Lynn Worley-Davis, who serves as AGI’s livestock and poultry management coordinator, works with students evaluating newly-hatched chicks.
For 65 years, the Agricultural Institute (AGI) at NC State University has shaped the next generation of agricultural leaders, fueling North Carolina’s largest industry. Established in 1959 to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals, AGI provides first-class instruction to students seeking career-driven, hands-on education.
AGI gives students access to the resources of a major land-grant institution, with programs of study leading to an Associate of Applied Science degree. What began as a small but ambitious program has grown into an agricultural training powerhouse, producing 6,285 graduates who have impacted farms, businesses and research institutions across the state and beyond.
“The future of the Agricultural Institute is bright,” says CALS Dean Garey Fox. “The institute is instrumental in supporting an industry that contributes over $100 billion annually to North Carolina’s economy. AGI provides a small-school, family atmosphere with hands-on education, making its 65 years a success.”
Rooted in Career Development
From its first class of 95 students to today’s average enrollment of 330, AGI provides students with a strong foundation. Small classes, personalized instruction and career-ready skills prepare AGI graduates for the workforce.
Complementing its student-centered approach to career readiness, AGI offers Enhancing Academic Success, a course to support academically challenged students and help improve their performance. Course instructors build relationships with students through one-on-one appointments and needs assessments.
“We have created a success plan for students to work through that highlights what they hope to accomplish and reflect on how they hope to improve,” says Alyssa Degreenia, who oversees leadership development within AGI. “We love teaching and want our students to be successful.”
That support primes students to excel after graduation. A 2023 survey of AGI alumni found that about 20% pursued a bachelor’s degree, while most went straight into the workforce.
Graduates take positions with top agricultural employers like the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Murphy Family Ventures, Butterball, Smithfield Foods and AgSouth Farm Credit. Many graduates also become entrepreneurs.
While technical know-how is essential, today’s employers are keen on soft skills like communication, dependability and critical thinking. AGI helps students not only master practical techniques, but also develop the leadership and interpersonal strengths that set them apart in the job market.
“The Agricultural Institute generates motivated, technically skilled and well-connected graduates for the industry,” says AGI Director Lee Ivy. “AGI bolsters the workforce with the latest research-based information and enriches communities with highly productive individuals.”
A Lasting Impact
AGI alumni remain deeply connected to their communities. Of those surveyed in 2023, 84% resided in North Carolina, and many participated in professional associations, town councils and community organizations.
Alumni value the lifelong friendships they build with their peers, faculty and staff. Many credit AGI with introducing them to future employers, business partners and clients — connections that continue to impact their professional lives.
Through more than six decades of change, AGI has remained committed to growing the agricultural workforce, strengthening communities and future-proofing North Carolina’s economy.
Read on to discover how AGI has shaped the lives of students and alumni.
Investing for the Future
Wanting to pay it forward, more alumni are giving back to the next generation of agricultural leaders, including brothers Pender and Alan Sharp, who graduated from AGI in 1971 and 1980, respectively.
In 2022, the Sharps created the Sharp Family Farms Inc. AGI Scholarship to help newly enrolled students from rural North Carolina counties, including Wilson (first preference), Edgecombe, Greene, Johnston, Nash, Pitt and Wayne.
Senior Lecturer Jonathan Phillips discusses production costs in his Introduction to Agricultural and Resource Economics class. Photo credit: Marc Hall.
To support the institute’s meat processing curriculum, the brothers, who also own Flowers Slaughterhouse, created the Flowers Slaughterhouse AGI Scholarship to support students from the same counties majoring in livestock and poultry management who have an interest in meat processing.
“We felt a connection with the university, and we wanted to be a part of its growth, a part of its future, and try to help some kids along the way,” says Pender Sharp.
Additionally, a new initiative spearheaded by AGI Advisory Board Chair John Michael Scott aims to launch the AGI Young Alumni Endowment for first-year student scholarships through contributions from recent AGI alumni.
“We need a way to provide more scholarships for first-year students and a way for the young alumni to give back,” says Scott, who graduated from AGI in 2018. “What’s better than a gift that gives forever?”
