SIU AG Career Day Speaker – Eric D. Hargan

SIU College of Agricultural, Life, and Physical Sciences is happy to announce that Eric D. Hargan will be the featured speaker for this years Ag Career Day. 

SIU Ag Career Day will be on Friday, October 1, 2021. On site registration will begin at 9:00 am, and the speaker will begin at 10:00 am. There will be a college fair from 9:00 am - 10:00 am for students to explore their options after high school. Farm Tours and campus tours will be offered after the event and box lunches will be provided for those who specify that in the registration form.

Eric D. Hargan was born and raised in Mounds, Illinois. After graduating from high school, he went on to Harvard University for his bachelor's degree, and then on to Columbia University Law School.

Eric D. Hargan served as the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from 2017 to 2021; he also served as Acting Secretary for several months in 2017-2018. HHS is the largest department in the federal government and has an annual budget in excess of $1.3 trillion and over 80,000 employees across 26 divisions. As Deputy Secretary, he oversaw the development and approval of all HHS, CMS, and FDA regulations and significant guidances; as well as the day-to-day operations and management of the department, and led policy and strategy development.

He served on the Board of Operation Warp Speed, starting in Spring of 2020, helping to develop the project and coordinate HHS agencies. Worked with multiple public and private sector entities to facilitate efforts across the entire endeavor, both vaccines and therapeutics. Coordinated and signed document for the first major Warp Speed project. Also in response to the pandemic, in March 2020, he launched the $175 billion Provider Relief Fund, overseeing it until July 2020. Convened HHS-White House team; coordinated with HRSA to administer, and United Health Group to service, fund’s operations, resulting in $26 billion in relief sent to providers in under two weeks from passage of the CARES Act.

The purpose of this speaker is to show students that you can be from Southern Illinois and make into the Oval Office! We encourage all students and advisors to do participate in this event!

Official dress or business professional attire is encouraged for all participants!

Lunch will include a sandwich or nuggets from Chick-fil-A and is provided free of charge to our FFA chapters. Please register by noon on Friday September 24, 2021 if you plan to eat the lunch provided!

Register at the link: https://forms.gle/Kky7UeWiAFLqKr4KA

The College of Agricultural, Life, and Physical Sciences encourages all to participate!