Pennsylvania State Grange lauds College of Agricultural Sciences’ leadership

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Leaders from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences were honored at the 153rd Annual State Session of the Pennsylvania State Grange, a historic grassroots organization that champions agriculture, rural development and community service across Pennsylvania.

Troy Ott, dean of the college, and Tara Mondock, director of college relations and communications, were among the 18 recipients of the Grange’s “6th degree,” the “charity” degree, which represents the spirit of kindness, generosity and goodwill toward others — qualities considered foundational to Grange membership.

Held Oct. 16-19 in Williamsport, the Grange’s annual state session brought members together to discuss key agricultural and community issues, conduct official business, and celebrate leadership and fellowship across the state. Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi was an honored guest at the session.

In his remarks, Ott noted that Penn State became Pennsylvania’s sole land-grant university in 1863 to provide practical education and applied science. A decade later, in 1873, the Pennsylvania State Grange was founded.

“Both institutions were born of the same conviction — that education and cooperation could lift working families, strengthen agriculture and empower rural communities,” he said. “From the start, Grange leaders were among the strongest voices for agricultural education. Their efforts helped ensure that Penn State’s mission stayed grounded in the real needs of farm families and communities. Our shared goal is clear and powerful: to ensure that rural Pennsylvania is not just preserved, but renewed, revitalized and thriving.”

He said members understand that investing in people is the surest way to secure the future of agriculture, noting that the Grange Endowment at Penn State continues to open doors for rural students — helping young people who grew up on farms and in small towns pursue degrees in agricultural science, education and leadership.

“Many of these students are the children and grandchildren of Grange members,” Ott said. “They carry forward not only agricultural knowledge but also the values that define rural Pennsylvania: community, service and belonging. Through partnerships with the Department of Agriculture, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and others, we prepare students not just for careers but for leadership — shaping the next generation of scientists, educators and policymakers. For them, agriculture is not only a profession; it is a calling to serve something larger than themselves.”

Bendapudi underscored that the Grange has long championed Penn State’s land-grant mission — most visibly through the work of Penn State Extension, which maintains a presence in all 67 counties of the commonwealth.

She described Extension as a vital bridge between University research and the everyday needs of farmers, business owners, educators and families — turning discoveries into practical tools and trusted guidance on crop health, livestock care, farm succession planning, environmental stewardship and more.

“Extension has evolved with the times,” Bendapudi said. “We’re offering online learning, bilingual support, and science-based resources that address emerging needs in rural broadband, sustainable energy, and mental health for farmers. Each year, Extension helps launch new businesses, creates jobs and bolsters food security — training more than 10,000 farmers in sustainable practices that sustain Pennsylvania’s $140 billion agriculture industry.”

She emphasized that the partnership between Penn State and the Grange is more vital than ever, as challenges — from invasive pests and global competition to workforce shortages and the stewardship of land and water — require shared expertise and collaboration.

“For more than 150 years, the Grange has sown seeds of community,” she said. “And Penn State pledges to cultivate the knowledge that yields tomorrow’s harvest — for every small town, every farm and every family across this great commonwealth.”

Grange officials presented Bendapudi with a copy of the 1923 Pennsylvania Grange Cookbook — a piece of history created as a fundraising project to help support the construction of the Pennsylvania State Grange Building on Penn State’s University Park campus.

Matthew Espenshade, president of the Pennsylvania State Grange, thanked Ott and Bendapudi for their support, noting that their remarks were inspiring and worthy of the standing ovations received from the audience.

“Both institutions were founded on the belief that empowering rural communities through knowledge and collaboration strengthens the fabric of our commonwealth,” said the seventh-generation dairy farmer from Lancaster County, who is a 1995 graduate of Penn State and a member of the Penn State Board of Trustees. “Together, we continue to honor that legacy by supporting the next generation of agricultural leaders and strengthening Pennsylvania’s future.”

Espenshade said that, as Penn State Extension serves as a bridge between research and the state’s rural communities and farmers, “We humbly offer our local granges and grange halls as a forum for that bridge.”