Each year, Northeast Community College recognizes the vital role that women play in agriculture and honors one individual during its AgCeptional Women’s Conference in the fall.
Nominations are being accepted for the 2023 AgCeptional Woman of the Year Award, which will be presented during the 15th annual AgCeptional Women’s Conference on Friday, Nov. 17, in the Lifelong Learning Center at Northeast Community College in Norfolk. The recipient will be featured in a video tribute.
Tara Smydra, dean of science, technology, agriculture and math, said she looks forward to honoring all women in the industry during the annual event.
“This will be our 15th annual conference, and we are looking forward to honoring our outstanding women of agriculture. An AgCeptional woman is someone who has made exceptional contributions to agriculture. The term AgCeptional pertains to any aspect of agriculture where excellence is demonstrated,” Smydra said. “By design, there are no specific criteria that must be followed in order to nominate someone for the AgCeptional Woman of the Year Award. You simply have to believe that a woman is ‘AgCeptional’ and then tell us why.”
Anita Keys of Elsmere was named the 2022 AgCeptional Woman of the Year during last year’s conference. Other past honorees include Joan Ruskamp of Dodge (2021), Lisa Kruger of Columbus (2020), Lisa Lunz of Wakefield (2019), Shana Beattie of Sumner (2018), Liz Doerr of Creighton (2017), Anne Meis of Elgin (2016), Karen Grant of Meadow Grove (2015), Dawn Winkelbauer of Norfolk (2014), Jan Frenzen of Fullerton (2013), Nancy Kirkholm of Homer (2012), Jan Miller of Belden (2011) and Bonnie Schulz of Battle Creek (2010).
The deadline for nominating the 2023 AgCeptional Woman of the Year recipient is Sunday, April 30. Nomination forms are available online at neccweb.azureedge.net/documents/agceptional/NominationForm.pdf. To learn more about the AgCeptional Women’s Conference, visit northeast.edu/events/agceptional.
For more information, contact Karmen Hake at khake1@northeast.edu or call 402-844-7181.
