By: Jordan Bonham, Agricultural Communication | Washington Court House, OH
If there are two things I love about the age I am at now, it would have to be the ability to easily travel and the limitless opportunities to grow professionally. Lucky enough for me, I found a way to combine these.
During my first year at Ohio State, I discovered Agriculture Future of America whose mission is to create partnerships that identify, encourage and support outstanding college men and women preparing for careers in the agriculture and food industry. AFA is located in Kansas City, Missouri and just so happens to hold an annual Leaders Conference in November. An opportunity to travel and an opportunity to better myself; exactly what I was looking for!
There were 22 students from Ohio State present at this year’s Leaders Conference. Leaders Conference bridges the gap between academic, leadership and work experiences while helping students understand the impact of their decisions. The conference also assists students in developing personal and professional skills necessary for lifelong success and gives students the opportunity to network with peers and leaders in the agriculture industry.
There’s a reason it is called Leaders Conference and not a leadership conference. Conference delegates are chosen through a competitive application process and AFA believes that delegates selected for conference are already leaders; so why do they need more leadership training? Leaders Conference assists in the development of delegate’s soft skills and acknowledges an industry perspective.
“AFA Leaders Conference is truly a catalyst for young leaders wishing to grow our industry for generations to come,” says Meghan Bennett, third year attendee. “As a student, I have gained both perspective and insight into our industry through this program and I am very excited to continue my involvement with this great organization.”
I highly encourage students to take a look at AFA and all of the programs they provide! You can learn more at www.agfuture.org.