The Illinois F-F-A Tuesday presented SIU-Carbondale Chancellor Austin Lane with an Honorary State Degree during the Illinois F-F-A Association State Officer meeting on the Carbondale campus.
Trenton Payne from Olney is the Illinois F-F-A State President. He says the student leadership who selected Lane were thrilled to present him with the honor.
"We unfortunately, didn't get to have him at state convention. But, we are lucky enough to have this SIU meeting annually, so we knew we would get the opportunity here today. So, it was a great experience. We note that Chancellor Lane has done so much for the FFA."
Lane says the award means a lot to him.
"I did not have the pleasure, growing up in a very urban environment, to be associated with FFA. So, for me in this role, being here at SIU-Carbondale and having a strong program like we have and for them to recognize me is amazing and pretty emotional."
Lane is one of 29 recipients of this year’s F-F-A’s Honorary State Degree, the organization’s highest recognition for outstanding service to agricultural education and F-F-A programs.
