Adelaide Easter 2021

Sacred Heart Hall of Fame Class of 2024

Biography / Accomplishments:

Young Alum of the Year Adelaide Easter is the daughter of Jeff and Monica Easter. She is currently a senior at Kansas State University, pursuing dual degrees in Agricultural Economics and Global Food Systems Leadership, minors in Leadership and International Agriculture, and a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership. At K-State, she is a Student Advisor for the Food Security Scholars, Basic Needs Director for the Student Governing Association, Director of Leadership Programming for Blue Key Senior Honorary, and Co-Chair of the Cats' Cupboard Advisory Board. Adelaide is also an active member of the Snyder Leadership Legacy Fellows and the Student Alumni Board. In 2024, she was selected as one of 60 students nationwide to receive the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship for public service. Adelaide's passion for addressing global hunger began in 4-H, where she presented to the U.S. Department of Agriculture on feeding 10 billion people by 2050. She has since expanded her advocacy work through internships with Kansas Grain Sorghum and Senator Jerry Moran in Washington, D.C. She founded the Student Basic Needs Coalition at K-State, helping more than 700 students access $96,000 in SNAP benefits. Most recently, she attended the Gen-Z Food & Hunger Summit with the Congressional Hunger Center, where she advocated for federal legislation to combat food insecurity and food waste. As a Local Food Fellow with the Food and Farm Council of Riley County & the City of Manhattan, Adelaide developed a strategic plan for the Flint Hills Food Recovery program, which has redistributed over 45,000 pounds of food to local pantries and shelters. Adelaide was invited by K-State President Linton to serve as a Connected Cat, traveling across the state to document the challenges Kansans face. This role led to an internship where she helped advance K-State's Next-Generation Land Grant initiative. At Sacred Heart, Adelaide was active in debate, forensics, tennis, choir, band, and scholars bowl and was a Mother Teresa Community Leader. After graduating from K-State, she will participate in the Truman Summer Institute in Washington, D.C., and plans to pursue a master's degree in order to pursue a career in addressing hunger and poverty through policy and development.