Leading by example

Kanyon Huntington (’25 political science, sociology, environmental studies) is a natural leader, and he’s eager to help others recognize and develop their leadership skills, too.

Huntington’s passion for leadership took root long before he officially became a Cyclone. Throughout high school, Huntington was active in the Future Farmers of America (FFA), which not only taught him how to be a responsible steward of the land, but how to also become a skilled leader. Huntington became both a district and state officer, which led him across Iowa, speaking to middle and high school students about FFA and its leadership opportunities for all, not only “farm kids.”

“That’s what really ignited my passion for FFA – getting in the classrooms and helping those students learn about leadership,” Huntington said.

Huntington continued his FFA involvement after high school, running for a national officer role – a long, intense process.

Thirty-six candidates from across the nation vied for six national positions. They all completed multiple detailed applications, sat for seven interviews with numerous FFA officials, and conducted spontaneous workshops. In the end, Huntington – the only Iowa candidate – was one of the six selected to serve the national FFA organization. Huntington’s duties began in fall 2023, and because of the intense travel schedule, he took a gap year from Iowa State.

“During that year, we did a lot of traveling. I went to nine state conventions and did leadership workshops and gave keynote speeches,” Huntington said.

Besides Iowa, Huntington attended state FFA conventions in Hawaii, Nevada, Arkansas, Indiana, North Carolina, Maine, Mississippi, and Arizona.

Huntington also traveled to other states where he hosted FFA events and visited local chapters. His national officer year culminated in a trip to Japan, where he and the other officers met with leaders from Japan’s companion FFA organization. The totality of the experience is something Huntington will forever cherish.

“It’s one of those experiences that you really love because you get to interact with so many people and create so many new friendships,” he said. “Not only did I get to teach them about FFA and leadership, but the FFA members taught me a lot about what it is to be a leader as well.”

Majors with an impact

Huntington’s extensive experiences with FFA influenced the majors he pursued at Iowa State. He knew he wanted to study political science, but his involvement with FAA ignited his interest in the environment and sustainability.

“The environment is very important to me, making sure we’re taking care of it so we can continue to produce the food we need to feed the world,” Huntington said. “For me, it just made sense for environmental studies and political science to pair well together, especially when you think about politics these days around climate change and what we’re doing to ensure agriculture can continue to be sustainable.”

Amid the political science and environmental studies courses, Huntington picked up a few sociology classes. He quickly discovered that sociology also fit well with his first two majors and his desire to develop others.

Understanding why people do what they do and the reasons behind their decisions are what attracts Huntington to sociology.

“There are a lot of things in life where there’s going to be positives and there’s going to be drawbacks, so I think that critical lens and that critical perspective is the biggest thing I’ve learned here at Iowa State.”

Political science in the real world

Huntington has experienced several experiential learning opportunities while at Iowa State, including an internship at the Iowa Legislature where he served as a legislative intern to Iowa Senator Charlie McClintock. The internship provided Huntington with a chance to interact with constituents by drafting documents, press releases, and emails, a responsibility he found fitting for his major.

“It was my first experience with the Iowa legislature and I think it opened my eyes to what state government is, what that looks like. Not only was I watching debate on the floor, but I was getting to go into committee meetings where the public was in there as well and hearing senators debate, but also hearing the public input as well, and hearing support either for or against a piece of legislation,” he said.  “I think it showed me the impact that individuals can have on politics, but also about why people react in the ways that they do and why people think in the ways that they do.”

Pushing his boundaries

While Huntington gleaned valuable experience from his internships, his most memorable Iowa State adventure was a summer study abroad trip to Stockholm, Sweden, where he studied leadership dynamics. Even though he was nervous about traveling to a foreign country with 11 students he didn’t know, his worries quickly subsided.

“By the end of that three-and-a-half weeks, we were all friends,” Huntington said.

Huntington left the trip with an even deeper understanding of how leadership styles develop.

“We all had different leadership experiences,” he said. “Getting to learn about the different life experiences all of us had and mold those together and find out what that meant for leadership was really interesting because the lived experiences that I have are not the same lived experiences as other people.”

A fitting exit

Huntington’s leadership finale at Iowa State will take place on Friday, May 16, during the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) Spring 2025 Convocation ceremony, where he will lead the entire LAS graduating class as this semester’s student marshal. Huntington was nominated for the prestigious position by Alex Tuckness, chair and professor of the Department of Political Science. LAS Dean Benjamin Withers chose Huntington among several worthy students to serve as marshal.

“It’s a culmination of all my experiences and it just makes me happy that I chose Iowa State,” Huntington said. “It’s a really special moment and a great honor. It makes me feel good about all the hard work I’ve put in here at Iowa State.”

Huntington’s plans following graduation are still uncertain, but he has several opportunities in the works. He hopes to obtain a leadership development role in a company or non-profit organization where he can continue to develop leaders.

“I’ve discovered I have a passion for leadership,” Huntington said. “Not only that, but growing other leaders, helping them figure out how to impact their communities and their universities.”