Against a backdrop of red brick buildings and rolling hills of cornfields and feedlots, aspiring Angus leaders gathered in the heart of Husker Nation at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) for the 2025 Raising the Bar Conference, hosted April 10-13, 2025. 

National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members from across the country came together in Lincoln for an event centered around leadership, education and a shared passion for Angus cattle. The Raising the Bar Conference is an exclusive, hands-on experience aimed at providing college-bound members an opportunity to explore higher educational pathways, deepen their understanding of the beef industry, and build lasting connections with peers and professionals alike. 

The conference kicked off with an opening address from the 2025 Saddle and Sirloin Portrait Gallery inductee Bill Rishel, who shared the poem “The Man Who Thinks He Can.” NJAA members rolled into Day 2 with a peek into what college life could look like. The group toured campus; dove into animal genetics and research with Jessica Petersen and Matt Spangler, UNL Animal Science Department; put their innovative minds to the test at the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program; and learned about the groundbreaking research happening to better cattle in feedlots and increase cattlemen’s bottom line. On Saturday, Nebraska Angus breeders Lylester Ranch and Lienetics Ranch welcomed juniors to their operations. There was some time for fun mixed in along the way, with axe throwing and a trip to the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. 

The Angus Foundation makes the Raising the Bar Conference possible with support from the Angus Fund and the Ed and Wilma Minix of Black Witch Farm Angus Youth Scholarship and Activities Endowment Fund.