Matt Kreifels, a Husker faculty member who has spearheaded major advances in Nebraska agricultural education, has received the National FFA Alumni and Supporters Outstanding Achievement Award. This award is the highest honor presented by the organization and recognizes exceptional leadership and service to agriculture education and FFA.
“They surprised me with the state-level award,” said Kreifels, program coordinator for agriculture education in the Department of Agriculture Leadership, Education and Communication (ALEC). “I didn’t know they forwarded that nomination to the national level, so when I got the phone call... It was another shock and surprise, and a huge honor.”
Kreifels said the honor carries extra weight because it comes from people devoted to supporting ag teachers and local programs. “They exist to serve ag education, so being recognized by them is humbling—and it motivates me to strive for more, knowing that they put their trust in me to represent them for the 2025 award year.”
Agriculture education plays a vital role in Nebraska, and Kreifels said it’s important for people to understand what the program actually does. “Agriculture education exists in middle and high schools across the country,” he said. Teachers trained through the ALEC program can “really help inspire young people to learn about agriculture for the purpose of either preparing them to enter the career related to agriculture, food, or natural resources, or be informed consumers as they make decisions throughout their life.”
Because Nebraska’s No. 1 industry is agriculture, the work these teachers do and the work of those who prepare them has an impact that stretches far beyond the classroom. That’s why the award felt especially meaningful to Kreifels.
A full circle in FFA and ag education
Kreifels grew up with an agricultural background in Syracuse, Nebraska, and was active in the FFA throughout high school. After graduating from UNL, he returned to the classroom to teach ag education for nine years at Blair Public Schools. Those years gave him a clear understanding of what ag teachers balance in their professional lives.
An ag teacher is responsible for the classroom, for FFA and for ag-focused activities for students without an agriculture background, he said. As a result, ag educators have “a very unique position within a school system as a very unique approach to teaching students
Kreifels’ experience as a student, teacher, advisor and now educator of future teachers gives him a comprehensive perspective. His work now focuses on preparing the educators who will shape the next generation of students entering agriculture, natural resources, and food systems.
Accomplishments that strengthened the field.
During his time at UNL, Kreifels has helped lead several initiatives that have strengthened agriculture education, FFA, and beyond.
- Teachers Fellows Development Program (TFDP): The program connects faculty members with new teachers during their first few years of work. Fellows also partner with a neighboring school district to collaborate and support teacher development.
- SAE for All: Kreifels helped expand Supervised Agricultural Experiences to ensure all students—not just those with ag backgrounds—had access to work-based learning.
- Expansion of ag education programs: “When I started at the university, there were 133 schools,” he said. “We have 218 schools across Nebraska that offer these programs.”
- Transitional Certification Program: Kreifels helped form a pathway allowing individuals with ag-related degrees to begin teaching while completing required coursework through UNL.
A Mentoring Approach
Kreifels said there is no uniform approach when preparing future teachers.
“It can’t be a cookie-cutter approach,” he said, “We don’t want every teacher to come out of our program exactly the same and with exactly the same skill sets and strengths.”
Every teacher enters the program with individual strengths and interests. “Programs require different people across the state of Nebraska,” he said, “so we mentor teachers to really try to help them lean into their strengths.”
ALEC works to address the wide range of student interests from animal science to entrepreneurship to horticulture. “We try to pair their passions with the awesome resources within CASNR,” he said.
What Excites Him Moving Forward
After nearly 25 years in the profession, Kreifels said he still feels excited about the future of agriculture education, FFA, and working with others.
Over the past 15 years, “we’ve seen an explosion of interest in ag education and FFA across Nebraska,” he said. “I am excited for the team we have at the university and the good partners across the state; the sky is the limit.”
With agriculture remaining Nebraska’s largest industry, Kreifels sees tremendous opportunity in supporting the teachers who support students.
He has always believed in the power of ag education and sees the profound impact a teacher can have. It’s the reason he committed to helping shape opportunities for others.
“If we make a huge impact for teachers,” he said, “we’re going to make an even bigger impact for students.”
