Alum, Educator Selected WSU’s Dad of the Year for 2007

PULLMAN, Wash.—Rick Adams, a WSU alum and educator, has been named Washington State University’s Dad of the Year for 2007. His nomination was announced during the Stanford/WSU football game, Nov. 10, at Martin Stadium.

Adams is a FFA – formerly Future Farmers of America – teacher and advisor from Prosser and will be retiring in June after 30 years of teaching. Prosser has one of the largest FFA programs in the state.

The Phi Kappa Sigma alum and 1975 WSU graduate was nominated by his son Ricky Adams.

“He taught me to love everything about the Crimson and Gray, such as shopping at the Bookie, ice cream at Ferdinand’s, donuts from the now-closed Daylight donuts, buying a car only if it was Cougar colors, and hating the Huskies . . . There was no question where I was going to school,” said Ricky Adams. 

Adams, a father of four, holds a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Human & Natural Resources and a teaching certificate from WSU.

The decision to become a high school agricultural education teacher was a “Coug to Coug” situation.

“My ag ed teacher, Roy Hallstrom, was a WSU alum, and he was what motivated me to pursue this field,” said Adams. “I saw what he did for other kids, and thought if I could do what he did, it would be a great way to spend a career.”

He was selected by a committee of staff and students from nominations submitted by current WSU students who are asked to share how their fathers are engaged or influential in their college experience at WSU.