Hayley Beck ’15 majored in agricultural communication. After three years at Ohio State, she graduated with her bachelor’s degree and now works for United Producers, Inc. as a marketing and communications specialist.
[ACEL]: Hi Haley! You majored in agricultural communication at Ohio State. Share with us why you made your decision to choose that major and to become a Buckeye.
[Beck]: I choose to major in agricultural communication because I have a passion for agriculture and wanted to promote and advocate agriculture to producers and consumers. Agricultural communication allowed me to combine writing, design and marketing to reach consumers and producers while promoting a positive image of agriculture. When I was in high school, I took a trip to Ohio State ATI and to the Columbus campus and fell in love. I knew after my first visit with the department that I wanted to attend Ohio State and major in agricultural communication.
How did your education at Ohio State influence your choice of career or your career path?
My job with United Producers allows me to see all aspects of communications. I am fortunate to be able to do a lot of different tasks — no two days are the same. I feel that my education at Ohio State prepared me for that through the coursework and internship requirements. From graphic design to writing, and from web design to public relations, the experience I gained a Ohio State prepared me for my career.
What were you involved in as an Ohio State student outside of the classroom?
I was a member of Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT) and the Young Ag Professionals.
What classes did you enjoy the most while a student?
There were several classes that I enjoyed, but my favorite class was AGRCOMM 4130 Publication Design and Production with Cassaundra Dietrich. The class introduced me to the Adobe Suite (InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop) which allowed me to be creative and sparked an interest for graphic design. I also enjoyed the AgriNaturalist class because it allowed me to combine all the knowledge and skills of writing, reporting and graphic design that I learned in all of my courses in one class.
Did you have a faculty member that was influential in your education?
My advisor, Dr. Emily Buck, was a huge asset to my college experience. She was very knowledgeable and always willing to help when needed. I also enjoyed having Cassaundra Dietrich as a professor, she had real-world experience that was extremely helpful and she always offered advice to better myself as a student and young professional.
What is your favorite memory related to your time at Ohio State?
My top two memories are studying abroad in Greece winter of 2014 and attending the National Championship football game in 2015 with my parents.
What was your first job following your education at Ohio State?
My first and current job is with United Producers.
As a student, what internships did you complete?
Prior to graduating, I interned at Ohio Farm Bureau as the Ohio State Fair Land and Living Exhibit Intern.
During your career, have you received any awards or honors?
I recently received the Master Cooperative Communicator (MCC) designation through the Cooperative Communicators Association. The program signifies a level of professionalism and competency and demonstrates the candidates have mastered the knowledge and skills necessary to communicate on behalf of cooperatives. MCC also rewards professional involvement and volunteer activities.
What advice would you give to a current student?
Be active. Whether you are active in student organizations, internships, Greek life, or whatever interests you, just be active. Meeting new people and networking with your peers and future colleagues is very important.
What did ACEL cultivate in you?
ACEL cultivated in me a foundation for my future. Whether it was in class, clubs and organizations or special events hosted by the department, ACEL created a strong foundation of contacts, knowledge and experience to guide me through my career.
OHIO in Greece.
Graduation day from Ohio State!
