Cultivating Legacies

Celebrating OSU’s Agricultural Commitment

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By Lacey Desserault

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or more than 150 years, Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences has been part of that commitment. From its network of research centers across diverse growing regions, to its partnerships with producers, policymakers, and communities, the College has been both a steward of tradition and a driver of innovation. Our graduates multiply that impact as they take their knowledge into fields, boardrooms, classrooms, and laboratories around the world. The legacy of this community is visible in every corner of Oregon, in the crops that feed families, the policies that protect resources, and the leaders who shape the direction of agriculture. Together, they embody the spirit of the College of Agricultural Sciences, and what it means to belong to something larger than a single farm, company, or career.

At the annual Dean’s Dinner, the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University honors those who have helped guide that evolution. Alumni and community leaders are recognized not only for their achievements, but for their service, vision, and commitment to creating a more sustainable and prosperous future.

Leading with Passion

 

Darcy Sexson didn’t grow up on a farm, but her path into agriculture quickly became a defining part of her life. Raised in Oregon, she found her footing through FFA, where she served as State President, and represented the industry as Oregon Dairy Princess. That early passion carried her to Oregon State University, where she graduated Cum Laude in 2006 with dual degrees in Animal Science and General Agriculture.

When I went to college, it was really about exploring and deciding what industry I want to go into, and agriculture was always that industry. Oregon State University gave me a firm foundation of education, experiences, and connections so that when I graduated and as I went into the workforce, I had the tools that I needed to be successful,” she said.

Darcy’s professional career began at the USDA Farm Service Agency where she spent more than a decade and rose to County Executive Director for Morrow and Umatilla Counties. In 2018, Darcy joined AgWest Farm Credit where she currently serves as a Vice President and Relationship Manager, overseeing a wide portfolio of loans that support irrigated row crops, dryland wheat, and livestock production across the region.

Beyond her career, Darcy is known for her tireless advocacy, whether testifying on behalf of OSU’s Statewide Programs, mentoring students, or judging FFA competitions. Her service has earned her recognition, including the Oregon FFA Honorary State Degree in 2024. At home in Stanfield, she and her husband Clint run a small cattle operation with their two sons, Chandler and Calvin, continuing a legacy of commitment to agriculture and community.

Crafting Excellence in Dairy

 

Jill Allen has spent more than two decades shaping the future of dairy in Oregon, combining technical expertise with a passion for quality and innovation. A graduate of Oregon State University in agricultural business, she returned to Tillamook County and began her career at the Creamery, gaining hands on experience that eventually led her to her current role as Director of Product Excellence at the Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA).

In this position, Jill oversees product development, sensory evaluation, and Tillamook’s cheddar aging program, ensuring that every product meets the highest standards of taste, texture, and sustainability. She has guided the launch of award-winning lines, including Farm-style Gelato, and advanced the company’s “Dairy Done Right” initiative that reinforces Tillamook’s reputation for responsible food production.

My career started with a simple curiosity—wanting to understand why food tastes the way it does and how it connects to people. That curiosity led me to sensory science, where I learned to listen not just to flavors, but to the stories behind each product,” she said.

Jill’s expertise has earned recognition nationally andinternationally. Jill has judged at prestigious competitions including the International Cheese Awards in England, the World Championship Cheese Contest in the U.S., and the World Cheese Awards in Europe, becoming Tillamook’s first international judge. She is also a Certified Cheese Professional and a contributor to The Oxford Companion to Cheese. Beyond her professional achievements, Jill mentors students through FFA, supports Oregon’s artisan dairy sector, and lives with her family on a Tillamook County dairy farm, embodying the values she promotes in her work.

Shaping Minds and Markets

 

When Dr. John Oades first arrived at Oregon State University in 1964 as an undergraduate, he began a path that would shape both agricultural education and the global wheat industry. After earning his bachelor’s degree in 1968, John spent five years teaching high school agriculture before returning to OSU for a master’s in education. He later completed his Ph.D. at Colorado State University and returned to OSU as a faculty member, serving as department head from 1979 to 1982.

I felt like I got a really good education at OSU. I grew up on a ranch and hadn’t developed much socially, and I think my education helped me in that respect. It also taught me about networking, and how networks can be so valuable to us in our work. If we can learn that skill in college and develop it, it really stands out in our future work experience,” he said.

John then began a 30-year career with U.S. Wheat Associates (USWA), where his leadership elevated American wheat on the world stage.As Director of the West Coast office in Portland, he traveled to more than 90 countries, hosted hundreds of trade delegations, and built relationships that expanded U.S. exports. His pivotal role allowed for modernization of quality standards, and persuasion of growers, buyers, and exporters to adopt cleaner wheat specifications that secured vital markets in Asia. His impact was recognized with the Oregon Agri-Business Council’s Voice of the Industry Award and the Oregon Wheat Growers League Distinguished Service Award.

In recent years, John has turned his focus back to education. In 2021, he co-founded the Future Agricultural Educators Endowment, which has already grown to more than $280,000 to support OSU students preparing to teach agriculture in Oregon schools. A trusted advisor and advocate, he continues to strengthen connections between industry and education, leaving a legacy that spans from Oregon classrooms to international markets.

Rooted in Stewardship

 

On a stretch of farmland southeast of Corvallis, where his family has worked the same soil for more than a century, Greg Macpherson continues a legacy of stewardship that has shaped both his life and Oregon’s landscape. He has spent decades at the forefront of efforts to preserve Oregon’s farm, ranch, and timber lands, shaping policy and defending the land-use protections that define the state’s agricultural landscape. A Harvard-educated lawyer with a J.D. from Georgetown, Greg practiced for 40 years at Stoel Rives LLP in Portland before returning to manage Bannockburn Farms Inc., his family’s historic farm that has been in operation for four generations.

I grew up in the area but chose to go to school elsewhere because it was too close to home. I did not graduate from Oregon State, but the importance of the university to the economy is what drove me to stay connected,” he said.

From 2003 to 2009, Greg represented his district in the Oregon House of Representatives, where he chaired committees on judiciary and land use and emerged as a key opponent of Measure 37, which threatened to erode farmland protections. When litigation failed to halt the measure, he helped draft Measure 49, a successful 2007 ballot initiative that safeguarded agricultural land from large-scale development.

Greg continued this work on the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission, serving from 2009 to 2017, with three years as chair. Alongside his public service, he has been a steadfast supporter of Oregon State University, serving on the OSU Board of Trustees, the OSU Foundation Board, and the Beaver Caucus. His advocacy for farmland preservation carries forward a family legacy of agricultural leadership.