Pictured are the 27 DMACC students including Gladbrook’s Lillian Bru (front left) who spent spring break at the 2025 National Professional Agricultural Student Conawference in Sheridan, Wyo. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

SHERIDAN, Wyo. — Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) students were saddled up for success when they ditched spring break in Iowa to journey out west for the 2025 National Professional Agricultural Student conference, held March 16-20 at Sheridan College in Wyoming.

Twenty-seven DMACC students including GMG High School alumna Lillian Bru attended the conference, representing the college’s agribusiness and horticulture programs by competing in Career Program Area events. The various team and individual competitions were specific to students’ career areas of interest, offering members opportunities to enhance and improve their self-confidence, leadership, oral and written communications, organization, information gathering, goal setting, presentation and time management.

In total, 538 students, faculty and staff from 27 colleges and universities were also in attendance at the national conference.

Top-five finishes for DMACC’s CPA entries included:

• Farm Business Management Team – 2nd place

• Floriculture Team – 4th place

• Swine Team – 3rd place

• Jacob Fuller (Osceola) – 2nd place, farm business management; 4th place, employment interview

• Luke Van Essen (Pella) – 5th place, farm business management

• Carter Olson (Ames) – 4th place, floriculture

• Hannah Schilling (Bondurant) – 5th place, floriculture

• Max Havlik (Madrid) – 4th place, landscape

• Nathan Lynch (Boone) – 5th place, swine

• Katie Bryant (Aurelia) – 4th place, agricultural promotion & marketing

• Alexis Cochrane (Bennett) – 4th place, career planning

• Amanda Ostrem (Stanhope) – 2nd place, career progress & 2nd place, prepared speaking

• Lillian Bru (Gladbrook) – 5th place, impromptu speaking

In addition to competitive events, students networked with industry professionals, attended insightful presentations and explored iconic landmarks such as Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial and Devil’s Tower.

The DMACC PAS chapter is guided by student president Caleb Johnson and advisors Andrea Rouse, Emily Campbell, Christina Riessen and Tim Doud.