Month: June 2022

Garner presents at National Urban Extension Conference

 

Solomon Garner, a graduate student studying agricultural communication, education, and leadership, recently attended the National Urban Extension Conference in Camden, New Jersey.

At the conference, Garner presented a session on “Futuring Perspectives and Practices of Urban Extension” with ACEL alum Dr. Julie Fox ’05 PhD, associate professor and director of strategic initiatives and urban engagement with Ohio State Extension. Garner also hosted a poster session during the conference.

Other ACEL alumni in attendance at the conference include Michelle Gaston ’92, program coordinator for strategic initiatives and urban engagement with Ohio State Extension and Dr. DaVonti’ Haynes ’22 PhD, assistant professor in the College of Social Work at Temple University. Garner also holds a bachelor of science in community leadership.

ACEL alum presents with TEDxYoungstown

Agricultural communication alum Katy Mumaw ‘07 presented with TedxYoungstown in March on “Why the Corporate World gets Learning Wrong.”

She talks about a learning model that provides the ideal framework for a thriving corporate culture and it may sound familiar to many of our students and alumni.

As a student, Mumaw majored in agricultural communication and was active in Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow, serving as president for two years, Sigma Alpha Professional Sorority as well as editor of the AgriNaturalist in 2006. She also holds a master’s in agricultural leadership from Oklahoma State University.

Following her graduation from Ohio State in 2007, she worked for National FFA Organization for nine years as an educational specialist, senior content writer and online experience and senior content manager before returning to Ohio. Mumaw was a reporter with Farm and Dairy for two years and now works with Compco in Salem, Ohio where she has held positions as communications director, director of learning and development, director of engagement and now director of sales and marketing.

2022 ACEL Outstanding Senior: Jasmine Mabry

The Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership (ACEL) has named 13 students to the 2022 class of ACEL Outstanding Seniors. These students were selected by the faculty and staff of the department for their excellence both in and out of the classroom. Jasmine Mabry, an agriscience education major from Camden, Ohio, was named as one of ACEL’s Outstanding Seniors for 2022.

Read about Jasmine’s Ohio State experience below.

Why did you choose your major?
I wanted to find a career that would allow me to combine my purpose, which is to serve others and my passion for the agricultural industry. In high school, I watched my Agricultural Educator serve other students, as well as myself in many ways. From ensuring students had the funds to attend various trips, to always providing a safe space for students to interact and be themselves.

Why did you choose to attend Ohio State?
I chose to attend Ohio State because of all of the opportunities the university had to offer. Opportunities such as professional development and networking events, and to engage in organizations that would help me to grow. I knew that no other college could offer me the types of opportunities that Ohio State had to offer, and that was what ultimately led me to choosing Ohio State. However, Ohio State had also always been my dream school (who wouldn’t want to be a buckeye?), so there was really no doubt in my mind.

What classes did you enjoy the most?
The class I enjoyed the most was Oral Expression in Agriculture with Mr. Tom Stewart. Not only was the class fun, but it also taught me a lot about the importance of proper communication, especially within the agricultural industry. Other classes that I enjoyed include Methods of Teaching 2, Ecology of Managed Plant Systems, and Metal Fabrication for Agriculture.

What student organizations were you involved in and what roles did you hold?
I was involved in Agricultural Education Society where I served as Programming Chair (2019), CFAES Representative (2020), and Vice President (2021). I was also in Alpha Sigma Upsilon where I served as the Service Chair (2020), Banquet/Founders Day Chair (2020), Risk Managment and Harm Reduction Chair (2021-2022), Social Chair (2021-2022), Formal Chair (2022), and President (2021) over my four years at Ohio State. I was also involved in Towers Agricultural Honorary, where I served as the 2021 CFAES Representative for the organization. Another organization I was involved in is the OSU Turf Club, which I served as the 2021-2022 Treasurer and Reporter for. I also was involved in the CFAES Celebration of Students Planning Committee, where I was a member of the Image Committee in 2021 and 2022. Lastly, I was involved in the CFAES Peer Mentor program and served as a CFAES Peer Mentor in 2019-2021.

What internships did you complete and what were your responsibilities/projects as an intern?
During the summer of 2019 I completed an internship with the Turfgrass STEM Camp. I served as a camp counselor and I was responsible for planning activities, leading activities, ensuring the safety and well-being of campers at all times, and observing campers to ensure they stay on track. I completed my Early Field Experience in autumn of 2019. During this internship I was responsible for assisting with instruction and supervision of students in a high school classroom. I completed this experience at Highland high school. In the spring of 2022, I completed my Student Teaching. During this experience I was responsible for creating and teaching lessons to various classes. These classes included Livestock Selection, Nutrition and Management, Agricultural Food and Natural Resources, Agricultural Business and Mechanical Principles. I completed this 13-week experience at Buckeye Valley High School in Delaware, Ohio.

What do you plan to do after graduation?
I will be attending graduate school at the University of Tennessee.

What stands out as your best college memory?
While there are so many memories that stand out to me, meeting my best friends has to be the one that stands out the most to me. My freshman year of college I met three girls in the CFAES Learning Community, and they have stuck with me since that day, and they will stand next to me as I get married in 2023. The man I am marrying in 2023 is also someone I met during my freshman year of college. In meeting him I discovered agricultural greek life at Ohio State, the Turfgrass industry, and met many more people who would become great friends.

How did the pandemic impact your college experience?
The pandemic made my college experience a lot more difficult. I was already an extreme introvert before the pandemic, but due to the pandemic I became even more of an introvert. It was very difficult for me to engage in any experiences in which I had to be social after that. One thing I missed due to the pandemic was getting to be President of Alpha Sigma Upsilon during a normal year. Half of my year as President was spent via zoom, and the other half we were very limited on what we could do in person.

2022 ACEL Outstanding Senior: Nicole McMullen

 

The Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership (ACEL) has named 13 students to the 2022 class of ACEL Outstanding Seniors. These students were selected by the faculty and staff of the department for their excellence both in and out of the classroom. Nicole McMullen, an agriscience education major from Holland, Ohio, was named as one of ACEL’s Outstanding Seniors for 2022.

Read about Nicole’s Ohio State experience below.

Why did you choose your major? 
I choose agriscience in education because I would like to help students reach their full potential.

Why did you choose to attend Ohio State? 
I chose to attend Ohio State because of the various opportunities for personal and professional growth.

What classes did you enjoy the most? 
The classes I enjoyed the most were the ones offered by Ohio State ATI. They were small, hands on, and the professors with real world experience.

What student organizations were you involved in and what leadership role did you hold?

  • Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS)
    • Member
  • Agriculture Future of America
    • Student Advisory Team Member (Dec 2020-Dec 2021)
  • AFA Leader Fellow (June 2019-Current)
    • Delegate AFA Leader’s Conference (2018, 2019, 2020)

What internships did you complete and what were your responsibilities/projects as an intern? 

  • Deere & Company
    • Customer Product Support and Marketing and Sales | May 2021-Aug 2021
      • Create a 5 minute dealer best practice video
      • Research and strategize to improve dealer showrooms for Deere & Co.
    • Marketing and Sales | June 2020-Aug 2020
      • Create a calendar of over 80 limited production build(LPB) equipment and 12 employees to plan for various events
      • Schedule meetings for LPB equipment dealers in both US and Canada and Deere’s field team
  • Early Field Experience | Archbold High School | Aug 2019 – Dec 2019
  • Student Teaching | Aerospace and Natural Science Academy of Toledo | Jan 2022-April 2022
    • Created and executed lessons for Zoo & Aquarium and Animal Science & Technology courses.

What do you plan to do after graduation?
I plan to enter Deere & Company’s Marketing and Sales Development Program.

What stands out as your best college memory? 
My best college memory is attending the 2019 Region V MANRRS Conference. This was my first event I had participated in with MANRRS. I placed 1st in the Impromptu Speech and earned an internship with Deere & Company for the following summer.

2022 ACEL Outstanding Senior: Mallary Caudill

The Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership (ACEL) has named 13 students to the 2022 class of ACEL Outstanding Seniors. These students were selected by the faculty and staff of the department for their excellence both in and out of the classroom. Mallary Caudill, an agricultural communication major from DeGraff, Ohio, was named as one of ACEL’s Outstanding Seniors for 2022.

Read about Mallary’s Ohio State experience below.

Why did you choose your major?
I knew I wanted to study agricultural communication because I loved the creativity and writing component of the major and that I could connect it to the agriculture and natural resources industry.

Why did you choose to attend Ohio State?
I came from a family of buckeyes and Buckeye fans. I knew becoming part of the Ohio State network would be a great opportunity and experience.

What classes did you enjoy the most?
I was a nerd for Leah Curtis’s AGRCOMM 4530- Communicating Agricultural Issues, and of course, the senior capstone, AgriNaturalist class.

What student organizations were you involved in and what roles did you hold within those organizations?
I was active in Collegiate Farm Bureau at Ohio State and served in officer positions and Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow.

What internships did you complete and what were your responsibilities/projects as an intern?
I interned for Ohio Corn & Wheat, and Inspire PR Group. I participated in communication and policy projects for OCW and tagged along on several agricultural clients for Inspire.

What do you plan to do after graduation?
I don’t know yet, but I am excited to have a career in the agriculture field in communications or policy relations.

How did the pandemic impact your college experience? Is there anything you missed because of it?
Like everyone, I lost out on all kinds of opportunities as a college student, since more than half of my time as a student has been during the pandemic. However, I think what I missed out on the most was not the prestigious award and recognition opportunities but the times I said “oh I will just do that later, or next year, etc” as an underclassman, and then that experience wasn’t presented again.

2022 ACEL Outstanding Senior: Stacey Butler

 

The Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership (ACEL) has named 13 students to the 2022 class of ACEL Outstanding Seniors. These students were selected by the faculty and staff of the department for their excellence both in and out of the classroom. Stacey Butler, an agricultural communication major from Alexandria, Ohio, was named as one of ACEL’s Outstanding Seniors for 2022.

Read about Stacey’s Ohio State experience below.

Why did you choose your major?
I chose to major in agricultural communication because I wanted to combine the skills I had in communication, event planning and photography with an industry I felt connected to and wanted to advocate for. My intention is to bring a positive light to the agricultural community. I want to share their stories, showcase their products, and help create a positive experience in the market for small businesses.

Why did you choose to attend Ohio State?
I chose to attend The Ohio State University because of not only the program I wanted to pursue, but also because of my family history. I am a fourth-generation buckeye. My great-grandfather graduated in the 1920s, my grandmother in the 1970s, my mother in the 1990s and now I am graduating 2022. I also think it is neat that we have three generations of women back-to-back earning degrees from OSU.

What classes did you enjoy the most?
The classes I enjoyed the most are the ones I found a way to immediately incorporate in my day-to-day life and work. I enjoyed a Strategic Communication for Business class as it strengthened my technical writing and helped me explore a different style of writing. The AgriNaturalist courses were excellent because it challenged me as a journalist, photographer, and in editing. I was challenging taking the first course in 2020 due to the pandemic restricting our ability to interview subjects in-person. I also enjoyed all my visual media and design classes because the professors were fully invested in their craft and their passion was communicated through their teaching. Lastly, I enjoyed the Public Relations class that brought many of my other courses together when it gave me and my classmates the opportunity to create a PR campaign for a real company with a real need with real feedback. All these classes were the standouts amongst many great classes!

What student organizations were you involved in and what roles did you hold within those organizations?
During my time at The Ohio State University, I wasn’t involved in any organizations on campus. I was able to volunteer my time as a Girl Scout Troop leader in my local community instead. The girls inspire me to maintain my positive attitude, their confidence grows constantly, and they are truly fun to be around.

 

What internships did you complete and what were your responsibilities?
I worked as an intern at North Country Charcuterie, a small family business making cured meats. Due to COVID-19 making it very difficult to find an in-person intern opportunity, I was given the opportunity to intern there twice. My full-time internship was during the summer when I was as the Social Media/Communication intern. My primary responsibility was creating a social media calendar that maintained the brand, fostered engagement with its followers, and promoted products. In the fall, I transitioned to the Marketing intern and my responsibilities shifted. I was able to create new product photography, re-design the website, assist in developing a corporate gifting campaign, design a charcuterie kit that was successful in sales, and work with Belle Communication to execute their PR campaign suggestions for North Country Charcuterie. I truly enjoyed my job as an intern with North Country Charcuterie.

What do you plan to do after graduation?
After graduation I will continue to work as the Marketing Coordinator for North Country Charcuterie. I am going to also work on building my photography business, in hopes to grow it one day into a marketing and design firm. Long term, I hope to develop my own business in which the agricultural community can use me (and those I employ) as resources for marketing their own small business.

What stands out as your best college memory?
I think I will always remember the winter when I was taking a MicroEconomics course at the Newark branch during my very first semester (before I was able to transition to the Columbus campus) … I was driving my daughter to preschool on my way to class when I was notified that due to the snow accumulation her school was closed. Rather than turning around and trying to make last minute childcare arrangements, we continued to campus. I remember walking in and my teacher was surprised to see my daughter in tow. I apologized because I knew it probably wasn’t a good idea and offered to leave. He smiled and told me he was thrilled I brought her. It was almost like a right of passage when he told me how many of the other teachers had children in their classrooms at some point in their career, but he had not – so he was excited to have her join. She sat at a desk in the front of the room next to me and proceeded to color while he lectured. Halfway through lecture, I was called on randomly to answer a question. I managed to get it right and my teacher responded with something like “well done!” My daughter, without missing a beat, said “good job mama!” and the class laughed. She had been so quiet the entire lecture that her tiny voice surprised everyone, but she was so sweet and innocent everyone enjoyed her comment. When we left my teacher thanked me for bringing her, said she was welcome any time. My daughter proceeded to gift him with a drawing of a dragon she had been working on. It was a moment I realized that the teachers at Ohio State University were like none other and were committed to seeing their students succeed, even if it meant a 4-year-old attending on a snowy day. I will always remember that moment.

How did the pandemic impact your college experience? Is there anything you missed because of it?
The pandemic had an impact on my college experience but probably not in the same way as traditional college students. I have two children in elementary grades, so when all the schools switched to online it became challenging to be both student, parent, teacher and tech support. My children were in preschool and first grade with no computer experience. We adapted quickly but there were definitely a few weeks when I thought I would have to withdraw from my classes and focus on their education. I think we all took a turn shedding tears of frustration as we tried to navigate the new system. We got the hang of it and have been successful – but we are all happy to be back in-person. The only thing I think I missed out due to covid was the chance to interview face to face. I was taking the first course for the AgriNaturalist and scheduling an interview with potential story leads was nearly impossible. I still gained the skills, but it was a challenge!

2022 ACEL Outstanding Senior: Madilyn Youngpeter

The Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership (ACEL) has named 13 students to the 2022 class of ACEL Outstanding Seniors. These students were selected by the faculty and staff of the department for their excellence both in and out of the classroom. Madilyn Youngpeter, an agricultural communication major from Findlay, Ohio, was named as one of ACEL’s Outstanding Seniors for 2022.

Read about Madilyn’s Ohio State experience below.


Why did you choose your major?
When I started at Ohio State, I did not have a full grasp on what I wanted to major in. Thanks to some awesome professors at ATI and taking some agricultural communications classes, I realized what I was learning aligned with my passions so things started falling into place. I love my major and all the possibilities that are available to me.

Why did you choose to attend Ohio State?
I moved close to ATI so I figured I would apply there while transferring from my previous college. I honestly went in not knowing much about the school or offerings but instantly fell in love.

What classes did you enjoy the most?
My intro to Ag.Comm class with Mrs. Ramsier, she is so fun and is passionate about what she teaches and that reflects into us, Shari Peart, she helped me and so many others get over our fears of public speaking in speech class. On main campus, I loved Tom Stewarts PR class and Dr. Specht’s design class.

What student organizations were you involved in and did you hold any leadership roles?
Growing up I took all sorts of livestock and still projects in 4H, including horses, dogs, sheep, photography, cooking and more. I was a part of Junior Fairboard, was my county fair princess, and was a part of our judging and hippology teams. At Ohio State, I am a part of Towers Agricultural Honorary, where we do service projects across Franklin County and central Ohio.

What internships did you complete and what were your responsibilities/projects as an intern?
I was fortunate to have one internship with the Youth Equestrian Development Association (YEDA). I interned my whole junior year and was able to come back this year. I do social media, help at shows and work anywhere I am needed.

What do you plan to do after graduation?
I would love to get into a career in branding, marketing, or public relations. All three things interest me as I love working with people to make ideas come to life.

What stands out as your best college memory?
Probably all the times I had at ATI, unless you went there, you would not understand how close we were and the crazy happenings and inside jokes.

How did the pandemic impact your college experience? Is there anything you missed because of it?
The pandemic impacted essentially my whole Ohio State experience. I came in as a transfer sophomore fall of 2019, completed my first semester at ATI and was halfway through my second semester when the world shut down. I missed out my whole junior year due to things being online, and fast forward to this past fall semester when I started my senior year, first semester in Columbus, and first in person classes in almost two years. I feel like I missed so many traditions because of COVID happening right in the middle of my transition to Columbus. While it was tough, thankfully the professors and faculty members at both campuses were extremely helpful and made the process as smooth as it could be.