Matt Reese is a two time graduate of Ohio State, completing is bachelors of science in agricultural communication in 1999 and his master’s in agricultural education in 2004. He is originally from Mt. Cory, Ohio, but now calls Baltimore, Ohio home. He is the editor of Ohio’s Country Journal.
Hi Matt! What made you decide that you wanted to major in agricultural communication?
The legendary farm broadcaster Ed Johnson came to our family Christmas tree farm to do a television shoot when I was in high school and it seemed like he had a pretty enjoyable job. I had always enjoyed writing and photography and my father told me that a career in agriculture would allow me to work with some of the best people out there. I majored in agricultural communication and ended up (courtesy of some serious assistance from Mark Tucker and Sherrie Whaley) working for Ed Johnson as assistant editor of Ohio’s Country Journal upon graduation. I was very lucky and in the right place at the right time with the right major.
Why did you choose to attend The Ohio State University?
I have a long family history of predecessors who have attended Ohio State, and what better place to go in Ohio for agricultural communications?
How did your education at Ohio State influence your choice of career or your career path?
The educational components at both the Lantern and the AgriNaturalist were instrumental in helping me improve my writing and photography to the next level in terms of style, professionalism and quality. Ohio State also put me in a position to work at my dream job right out of school.
What classes did you enjoy the most while at Ohio State? What was your favorite and why?
I enjoyed my senior capstone class, the AgriNaturalist, photography, and all of my Lantern writing courses the most. Those all taught me skills that I have built my career upon and they were subjects I enjoyed (and still do enjoy).
Did you have a professor that were influential to you?
Dr. Sherrie Whaley and Dr. Mark Tucker were fantastic and they literally got my foot in the door for my dream job right out of school. They were great folks and I was very lucky to get to work with them. Dr. Jamie Cano was a fantastic teacher and I learned much about the importance of detail and proper procedure from him. And, there were many tedious and long hours for my thesis made more enjoyable with the stories and company of Dr. Robert Agunga.
What were you involved in outside of the classroom?
I served as the photo editor of the Lantern for several quarters and that really taught me about management and the long hours it takes in the “real world.” The Lantern and the AgriNaturalist also showed me the value of emphasizing the details to create a desirable end product. I was also in the Men’s Glee Club for three years and that experience allowed me to make many great friends and travel the country and world sharing music with others. I worked for the Chadwick Arboretum as well and did a newsletter for them, along with extensive weeding, mulching and planting efforts on long, hot summer days. These were all great experiences that set me up for future success.
What is your favorite memory related to your time at Ohio State?
There are many fond memories, but taking photos on the sidelines and visiting the press box during the OSU-M*ch*gan game as the Lantern photo editor is pretty hard to beat.
What was your first job following your education at Ohio State?
I was hired as assistant editor for Ohio’s Country Journal with one quarter remaining for my undergrad work and I still work there.
As of today, what is your favorite career highlight?
There are many, many highlights, but at the end of the day, the greatest highlight is the chance to work with the people of Ohio agriculture. From my second family co-workers to the hundreds of kind people who take time from their busy schedules to work with me to help share their stories, the chance to work with the fine people of Ohio agriculture is by far the highlight of my career.
What advice do you have for a current student studying agricultural communication?
Ohio State offers many opportunities for you to find your niche and explore your interests. Life as a student allows you to pursue those. Pursue those things and enjoy and appreciate the wonderful opportunity you have to do so.
What was cultivated in you during your time with our department?
Rather than cultivate something in me, ACEL helped me to build upon and expand the strengths, character and work ethic that had already been instilled in me before OSU. ACEL provided the tools, knowledge and people to take me to the next level and set the stage for what has followed.
