU and Agriculture Ambassador, is from Lehr, North Dakota, and is a former member of the Napoleon FFA Chapter. Her election marks a historic milestone for North Dakota, as the state has not had a National FFA Officer since the 2001-02 officer team.

Through her studies in agriculture education and involvement as an Agriculture Ambassador at NDSU, Erbele continues to build her passion for agriculture, education and developing future leaders.

Her FFA journey began when her parents encouraged her to attend livestock judging practices. Although she initially wanted to quit, encouragement from her advisor, Mr. Schneider, helped her stay involved. She eventually developed a passion for FFA and became involved in livestock judging, public speaking and many other competitions. She then went on to hold different leadership positions in her FFA chapter, like treasurer and president, and eventually served as North Dakota’s State Secretary in 2024-25.

Those experiences helped shape her decision to pursue national office.

“FFA has done so much in my life, and I wanted the opportunity to serve many people and continue giving back,” Erbele said.

The national officer selection process began on Oct. 17 and included multiple rounds of interviews with the nominating committee. Each round varied in its expectations, with candidates spending approximately an hour total with the committee throughout the process. Erbele also had the opportunity to connect with other candidates and build relationships along the way.

Throughout her journey, Erbele credits her brother, Trenton, as one of her biggest influences. She admires his ability to encourage others, build relationships and continually find ways to serve the people around him.

As a national officer, Erbele hopes to bring that same encouragement to FFA members across the country.

“Every event I did, I was scared. You only grow if you do it scared,” Erbele said.

Erbele also hopes to help members recognize the potential they have and the opportunities available to them throughout FFA.

She often relates this goal to an experience she had while visiting the Middle East this past summer. During the olive harvest, local farmers invited families and community members to help shake olive trees so ripe olives could be collected before the harvest window passed.

Erbele sees a similar opportunity in the role of a national officer. Teachers, stakeholders and agriculture supporters work year-round to create opportunities for students. National officers have one year to build on those efforts, encourage members and help them recognize their potential.

Through her year of service, Erbele hopes to help members find their place in FFA, discover their interests and take advantage of the opportunities available to them.

Her election is a significant accomplishment for Erbele, North Dakota FFA and the NDSU community. As she begins her year of service, she will carry her North Dakota roots and experiences to the national level while encouraging members across the country to step outside their comfort zones, embrace new opportunities and continue growing through FFA.