College of ACESSeitz received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in agricultural economics from The Ohio State University in 1962 and 1964, respectively, and his Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of California at Berkley in 1968. Seitz avidly pursued a teaching/research/service career at the University of Illinois for 33 years and has held faculty appointments in the Departments of Agricultural Economics and Business Administration, as well as the Institute for Environmental Studies. He served in numerous administrative positions including department head of Agricultural Economics (1981–1987), departmental director of Graduate Programs (1992–2001), associate director of the Institute for Environmental Studies (1974–1979), and associate dean of the Graduate College (1996–1999). He also chaired the campus Academic Senate (1988–1990).
Seitz was nationally and internationally recognized as a leading thinker and researcher regarding public policy related to use and conservation of resources. His writings and research leadership affected how policy makers and researchers think about natural resource management and policy issues.
Seitz was an innovator in the classroom and in the development of educational materials. He was also heavily invested in curricula development at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Outside the classroom, he was an adviser to several student clubs and organizations including the Agricultural Economics Club, Alpha Zeta, and Phi Scholars, which he created.
Since retirement, Seitz has continued his contributions through active involvement in a project that is working to improve the capacity of six Egyptian universities to produce graduates that are ready to make contributions to their country’s goal of improving its economic performance.
Austin Apgar is a graduate student in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics studying agricultural economics and farm management. His research involves studying the impact of real-time decision support systems on harvesting efficiencies. His future goals include expansion of the family farm operation, involvement in outreach activities that expose people to agriculture, and possibly continuing his education to become an adjunct professor.
Apgar, the son of George and Kalah Apgar, was raised on a farm near Camargo, Illinois. The Apgar-Rund family grows seed corn, seed beans, and white corn on their east central Illinois farm. Apgar attended Villa Grove High School where he distinguished himself in academics and sports. He was very involved in the agricultural programs offered at Villa Grove and was also a member of the National Honor Society.
After graduating from high school in May 2000, Austin enrolled in the University of Illinois to study agribusiness with an emphasis on farm management. As an undergraduate he was inspired by the distinguished faculty, the breadth of academic programs, and the diverse student body. During his freshman year, Apgar was a student in Seitz’s introductory economics class. There they developed a close and lasting friendship.
Apgar created his own place in the campus community through involvement in many student organizations including the Field and Furrow Club, Student Advancement Committee, ACE Club, and Intra-fraternity Council. He was also a member of IlliDell of Alpha Gamma Sigma fraternity, where he gained leadership experience.
Currently, Apgar is a member of the Douglas County Young Farmers, Douglas County Farm Bureau, National Farm Bureau, National Corn Growers Association, Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Corn Growers Association, and the American Soybean Association.
