Taylor Orr is a senior studying agriscience education with a minor in production agriculture from Frazeysburg, Ohio.
Orr chose to study agriscience education so that she could spread her love of agriculture to others, just as her mentors did for her.
“I want to be able to educate and inspire the growing minds of the variety of agriculture around them,” said Orr.
Ohio State was the right spot for her to pursue this dream, because of her love for the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership (ACEL).
In its second year, the Distinguished Senior Award recognizes top students in the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership. This year, Orr is one of 10 students to be selected by faculty for the honor.
Of her nomination as an ACEL Distinguished Senior, agriscience education faculty noted that Orr “finds opportunities to participate in professional development within agricultural education as she prepares for her future as an ag teacher and has been an active student within the major and an excellent student role model for her peers.”
In the classroom, Orr excelled in her classes, maintaining high academic achievements. She enjoyed the agriscience education and production agriculture classes she had with her fellow agriscience education majors, as well as the study abroad courses she has that focused on human and animal interactions.
“This major (agriscience education) allows you to try a little of everything. As a future educator, this allows you to be a jack of all trades,” she said. “I have found that this major allowed me to look into different fields, such as meat science and welding. Agriscience education allows you to see agriculture in all of its different forms and then gives you the tools to teach it to others.”
Outside of the classroom, she completed an internship with the Ohio FFA Foundation that focused on the Teach Ag Campaign, which promoted the agricultural education profession to junior high and high school students at a variety of events and through various programming.
“This internship helped to reassure me of my passion for agriculture in the classroom and the ways that it impacts the world around us,” she said.
Orr also completed a 14-week student teaching experience with Ridgewood High School and Ridgewood FFA Chapter in West Lafayette, Ohio. She worked with cooperating educator Mrs. Sue Davis to learn about day-to-day experiences of an agricultural educator.
When asked about a favorite memory, like many others who have had the experiences, Orr said her time abroad with CFAES Education Abroad programs.
“I absolutely loved the opportunity to explore and learn about agriculture in other countries. Both of my experiences truly were eye-opening and allowed me to grow not only as a student but as a future educator,” she said.
Following graduation, Orr will be pursuing a career as a high school agricultural educator.
In Venice, Italy with the CFAES Human and Animal Interactions study abroad program in 2019.
At the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland with the CFAES Human and Animal Interactions study abroad program in 2018.
Taylor traveled to Italy with the CFAES Human and Animal Interactions study abroad program in 2019.
At a sheep farm in Ireland with the CFAES Human and Animal Interactions study abroad program in 2018.
A road side stop on the way to Florence, Italy during the CFAES Human and Animal Interactions study abroad in 2019.