Agriculture Future of America

The first week of college is full of excitement; figuring out your class schedules, meeting new friends and receiving endless flyers about campus activities. One of the first decisions I made in college has defined my college career and positively shaped my future.

I was at the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources annual Fall Roundup when I saw my friend, Lance Day. I had known Lance for years through 4-H, and he was standing by a booth for Agriculture Future of America. I had never heard of this organization before. As Lance and I began talking, I realized AFA sounded like an advantageous opportunity, and he encouraged me to apply for the upcoming conference.

I learned that AFA is a scholarship program, leadership conference, networking opportunity and so much more. After visiting the AFA booth, I had wished I had learned about the scholarship program when I was a high school senior. There are community and state AFA scholarships that can substantially assist with college tuition.

As soon as I left the Fall Roundup, I organized the many flyers and information I had received, and went to the AFA website. I began filling out an application to gain industry sponsorship so I could attend the national fall conference.

One application and a congratulatory email later, I found myself bound for Kansas City. I had a giant suitcase filled countless professional dress outfits and a permanent smile fixated on my face. I was having my first national agriculture experience on the college level.

To get to the conference, I drove to Kansas City with several of my friends from the University of Missouri. In fact, many of the individuals I had met through the National FFA Organization and 4-H had also qualified to attend the AFA conference. I had met these friends through the Missouri Agribusiness Academy, I had attended National 4-H Congress with them and I had even competed against them.

AFA made me realize that the connections I had made in the agriculture industry in high school were invaluable and that they would continue through college. At the conference, I rekindled connections with students from different universities and made new friendships with students from across the U.S. Seeing countless familiar faces at AFA assured me that the friendships I had developed will carry over into the work force.

The conference itself was a once in a lifetime experience. Luckily, AFA offers three tracks for students- so I can continue my AFA experience. As a freshman, I was in the first track and expanded my knowledge of the agriculture industry, met with current industry leaders and discovered what role I will play in the agriculture world.

Now, 4 months after attending the conference I have been selected as the AFA summer communications and marketing intern. I will have the opportunity to use my agriculture journalism experience to assist the AFA organization. Words cannot describe how excited and blessed I felt after receiving the news. I will be living in Kansas City this summer and working at the AFA head quarts. This traveling aggie will be reporting from Kansas City this summer!  

My friend, Nora Dodd and I at the AFA Conference in Kansas City this fall.