For Little International facility advisor, there is no ‘ceiling’ to greatness
By Mavis Fodness
As the facility advisor to the region’s largest student-led livestock exposition, Tommy Norman wants all participants to the Little International event at South Dakota State University in Brookings to not be afraid to achieve their best.
The Luverne native and 2021 SDSU graduate, Norman recently finished his second year supervising the 103rd annual event conducted annually in late March. He shares the supervisory role with colleague Rosemarie Nold.
Together, they provide a faculty voice to the student-led executive committee for the two-day event.
As advisors, Norman said they like to stay as hands-off as possible to the event that is affectionately known as Little I.
“This is a tremendous life experience for those individuals involved on the executive team of Little I,” he said. “It is a year’s worth of planning and then execution of the largest student-run event on campus.”
Little I began in 1921 and features livestock-focused activities for both SDSU students and the region’s high school students.
College students gain skills in showmanship and animal husbandry by preparing and showing horses, hogs, goats, sheep, dairy and/or beef animals. High school students are invited to compete in the various competitive FFA judging events.
“Allowing students, regardless of background, to experience the ‘lifestyle’ of a livestock participant is incredibly unique,” Norman said. “Little-to-no cost, full access to our outstanding livestock facilities and the arena, the atmosphere on Friday and Saturday in itself makes for a lasting impression for the exhibitors, judges and audience.”
More than a decade ago, a lasting impression was left with Norman as a high schooler participating in the FFA judging events.
“From that day, I knew Brookings was where I needed to extend my education post high school graduation,” he said.
The 2017 the LHS graduate earned an undergrad animal science degree at SDSU, followed by a master’s degree in ruminant nutrition. As a graduate assistant, Norman worked with the college’s livestock judging team, becoming the team’s head coach in 2024 as he joined the faculty at the SDSU animal science department.
His work with livestock, specifically beef, built Norman’s unusual career path.
Growing up in town, Norman’s exposure to the beef industry began as a grade-schooler as a beef project participant through the Rock County 4-H Program. His great-uncle, Lowell Jauert, and past Rock County 4-H’er Cody Sherwood became mentors to Norman.
“They introduced and then drove my passion for livestock. Calving, working cows, reproductive physiology work or showing, they made sure I was a part of it,” Norman said. “It really wasn’t until college — after being recruited by the collegiate judging coach at the time — that I opened my mind to the opportunity of being on the other side of the microphone in the show ring.”
The experience of traveling across the U.S. for livestock shows and competitions allowed Norman to change his approach to life.
“I think it is easy for people to say, ‘I am still trying to find my path in life’ or ‘find the reason I was placed here.’ That was me prior to participating on the judging team,” Norman said. “People built me to where I am today, but during freshman and sophomore year, I was still unsure how to share the skills obtained through my upbringing.”
He never thought his upbringing would lead to a career as a college professor and livestock judging coach. The combination allows Norman to share his experiences and lessons learned by from his involvement with the livestock industry.
The classes he teaches reflects the opportunity for any student, regardless of the lack of a farm background like Norman’s, to experience what shaped him today.
Norman’s introductory classes to animal handling and husbandry, livestock evaluation, animal science and marketing along with assistance as a guest lab instructor brings him into contact with a wide variety of students.
“I want them to find knowledge in my classrooms and a person in their corner outside the classroom,” he said. “Everybody needs people in their corner, including myself, which is free-of-charge not always granted.
His Little I co-advisor Rosemarie Nold what one of those people who was in Norman’s corner. She helped form his personal philosophy that he shares with his students that there is no “ceiling” in one’s goals.
“She instilled being your own harshest critic will bring you beyond your foreseen ‘ceiling,’” Norman said. “Big picture or small picture, I enjoy working through the process with students and reminding them of the greatness they are creating within their roles, regardless of the hiccups here and there.”
As the facility advisor to the region’s largest student-led livestock exposition, Tommy Norman wants all participants to the Little International event at South Dakota State University in Brookings to not be afraid to achieve their best.
The Luverne native and 2021 SDSU graduate, Norman recently finished his second year supervising the 103rd annual event conducted annually in late March. He shares the supervisory role with colleague Rosemarie Nold.
Together, they provide a faculty voice to the student-led executive committee for the two-day event.
As advisors, Norman said they like to stay as hands-off as possible to the event that is affectionately known as Little I.
“This is a tremendous life experience for those individuals involved on the executive team of Little I,” he said. “It is a year’s worth of planning and then execution of the largest student-run event on campus.”
Little I began in 1921 and features livestock-focused activities for both SDSU students and the region’s high school students.
College students gain skills in showmanship and animal husbandry by preparing and showing horses, hogs, goats, sheep, dairy and/or beef animals. High school students are invited to compete in the various competitive FFA judging events.
“Allowing students, regardless of background, to experience the ‘lifestyle’ of a livestock participant is incredibly unique,” Norman said. “Little-to-no cost, full access to our outstanding livestock facilities and the arena, the atmosphere on Friday and Saturday in itself makes for a lasting impression for the exhibitors, judges and audience.”
More than a decade ago, a lasting impression was left with Norman as a high schooler participating in the FFA judging events.
“From that day, I knew Brookings was where I needed to extend my education post high school graduation,” he said.
The 2017 the LHS graduate earned an undergrad animal science degree at SDSU, followed by a master’s degree in ruminant nutrition. As a graduate assistant, Norman worked with the college’s livestock judging team, becoming the team’s head coach in 2024 as he joined the faculty at the SDSU animal science department.
His work with livestock, specifically beef, built Norman’s unusual career path.
Growing up in town, Norman’s exposure to the beef industry began as a grade-schooler as a beef project participant through the Rock County 4-H Program. His great-uncle, Lowell Jauert, and past Rock County 4-H’er Cody Sherwood became mentors to Norman.
“They introduced and then drove my passion for livestock. Calving, working cows, reproductive physiology work or showing, they made sure I was a part of it,” Norman said. “It really wasn’t until college — after being recruited by the collegiate judging coach at the time — that I opened my mind to the opportunity of being on the other side of the microphone in the show ring.”
The experience of traveling across the U.S. for livestock shows and competitions allowed Norman to change his approach to life.
“I think it is easy for people to say, ‘I am still trying to find my path in life’ or ‘find the reason I was placed here.’ That was me prior to participating on the judging team,” Norman said. “People built me to where I am today, but during freshman and sophomore year, I was still unsure how to share the skills obtained through my upbringing.”
He never thought his upbringing would lead to a career as a college professor and livestock judging coach. The combination allows Norman to share his experiences and lessons learned by from his involvement with the livestock industry.
The classes he teaches reflects the opportunity for any student, regardless of the lack of a farm background like Norman’s, to experience what shaped him today.
Norman’s introductory classes to animal handling and husbandry, livestock evaluation, animal science and marketing along with assistance as a guest lab instructor brings him into contact with a wide variety of students.
“I want them to find knowledge in my classrooms and a person in their corner outside the classroom,” he said. “Everybody needs people in their corner, including myself, which is free-of-charge not always granted.
His Little I co-advisor Rosemarie Nold what one of those people who was in Norman’s corner. She helped form his personal philosophy that he shares with his students that there is no “ceiling” in one’s goals.
“She instilled being your own harshest critic will bring you beyond your foreseen ‘ceiling,’” Norman said. “Big picture or small picture, I enjoy working through the process with students and reminding them of the greatness they are creating within their roles, regardless of the hiccups here and there.”
