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The University of North Georgia (̨Íåswag) recently established the first chapter of in the South, and ̨Íåswag students quickly made their presence felt in multiple competitions at the PAS 2025 National Conference.

Jacque Conner, Ashley Davis and Alyssa Foster took first place in the nation in the Poultry Specialist career area event, which required the team to take a knowledge test, write a case study report on a real-world issue and give a presentation on a current event after only having 45 minutes to prepare. Additionally, Davis finished as the top individual in the category, with Conner second and Foster third.

Davis and Foster also competed individually in Agriculture Education with Davis landing in fourth and Foster taking eighth over. For this event, they created a lesson plan and gave a teaching demonstration. 

Conner competed in agriculture sales where she created and marketed her own agricultural product, created a company sales plan and took a knowledge test. She placed 10th overall.

"What an amazing experience for our students. They did a great job representing ̨Íåswag at our first National PAS conference," Dr. Linda Purvis, associate professor of biology and faculty advisor of the chapter, said.

Conner, Davis and Foster were among the approximately 500 young professionals from 11 states that gathered at Sheridan College in Sheridan, Wyoming, for the conference.

"By joining this organization, it will allow our students a broader experience in agriculture and more career readiness experiences on a national level. Students will also have access to scholarships through this organization that we would not have otherwise," Purvis said. "Chapters can apply for grant opportunities through PAS that are not available otherwise."

Conner, chapter president, is a senior from Dawsonville, Georgia. She is pursuing an interdisciplinary studies degree with business and natural science concentrations having already earned an associate degree in poultry science. She aspires to enter the live side (preferably hatcheries) of the industry.

"It's a big deal for ̨Íåswag because the chapter is leading the way for the South," she said. "More importantly, it shows that ̨Íåswag is making strides to become more prominent in the agriculture and poultry industries. PAS is a great organization. It helps ag students from across the country by providing scholarships and networking events, among other things."

Foster, who is from Talmo, Georgia, is chapter vice president. She is a sophomore pursuing a degree in middle grades education for agriculture.

Davis hails from Hoschton, Georgia, and is a sophomore pursuing a degree in poultry science. She aspires to work in the poultry science industry or agriculture education.

"This conference absolutely helped me with my career aspirations. Not only did it immerse me in my fields of interest but also opened new doors for me. Originally, my only plan was to pursue something in the poultry industry, but after competing in agriculture education at this conference and thoroughly enjoying it, it really piqued my interest and I am now considering a career in agriculture education," she said. "No matter which path I choose, this conference allowed me to develop my professionalism, communication and problem-solving skills so that I'll be ready for the workplace."

This was Davis’ last time being able to compete on the collegiate level.

"It’s so bittersweet for me personally. If you had asked me last year at this time about being on the team, I would have laughed. But it truly has been one of the best experiences throughout my time in college," she said. "Being able to have hands-on experience with one of the very things I will go onto teach my future students is important."

In addition to the competitions, the students participated in professional workshops to prepare them for their future careers. 

"There are many women who don't realize how many opportunities there are in the poultry industry because it seems male-dominated. My teammates and I and Dr. Purvis work very hard to show that anybody can be successful in this field if you put your mind to it," Conner said. "Honestly, it feels great to be somewhat of a spokesperson on this and hopefully inspire women. I feel like the ag and the poultry industries are both overlooked in general a lot of times, especially by women."

Purvis encourages other institutions in the Southeast to follow our lead and join PAS as it provides a wonderful opportunity for agriculture students.