Gary Mosbaugh (left) at the Southmont FFA banquet.
Gary Mosbaugh began working at Southmont in 1979, just seven years after the FFA program was established there. Although he’s technically retired, he remains active in the FFA and coaches teams nearly every day in the Southmont agriculture department. Through his dedication to improving the program and creating a lasting legacy, Southmont FFA in Indiana has been able to stand out from its competitors.
In the last 46 years, Mosbaugh has coached 71 state champion teams in crop judging, soil judging and floriculture. By combining repetitive hard work and dedication, he has turned students without agricultural backgrounds into state champions. Despite all of his accomplishments, Mosbaugh stays humble in his work. In the long run, he cares less about the medals and plaques he won, but will always treasure the memories he made.
Mosbaugh (center) in Oklahoma for the National Soil Judging Contest.
When talking with Mosbaugh, he always returned to the people as what he values most. In addition to watching people grow into leaders and teaching multiple generations within a family, what really matters to him is FFA members leave the program better than how they entered.
“I love when I have students come into my program and I have taught their parents the same thing years earlier,” he says. “It’s amazing to see how much people change during their time in Southmont FFA.”
In his position, Mosbaugh says he was surprised to realize the impact he had on the students. “I ran into some students I used to have many years ago, and they told me how much I meant to them and how Southmont FFA changed their lives,” he adds. “I wouldn’t have expected them to say that.”
When asked what advice he would give to advisors, Mosbaugh said, “Do something you enjoy and that’s good for your community. And don’t try to do everything.”
By focusing on his strengths, he was able to elevate Southmont FFA, proving true and unwavering year after year. It’s understood we are human and can’t do it all, but we should focus on our strengths to best impact the group.
For students, he said, “Try new things — some of the best judgers don’t live on farms.” He made an outstanding effort to recruit FFA members from a young age while in junior high school. This allowed him time to educate and transform students into agriculture-rooted leaders.
Making sure to reflect the livelihood of FFA through every aspect of his life and uphold a winning reputation, recruiting students from all walks of life was the norm. Giving students a place where they didn’t have to be the smartest, most athletic or come from wealth to thrive, Mosbaugh created an environment that truly gave every kid a chance to succeed.
Southmont FFA has been impacted greatly by Mosbaugh, and students are continuing his legacy as leaders everywhere. A number of his students have become FFA advisors or worked within the Indiana FFA Association.
Anyone who had him as a teacher will be able to speak about his dedication to FFA and developing kids into leaders. Mosbaugh has many things he could be proud of, but the only thing he truly cares about is the people he meets along the way.
