Alumni Spotlight

Name: Jake Worcester

Current Title: Vice President of Development

Organization: National 4-H Council

Majors: B.S. Agricultural Economics (2001)

K-State College of Ag is proud to recognize alumni from all departments who continue to pursue their passion in their respective fields. It is through experience that we continue to grow as individuals and stewards of the industry. Through those experiences, we hope to be a continued resource for the next generation of K-State students to lean on for advice and continue to build our network!

Why did you choose your major, and how did it prepare you for your career?

I was interested in agriculture. I always knew I wanted to be an ag student, and ag economics felt like the perfect fit for a kid who was good at math but still figuring out what he wanted to do, something I could enjoy. And it worked out-I loved it. It was great. What’s been most important about my education isn’t necessarily the specific things I learned, but that I learned how to learn. It challenged me to think differently and broaden my perspective about the world and the problems we had to solve.

What is your current role, and what do you do?

I’m currently the vice president of development for the National 4-H Council, which means I get to wake up every day thinking about how we raise the funds and resources we need to fuel the work that 4-H does for our 6 million youth across the country.

What has your career path looked like so far?

I’ve been fortunate in my career to do some fun and diverse things. I’ve had jobs in multiple sectors—I’ve worked in the public sector, in government and in an entrepreneurial environment. I even started my career at one of the Big 4 consulting firms. But I found my passion in philanthropy and the nonprofit world. None of those roles were necessarily the plan when I was in college, but I figured out pretty quickly that the opportunity to put my skills to use in an organization where I got to work with people, think strategically and solve problems mattered more than exactly what the business was. What mattered was that it was the right people and the right kind of work that got me excited.

Why did you choose K-State and the College of Agriculture?

I was one of those western Kansas kids who didn’t consider a lot of other options. I loved K-State. It was the place I felt at home. I was fortunate to come here in high school when I was active in FFA and other organizations that got me to campus. I immediately felt a connection. The faculty here, people like Dave Mugler, who was the associate dean when I came to K-State, sealed the deal for me. I just never really considered anything else.

What class had the greatest impact on your career path?

I’m far from the first person to say they loved agricultural policy with Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh, but it was my favorite course at K-State. It was interesting to me, the topics were interesting, and the way Dr. Flinchbaugh engaged the class was wonderful. But more than that, it caused me to think differently about the world, how things work, and what we needed to do in the ag industry when it came to the practical realities of getting things done. That’s been applicable in everything I’ve done. I often think about Dr. Flinchbaugh and the way he talked about challenges when I’m approaching problems today, whether they’re true policy problems or just the realities of our work life.