Deere and Augie team up to prepare students for careers

Traditions at Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø run deep. The tradition of athletic excellence is symbolized by top-notch facilities, student success in the classroom and on the field, and countless teammates who become lifelong friends. Connections to Deere & Company, the Fortune 500 company with world headquarters based in neighboring Moline, have produced valued traditions, too¡ªincluding internships and careers for Augie students and alumni.

So when three Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø football players end up as Deere interns at the same time, is it a coincidence?¡ªor is a matter of time and tradition?

According to Associate Head Coach Dave Ragone, about 80% of Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø football players will have internships during summer of their junior year. ¡°But to have three players at Deere all at once is impressive. The fact the all three are in different departments or disciplines is outstanding.¡±

Andrew Anderson ¡¯20 has an accounting internship at the John Deere store. An accounting and business administration-marketing major and offensive lineman at Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø, Anderson¡¯s coaches describe him as ¡°very dependable, insightful and mature.¡±

Anderson chose Augie for the ¡°fantastic academic environment.¡± He knew ¡°coaches were willing to go the extra mile for their players, and the facilities were unmatched.¡±

Vikings football helped him with his internship interview, he said. ¡°Because of my experience, I was able to explain to Deere how playing football has helped my time management skills, and increased my determination and my work ethic.¡±

When he was a student at Marengo Community High School (Marengo, Ill.), Anderson was a starter on both the offensive and defensive line. He has both career and football advice for high school students: ¡°Use any interview and career preparation services available to you, because they help,¡± and also, ¡°I would say enjoy every day [of football] because it goes by faster than you think.

Jacob Wehr ¡¯20 is a quarterback, a transfer student and a business administration major focusing on finance and management. Praised by coaches for his time management skills, at Deere he¡¯ll be in the Cylinder Works.

Wehr said this internship will give him ¡°a leg up on other college graduates looking for entry-level positions.¡± And he agrees that experience on the football field can prepare you for the workplace.

¡°Being a student-athlete at Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø gave me confidence in the interview process. I was able to provide examples of leadership experience during my interview, to show that I could be a successful employee at John Deere,¡± he said. 

A graduate of Bettendorf High School (Bettendorf, Iowa), where his team was a state semi-finalist, Wehr wants high school athletes to know that ¡°choosing to be a student-athlete is the best decision about your future that you can make. As a member of the football team at Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø, I know that I have a family of more than 100 guys who have my back.¡±

Engineering physics major Chaz Willams ¡¯20 is an offensive lineman who plays left tackle. His specific role at John Deere is yet to be determined, but considered by his coaches to be a ¡°smart, analytical and hard worker,¡± he¡¯s sure to meet with success. 

Williams had All-State honors at Princeton High School (Princeton, Ill.), and he chose Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø because ¡°it felt the most natural home to, compared to everywhere else I looked.¡± Now he feels prepared for life after college, saying Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø prepared him ¡°to manage my time between everything else going on in life, and by helping me know what to expect in the job and interviewing process.¡± 

That balance of academics with life outside class is another deep tradition at Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø. It is one of the strongest elements in the foundation for success that student-athletes find here. 

Head Coach Steve Bell would agree. ¡°We look for men of character that are driven to succeed in the classroom, in the workforce and on the athletic field,¡± he said. ¡°Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø and the Quad Cities offer student-athletes the opportunity to be great¡ªboth on and off the field.¡±