RyLee Demianew | Agriculture Science Major | Pendleton, Oregon
Minors in Agriculture Education and Leadership | Class of 2026
Ag Ed Club President | Order of Omega Vice-President
NAAE National Teach Ag Ambassador | National FFA American Degree
Rooted in Community
I’ve always been really people-oriented, and some of my favorite moments are when I get to connect with others and build community. Growing up visiting my grandparents’ sesquicentennial farm gave me a front-row seat to how agriculture is more than just work; it’s part of family, tradition, and who we are. Seeing the care and dedication that went into that farm sparked my passion for agriculture and inspired me to share that passion with others.
I’m passionate about teaching, promoting agricultural literacy, and helping students find their own place in this field. I love teaching, mentoring, traveling to events and conferences to gain more knowledge on the ag industry, and being involved on campus. Outside of school, I love going camping with my family and fishing with my friends. These things help me relax and reconnect with the people who matter most. Whether I’m working with future agriculture teachers, visiting classrooms, or connecting with peers, I love seeing people light up when they learn something new about agriculture. That excitement is what keeps me motivated every day.
The Path I Chose
I chose agricultural education because it perfectly combines two things I love, agriculture and teaching. Growing up in Eastern Oregon, I saw firsthand how important agriculture is to our communities, but I also noticed how disconnected many people are from where their food comes from. I want to be someone who helps bridge that gap through education. As a future high school agriculture teacher, I hope to inspire students to become confident leaders, informed consumers, and passionate advocates for agriculture. I believe my work will impact society by strengthening agricultural literacy, supporting rural communities, helping students see their potential, and giving them a platform to succeed.
More Than a Degree
My major has truly opened more doors than I ever imagined. I’ve had the opportunity to travel to Indianapolis for the National FFA Convention as a National #TeachAg Ambassador through the NAAE, where I represented Oregon State on a national stage. In December, I also had the privilege of attending the National Association of Agricultural Education (NAAE) Conference in Nashville, Tennessee after Sidney Liles and I wrote a high school lesson plan about becoming an agriculture teacher that was selected as the national winner.
More Than Experiences
I’ve also been an intern with Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom for the past year and a half, where I work directly with teachers and students across the state to bring agriculture into elementary classrooms. I’ve helped develop lesson materials, assisted with outreach events, and supported teachers who may not have a strong agriculture background. One of the most meaningful honors I’ve received recently was earning my FFA American Degree, which represented years of hard work, dedication, and commitment to agriculture and leadership. The most valuable part of all of these experiences has been seeing the impact that agricultural education has on students, and the most fun has been traveling, meeting passionate educators from all over the country, and realizing just how connected and supportive the ag education community truly is.
Moments That Mattered
The College of Agricultural Sciences has given me so many hands-on opportunities that have helped me grow both as a student and as a future teacher. Being part of the Leadership Academy, getting involved in different student organizations, serving as an OSU Teach Ag Ambassador, and helping restart the Agricultural Education Club gave me real hands-on experience working with peers who share my passions, and make a difference on campus and across the state through promoting agricultural education.
Outside of AgSci, my sorority and my membership in the Greek honor society, Order of Omega, added another layer to my OSU experience. These communities pushed me to grow as a leader and helped me build connections across campus. One of my favorite memories was participating in and winning the OSU Sing contest with my chapter. Another really special opportunity was being selected for the OSU Homecoming Court. It was such a cool experience to represent the College of Agricultural Sciences, meet university leaders, and help showcase all that OSU does for its students. It truly made me proud to be a Beaver.
All of these experiences together have helped me build confidence, find my voice, and understand what it means to be part of a supportive, service-minded community. They’ve taught me how to lead with integrity and prepared me for the responsibilities I’ll have as a future educator.
Ambassador for Ag
Being an OSU Teach Ag Ambassador has given me so many opportunities to get out into the community and make a difference in agricultural education. I’ve taught lessons about agriculture education to classrooms across the state, attended FFA events, and represented Oregon State at the Oregon FFA State Convention. While doing this, I not only get to share my passion for agriculture, but I also promote OSU and show students the opportunities they could have here. Getting to connect with students and future educators while highlighting what OSU has to offer has been an amazing part of this role and really shows why agricultural education matters to me.
Built by Experience
In five years, I see myself teaching high school agricultural science and advising an FFA chapter. I want to create a classroom where students feel supported, capable, and connected to agriculture—whether they grew up around it or are just discovering it for the first time. The part I’m most excited about is helping students grow as leaders and gain confidence in their own abilities.
The College of Agricultural Sciences has been a huge part of shaping that vision. Through hands-on classes, leadership opportunities, and real-world experiences, AgSci has given me both the technical knowledge and practical skills I need to succeed as a teacher. The mentors, peers, and experiences I’ve had here have helped me grow into the educator I hope to be in the classroom.
Strength in Support
Balancing school, work, leadership roles, sorority life, and personal commitments has been one of the hardest parts of my time at Oregon State. Because I planned to complete my degree in three years, I put a lot of pressure on myself to make the absolute most out of every opportunity I had. There were seasons where my schedule felt nonstop, and truthfully, there were times when I took on too much and didn’t handle everything as well as I wanted to. What kept me grounded were the friendships I built in my classes, through my sorority, and across campus. Having people who truly understood what I was juggling made a huge difference.
The biggest reason I was able to push through those moments was my support system. My friends, classmates, and especially my professors and mentors stepped in to encourage me when I was overwhelmed and helped me recognize when I needed to slow down. Even when I fell short or felt like I failed, those moments became some of my biggest learning experiences. Through it all, I learned how to prioritize what truly matters, set healthier boundaries, and give myself grace when things weren’t perfect. Those lessons didn’t just help me survive college, they shaped the way I want to live, lead, and teach in the future.
Stronger Together
If I could change one thing, I would love to see even more collaboration between the College of Agricultural Sciences and other colleges across campus. Agriculture connects to so many different fields like education, business, engineering, natural resources, and public health, and I think bringing more of those areas together would create really meaningful learning experiences for students.
For future agriculture teachers, getting to work alongside students in education and STEM programs would better reflect what real-world agriculture looks like. Whether that’s designing lessons that combine science and ag technology, talking through policy issues with social science students, or partnering with engineering students on ag innovations, those kinds of connections would help prepare us for the complex world of agriculture we’re stepping into. OSU already does a great job encouraging collaboration, but expanding these opportunities even more could make the student experience even stronger and help future teachers like me bring a more well-rounded perspective back to our classrooms.
Belonging and Becoming
A defining moment for me was running for an Oregon FFA State Officer position my senior year of high school. The whole process pushed me way outside of my comfort zone and challenged me in ways I had never experienced before. Making it as a top-ten candidate showed me just how much I had grown as a leader, a communicator, and a person because of FFA. Even though I didn’t end up serving as a state officer, the experience taught me resilience, confidence, and how to handle both success and disappointment with grace.
FFA truly changed my life. It gave me a place to belong, helped me find my voice, and showed me the impact I could have through leadership and service. Through FFA, I gained the confidence to speak in front of others, lead teams, and step into opportunities I never would have imagined for myself. That experience is what sparked my love for agricultural education and helped set the foundation for the path I’m on today.
Guided to Grow
My biggest advice to incoming students is to take every opportunity you’re given and truly get to know the faculty in your department. One of the biggest blessings of my college experience has been finding a mentor. For me, that has been Dr. Josh Stewart in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Agriculture Education Department. I actually met him my senior year of high school when he was observing a student teacher at my school, and from that moment on, he has supported me every step of the way.
Over the past three years at OSU, he has helped me plan to graduate in three years with my bachelor’s degree, guided me in restarting the Agricultural Education Club, served as my Leadership Academy mentor, told me about the NAAE Ambassador Program, and helped prepare me for the accelerated master’s program that I’ll be starting this spring. Having a mentor who believes in you and pushes you to be better truly changes your college experience. It would be my wish that every OSU student finds a mentor to help them throughout their time at OSU and beyond.