NAADA History

Established as the National Agricultural Alumni & Development Association, the very first NAADA "Seminar of Agricultural Alumni Associations" gathering was coordinated by alumni directors from the University of Kentucky, Michigan State University, Purdue, and the University of Wisconsin. It was held in West Lafayette, Indiana in January 1976.

A Personal Note from a NAADA Founder, Mauri Williamson

“When it was suggested that I might be the one to write the history of the first thirty years of the National Agricultural Alumni and Development Association, I accepted the responsibility with a great deal of glee. You see, I was in on the gestation and birth of the organization from the very beginning. It would be easy, I thought. However, I found the task to be a great deal more difficult. Melding the serious goals and intentions with the unbridled enthusiasm of the membership with the curious ambience of the group as a whole was not easy. I must be careful, I felt, not to subjugate the seriousness of purpose with the rather unique social qualities of the members.”

Presidents

The first president of NAADA was Maurice L. (Mauri) Williamson (1976-1977). Mr. Williamson was an alumnus of Purdue University’s School of Agriculture and held the position of Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Alumni Association of Purdue for 37 years. He was an active leader known for the many Purdue and alumni organizations and traditions he founded and directed, including NAADA.

Click here to see a list of past NAADA presidents.

President’s Gavel

Dave Mugler, Associate Dean of Agriculture at Kansas State University and former NAADA president made the gavel and presented it to the organization at the end of his presidency. The gavel is made of Mulberry and more specifically of a Mulberry root from a tree that stood on Dave's family farm in Kansas. It was Dave's wish that the gavel be passed from president to president and that it becomes a reminder of "NAADA's roots" (root of the Mulberry tree and root of the organization certainly intended) from which the organization was given life.

30-Year History Book

Longtime NAADA Historian, Mauri Williamson, wrote and provided many of the early photos used in this book. Mauri was one of the founders of NAADA and, though retired from Purdue, still attends the annual conference.

Click here to download the 30-year history book.