Tennessee Tech’s Chelsea Doss is the fresh face of today’s FFA and becoming a pathfinder for other students nationwide who seek careers in agriculture.

Doss

Doss breaks many of the old stereotypes of FFA, previously called the Future Farmers of America. The first female national officer from Tennessee didn’t grow up on a farm. In fact, fewer of today’s FFA members live on farms.
 
“I’m not from a farm, although the traditional FFA members were from farms. Today, about 73 percent of our members are not from farms, so we’re taking a non-traditional approach to agriculture,” Doss said.
 
Doss was selected 2009-10 National FFA Southern Region vice president at the organization’s national convention in Indianapolis last month. About 55,000 members attended the convention.
 
The former FFA state president from Eagleville High School is the daughter of Jeff and Beth Doss of Christiana, Tenn.
 
Doss, a junior majoring in agribusiness management, was among six national officers selected at FFA’s convention out of a field of 39. The FFA boasts 500,000 members nationwide.
 
She’ll spend the next year leading the organization, which represents mostly middle and high school students in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
 
Doss will travel extensively across the nation and to Japan during her tenure as a national officer. The work begins almost immediately, after a two-week period to wrap up her classes at TTU. She’ll travel back to Indianapolis for two weeks of training, then to the Tyson Foods headquarters in Arkansas for more training. After that, it’s off to Pasadena, Calif., to be in the Rose Bowl Parade followed by a visit to Washington, D.C. Later next year, she returns to Washington, D.C., to meet President Barack Obama before traveling to Japan to learn about agriculture there.
 
If the pace sounds whirlwind for a girl from Christiana, that’s because it is, Doss said.
 
“This is really the pinnacle of what a student can do within any of the career and technical associations,” Doss said. “I’m thankful that I have teachers and professors who care, parents who encourage me and friends that support me.”
 
The preparation to become a national officer is grueling. Doss spent several hours a day for the last six months preparing herself for the rigorous series of interviews, presentations, speeches and papers she was required to develop while at the convention. Along the way, she traveled to Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Virginia and elsewhere to broaden her knowledge of agriculture.
 
She credits several people for helping her achieve her goal, including TTU alumus and TTU Foundation Board of Directors Chairperson John W. Rose. Doss is recipient of the Jerry and Betty Williams Rose Scholarship, named for John Rose’s parents. In addition to his generous contributions to TTU, Rose also is president of Nashville-based Boson Software LLC. He served as Middle Tennessee state FFA vice president while a student at TTU and paved the way for FFA members such as Doss.
 
“John has made everything possible that I’ve done in FFA beyond high school. Through the scholarship that he provides, I’ve not had to have a job through college. I’ve been able to train, improve, focus on FFA and focus on school. That scholarship has made all the difference,” Doss said. “He has also coached me during my preparation, which has been extremely helpful.”
 
Another major contributor to her success, Doss says, is David Frazier, associate professor of agricultural education. Frazier began teaching at TTU in August after obtaining his doctorate from the University of Missouri in Columbia. Frazier has coached 16 national FFA officers.
 
“Chelsea’s life just changed,” Frazier said. “These officers are the best of the best of half a million students. Chelsea did a phenomenal job. She studied and practiced more than any other candidate that I’ve worked with.”
 
Doss also credits Tennessee Farm Bureau Public Affairs Director Rhedona Rose for her success with FFA. Doss spent last summer as an intern for the Tennessee Farm Bureau.
 
“Learning from her about important ag issues was just invaluable,” Doss said. “The Tennessee Farm Bureau has been very generous in helping me reach this goal. I will always be thankful for that.”
 
Another important factor in Doss’ achievement was her living arrangement for the last three months. She, along with four other students, lives and works on the Oakley Farm in Overton County. TTU leases the farm from Millard and J.J. Oakley for $10 a year. The farm’s 600 head of cattle make it the second largest beef cattle herd in the state.
 
“It was really helpful to be able to tell them in the interview process that, yes, I’ve been out in the field working with cattle day in and day out,” Doss said. “It’s like having a lab in your back yard. You walk out the back door, through our yard and fence, and we’re in the farm.”
 
At the end of her tenure as national officer, Doss receives a $10,000 scholarship and the opportunity to earn more money for school with weekend speaking engagements. She plans to finish her undergraduate degree at TTU, then she’ll consider whether to pursue a master’s degree. Eventually, she’d like to earn a law degree, practice law in a small town and perhaps pursue politics.