BVU Director of Ag: A Wearer of Many Hats
Rich Crow leads a growing BVU Ag Institute while teaching, directing an FFA chapter, and officiating three sports.
When Rich Crow steps on a football field, he generally dons a white hat, the color reserved for the lead referee, or the crew chief, of an officiating crew. He keeps a black hat in his duffle bag, however, as he sometimes works as a line judge, umpire, or back judge.
It’s an illustration of Crow’s career, really, one of many hats.
BVU’s Director of the Institute for Agriculture, Crow coordinates agriculture programming while teaching, recruiting, and helping place students in internships and careers; all part of the work in a program that has gone from infancy three years ago to nearly 40 students in a variety of majors.
Crow might accompany a group of students to BVU’s Agricultural Experiment Station (AES), visit with a prospective student about BVU’s livestock show team or its rodeo team, and attend an administrative development meeting; all within the span of two hours. He also teaches an ag class at BVU and a pair of ag classes at Storm Lake St. Mary’s High School, where he serves as the FFA Chapter Advisor.
“One of my favorite parts of this role at BVU is that no two days are ever the same,” Crow says. “Being in the college and high school classrooms, as well as on the athletic fields with the students, helps to keep me focused on what the Institute for Agriculture at BVU is all about: building our students' future, one experience at a time.”
Students also want to be at BVU’s AES, which is managed by Mike Christen, BVU Ag Institute Land Manager. Students have helped harvest corn and soybeans the past two autumn seasons. They’ve also played roles in the calving process the past two spring seasons. Ag students have recently purchased calves and are working with fellow BVU students in the entrepreneurial program to market the animals.
“Students at BVU and at St. Mary’s High School are engaged and want to learn about agriculture, making it a thrill for me to serve them,” Crow continues. “We have such a great partner in Mike, who is eager to see our students experience all facets of agriculture as they grow. We’ve made the AES very student-centered and welcoming. Beyond learning about crops, soil health, livestock breeding and care, the AES gives students a place to relax, unwind, and just enjoy being in an ag-centered environment.”
For his part, Crow enjoys his chance to “unwind” on the football field, the softball diamond, and the basketball court. For in addition to his football officiating roles, he serves the Siouxland Officials Association (SOA) as a softball umpire and a basketball referee. He earned the SOA’s Fellowship Award in 2021, recognized for his work in helping young officials get started in an avocation that has many rewards, not the least of which involves allowing the games to continue in the middle school and high school levels.
“Officiating comes naturally for me, and I thoroughly enjoy it,” Crow says. “I look at it as teaching in a different way. You set expectations, assess student performance, and adjudicate as needed; and you have a front-row seat to witness student growth throughout a season and from year-to-year.”