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Behind the scenes with an ag college trustee

Don Villwock may be new to the role of trustee, but he's a longtime supporter of agriculture education.

Tom J Bechman 1, Editor, Indiana Prairie Farmer

March 11, 2020

3 Min Read
Susan Brocksmith and Don Villwock
NEW AG FACILITY: Susan Brocksmith, chair of the Vincennes University agribusiness program, gives Don Villwock, a new trustee, a tour of the VU Agricultural Center.

Don Villwock is one of Indiana’s newest college trustees. But the Edwardsport, Ind., farmer is no stranger to supporting agriculture programs at the university level. Today, he’s a trustee for Vincennes University and still is on special assignment for Karen Plaut, dean of the Purdue University College of Agriculture.

Here’s an Indiana Prairie Farmer interview with Villwock that provides insight into why he believes his time is well spent working with universities.

How did you become a trustee at Vincennes University? There are 10 trustees for Vincennes University. The president of the university, Chuck Johnson, makes recommendations to the governor, and the governor makes the official appointment. At Vincennes, all trustees are appointed by the governor.

Johnson was interested in seeking someone in agriculture to fulfill an opening. He believes agriculture is an important part of the mission for Vincennes University. There were currently no trustees representing agriculture. Gov. Eric Holcomb appointed me, and I began my duties in December 2019.

Based on what you know, what are the duties of a trustee? The board of trustees accepts and approves the budget. But here, at least, the role for the board is much broader. We have input into the curriculum, and we also approve large capital funds and building projects. The administration looks to us for guidance on strategic planning going forward.

What’s the status of the agriculture program at VU? It’s strong and growing stronger. A new facility which brings various aspects of the university’s ag education functions under one roof opened in August 2019. The two-year transfer program for students who start at a school with smaller class size, then transfer to Purdue to complete a four-year degree, remains strong. In addition, students can obtain a four-year Vincennes degree in agribusiness.

The university is one of 16 locations in the U.S. which offer a two-year training program for students who want to become John Deere technicians.

What things besides agriculture make VU important to Indiana? VU has a strong relationship with Toyota, which has a manufacturing plant in Gibson County. VU has one of the top training programs for robotics in manufacturing in the country. Toyota sends employees to VU for training.

The university also is well-respected nationally for work in teaching coal mining technology. Much of that happens at a separate location at Fort Branch.

There is also a satellite campus for VU at Jasper which attracts many students. VU cooperates with the Dubois County Soil and Water Conservation District to demonstrate resource stewardship practices on land owned by VU.  

How far back do your efforts go in supporting agriculture education? I was one of many people who urged Purdue to establish the Southwest Purdue Ag Center at Vincennes. The new VU ag facility is located at SWPAC. It includes space for a food safety research and teaching program, which focuses on food safety in melons and vegetable crops. That helps address special needs of farmers in southern Indiana.

Will you continue to work with Purdue? Yes. One of my responsibilities is matching students without farm experience with growers willing to hire students for an internship experience. Companies tell us they value hands-on ag experience in potential employees. This program helps provide firsthand experience to students without a farm background.

About the Author

Tom J Bechman 1

Editor, Indiana Prairie Farmer

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