Day 7 of the Class of 2020 National Study Seminar

By Sara Mitchell and Adam Bauer

The class of 2020 started their final day fueling up on the hotel breakfast for the final time. We boarded the “coach” and prepared for the final day with Terry Fox. One questioned loomed over everyone’s mind as we started the day, “Will we hear about Dan Sickles?”

We learned about the differences between transactional and transformational leadership. As many generals in Gettysburg had various leadership traits we were able to relate within our own personal business experiences. Chamberlain realized that when the 2nd Maine was to its breaking point that he could not go in and demand that his men be ordered to participate in the upcoming fight, Chamberlain used transformational leadership showing empathy and understanding. Men that were willing to be prisoners along with the possibility of being executed were inspired to fight and change the course of the battle.

Despite the cold winds the group traveled to Little Round Top and the Angle where Confederate troops led by Brigadier General Lewis Armistead broke through their lines and crossed the wall just west of the Copse of Trees where some believe was the high point of the Confederate efforts in the battle. As we concluded, we came to the realization that while many think General Robert E Lee was the greatest leader of the Battle of Gettysburg but it was George Gordon Meade’sleadership that was the turning point for the Union troops.

Our time at Gettysburg gave us valuable lessons that we can use in our lives in agriculture and leaders in our communities.

As we embark on our final hours of our seminar the class of 2020 has an newfound sense of accomplishment we now been given tools that will help us not only in the Agriculture field but also in our own lives. We have grown as not only as individuals but as a group. We have came into Washington as fellows and are now leaving as life long friends.