“It has gotten really competitive on the agricultural education side, and I wanted to do something. I know it is not a lot, but offering somebody a $500 per semester scholarship to recruit a good kid and get them in the agricultural education program was a way I felt like I could give back.”
It was the connections he made at livestock and land judging contests and relatives who lived nearby that allowed Roy Russell to attend Tarleton State University in 1990. However, it was the strong agriculture program that made the university a good fit.
When he first started at the university, Roy was a pre-vet major, but during his sophomore year, he changed to agricultural education with a minor in horticulture. Despite the major change, Roy came to really value his time at Tarleton State. He remembers being told by the dean of agriculture at the time that people sitting next to him in class would not be there the next semester, and ironically, they were not.
That first semester taught Roy how to study and how to enjoy college life. At that time, Tarleton State was the place to be. Roy got involved in intramural sports and remembers that his team’s quarterback always wore Wrangler jeans during games and practices. Roy also had the opportunity to go on recruitment trips for Collegiate FFA, where he met some of the people he is still close with today.
While Roy was a student, he worked at US Tobacco. By working there, he was able to schedule around his college classes and make several meaningful connections. One of these connections was with the district extension officer. Roy told this gentleman he wanted the chance to be a county extension agent and was invited to an interview. He underwent several interviews and, in the end, had no idea whether he would be offered a job. Roy was, in fact, offered the job and spent the next 10 years as a county extension agent.
Throughout those 10 years, Roy moved through several different counties, making new connections everywhere he went. Today, he cannot go anywhere without encountering someone he knows. Being an extension agent allowed Roy to be very involved in Texas 4-H, FFA, and the stock show. He contributed to several advancements in agriculture. After 10 years, Roy’s father called him and said that if he was ready to leave the extension, he had more than enough land to keep Roy busy if he wanted to move back home. Roy decided to leave the extension and return home. He loved being an extension agent, but after 10 years, it was time for him to move on.
After moving back home, Roy began to get involved with Tarleton State once more. Initially, he became involved with the Texan Club, but when Roy recognized the increasing competitiveness in agricultural education, he wanted to help recruit strong students for that program. With that, the Roy D Russell Family Agricultural Education Scholarship was established. Roy felt that this scholarship was his way to give back to his university and support a student pursuing a degree in agricultural education.
Roy has always been driven to give back to his community, a drive he considers to be Biblical. He feels indebted to the school that educated him and the community that raised him. He served six years on the community school board and eight years on the stock show board. Roy believes some communities suffer because people only get involved for the money, which he refuses to do. After 15 years away, he returned home and now sees that sometimes the best leaders are those who come back with a new perspective. He feels blessed to have been able to return and serve with that outlook.
It is giving back and having the heart of a servant that is the legacy Roy wants to leave. He has always believed that you should not complain about something unless you are willing to fix it yourself. He hopes his kids will learn from him that hard work pays off, and when it does, you have to give back and get involved. Above all, Roy believes you should never take for granted your humble beginnings and all the blessings you have received.