Blake Webel is currently a freshman at Iowa State University where he is majoring in animal science. Blake grew up on a small farm in Arcadia, Indiana where he started off showing horses and then quickly adventured into livestock as well. This began his passion for the animal agriculture industry and allowed him to meet Dr. Jodi Sterle, who encouraged him to visit Iowa State University.
Blake started off his freshman year strong by becoming a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity as well as serving as the CALS representative for the Swine Production Advocates club. He is a member of Block & Bridle where he is on the committee of their Proven to Win Pig Sale. Blake does all of this, along with his classes, while working part time for Iowa Select Farms in Ellsworth, Iowa where he is responsible for completing daily chores and data collection. Blake was also proud to make the Dean’s List his first semester.
After all of that it is no wonder that Blake received the, highly honorable, Rich & Nancy Degner Scholarship this past fall. Rich & Nancy Degner are both proud graduates of Iowa State and saw the need to recruit the students that will be the future leaders of the animal industry and created the scholarship with that in mind. Their scholarship is not based on financial need or merit, in fact there’s not even an application. It is a scholarship for recruiters to offer to students they see with potential to make an impact on Iowa State and animal agriculture, and that was exactly what they saw in Blake.
He is looking forward to completing an internship with Prairie View Ag Supply in Frankfort, Indiana this summer where he will be learning about the daily operations of the feed store as well as caring for goats and cattle. After receiving his B.S. in animal science, Blake aspires to continue his education on to receive a PhD in a swine related field of study.
Blake's advice to other students:
“Be open to any opportunity, take chances and get out of your comfort zone. Don’t let the fear of mistakes hold you back because it is the only way you are going to learn.”