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Bonnie Johnson
November 14, 2025
Media ArticleJacob Miller-Klugesherz has been named the new Joe Hale Chair of Regenerative Agriculture at Kansas Wesleyan University. His appointment adds academic leadership to the university’s Community Resilience Hub (CRH), where he will guide programs that support sustainable agriculture and community learning.
In this tenure-track role, Miller-Klugesherz will direct the Heartland Rodale Institute Farmer Training (RIFT) program, a hands-on certificate program that teaches students the foundations of regenerative organic farming.
The program runs from March to October and includes both classroom instruction and work on a fully operational 12-acre farm. Students study livestock management, crop production, and the business skills needed to succeed in regenerative agriculture.
Miller-Klugesherz brings deep experience in both academic study and practical agriculture. As a sixth-generation Kansan, he began farm work at age 15 and grew up helping manage a small family acreage filled with fruits, vegetables, grains, and livestock. His academic background includes a Master of Arts in Communication Studies and a pending doctorate in Sociology from Kansas State University, with a focus on agriculture, food, community, environment, and development.
Since June 1, he has served as the Education Transformation project lead for the CRH, where he has been preparing for a major education conference planned for June 2026.
“It’s a pleasure to welcome Jacob to this position,” said Dr. Matt Thompson, president of Kansas Wesleyan. “His Kansas roots, his passion for bettering farming, the environment and our communities, and his academic experience make him the ideal candidate to direct the RIFT program. We look forward to him making the CRH even better.”
Miller-Klugesherz said his goal is to help build a more sustainable and resilient agricultural culture. “KWU is working to regenerate the culture of agriculture, and that starts with education,” he said. He emphasized the importance of low-input farming, stating, “Farming with no chemical herbicides and minimum tillage can and should be done.”
He added that he looks forward to continuing his family’s legacy of education and alternative agriculture. He will officially begin his role on January 1.
The Joe Hale Chair in Regenerative Agriculture was created to support innovative farming practices and is funded by a gift from the estate of Joyce Vanier Hale in honor of her husband, Joe. More information about the CRH can be found at www.kwu.edu/CRH.
Photo by: www.kwu.edu
