Written By Anita Ruggles

As a Junior in high school, I decided to go to Ehove Career Center for cosmetology with the hopes of attending college after I graduated. That decision was, without a doubt, the best decision I ever made because it prepared me for college as it showed me a whole different world outside of my high school. It also showed me that I could be involved with other things even when I am in school. Furthermore, by getting my cosmetology license during high school, I am now able to make money while I am in college. 

While this decision was a good one, it was hard to make. I went to a very small high school and leaving my small tight-knit community was intimidating to me. I was also very involved at my high school, and I loved going to my small school and seeing the same people every day. However, sometimes you need to take that leap and step outside of your comfort zone.  

Attending college is no different. Just as I left my high school to attend my career center, people are leaving their high school community and the only school they have never known to attend college. Now, on the first day of classes at my career center, I will say I was incredibly nervous. However, when I got into my first class, there were people there that came from the same background as me and had some of the same interests as me. This happens with coming to college too, as there will be people in college that you have never met but you will learn very quickly that they have the same interests and come from the same background as you. 

Additionally, I was very involved in my high school as I was a cheerleader, I ran track and cross country, and I was also the president of my school’s FFA chapter. Going to the career center, I did not know how much I would still be able to be involved with my high school. When I got to my career center, I discovered that I could be involved at both my high school and in my career center. I was able to stay in all my activities at my high school while at the same time I got even more involved at my career center as I was a student ambassador and involved in Skills USA.  

This was also a concern I had when coming to college because I did not know how much I would be able to be involved. But because of my experiences in high school, I knew that I did not have to worry about not getting involved. In college, there are many ways that a student can get involved in many different student clubs and organizations and still maintain their connections at home.  

Lastly, I was fortunate enough to graduate high school and the career center with my cosmetology license from the State of Ohio. This has been a big blessing because I can work and make money while attending school at the same time.  

Written By Lexi Troyer

Haley Marcum, from Wooster , Ohio, completed her first two years of college at Ohio State ATI this past May and is now transitioning to the Columbus campus this fall to continue taking classes towards her bachelor’s degree in forestry, fisheries, and wildlife. She is spending her summer interning at the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station in Delaware, Ohio, where she focuses on breeding trees that are resistant to invasive insects or diseases. An internship was not required before her transition to the Columbus campus, but it was a good opportunity that came her way and one that she could not pass up.

Haley credits Ohio State ATI in preparing her for the transition to Columbus and giving her a solid educational foundation before beginning her internship. She says, “ATI gave me knowledge, especially in plant identification and the impact that the soil has on the things around it. I also got a lot of networking opportunities while at ATI, like working in the entomology lab as a research assistant doing invasive studies.”

Haley also commends the faculty at ATI for not only connecting her with her major and internship but supporting her as well. She remarks, “The Second-Year Transformational Experience Program at ATI funded my internship by covering the cost of living, including groceries and the clothes/gear needed for my internship to work outside.”

Haley is also grateful to Ohio State ATI for providing her with valuable field experience and helping her secure an outdoor job while she was at ATI, as she arrived without any prior field experience. She says, “ATI gave me experience, especially like working in the entomology lab. My skill set was improved by class material, talking to faculty, and working outdoors.”

Written By Brayden Hayes 

You’ll find there are many different or new experiences when you come to college. Getting involved in campus life socially is one of the best ways to help ease the uncertainties. As a freshman here at ATI, I have heard one piece of advice time and time again: “Just say yes to as many college opportunities as you can possibly do.” I have taken this simple piece of advice to heart. Getting involved in Hoof-n-Hide and the Agricultural Systems Management Club and becoming an Ohio State ATI Student Ambassador has opened many new doors to me.  

Joining different college clubs and organizations is an excellent way of getting involved. The wide variety of clubs offered to students here at ATI is truly amazing. Everyone on campus can find their niche in a club. That said, ATI also allows students to make their own clubs if there is enough interest. The wide variety of clubs or organizations allows for all students to get involved.  

Joining clubs at ATI is what helped me make so many friends and get involved on the campus. If I could give one piece of advice to a future college kid, it would be to get involved and make some friends.  Joining the Agricultural Systems Management Club, or ASM, has been the best thing for me thus far in my college career. Meeting once every other week for ASM has allowed me to meet so many new lifelong friends. In the ASM club, there is a new guest speaker during almost every meeting. Most of these speakers are agricultural related in some way, and the amount of knowledge I have obtained from these speakers is astronomical.  

Having a job on campus is a great way to make extra money, create a network, and get many new opportunities. All people have different interests and enjoy doing different things. Here at ATI, the job options are diverse, from writing blogs and giving tours, like I do as an Admissions Ambassador, to working with cattle on the farms. There are so many opportunities for work. The money made at these jobs is undoubtedly important and helpful, but the opportunities these jobs allow for are one of a kind. 

Being a student ambassador for only a few months at this point, I have already met so many people. I have also learned so many lifelong skills that cannot be learned in a classroom. I would highly recommend to any college student to take a leap of faith and try something new with a job on campus.  

Written By Lexi Troyer

Second-year student Aiden Robinson is spending his summer out-of-state in Long Island, New York, working with Summerhill Landscapes. With this company he is completing a summer internship where he is enhancing both his connections with other interns and his landscaping expertise. At Ohio State ATI, Aiden is studying landscape horticulture with an interest in turfgrass management. In fact, it was his turfgrass professor who guided him to this internship opportunity.

When asked how this internship has influenced his future academic or career plans, Aiden notes, “It has guided me to know that I am in the right career.” He also highlights the diverse team of individuals with whom he works. He quotes, “I stay with other interns from Honduras, Ireland, France, and elsewhere. Spanish is a common second language here, and having Spanish classes in high school certainly helps with conversing with others.”

One goal he keeps throughout his internship is to find satisfaction in each job he completes with his team. He shares a prime example: “Starting with a newly built house that has no landscaping and taking on a big project to create an appealing landscape look for the property.”

Aiden looks forward to continuing his internship throughout the summer and taking on new projects with his team at Summerhill Landscapes. He credits this internship with allowing him to improve his education in the field of landscaping as it will benefit him after college in finding a job that is both enjoyable and fulfilling.

Written By Adrianna Meyer

During spring of my second-grade year, my mom enrolled my brother and me in 4-H as Cloverbud members, with hopes that we would stay in the organization and develop lifelong skills that would benefit us throughout the years. Remaining as a member in 4-H was an easy choice for me as I knew it involved agriculture and I have been around some aspect of that industry since the day I was born. When I was young, my dad grew crops and raised cattle, and my mom raised goats.  

When I started out in 4-H as a project-taking member, I only took Boer goat projects for three years. With some encouragement from my mom, I began taking “still projects,” which are projects that do not require an animal. My first still project was about the genealogy of my family.  

I continued to add on these projects every year since 2016 and it led me to gain the courage to join clubs and councils that had a large focus on leadership. 4-H has led me to multiple national trips, including Atlanta, GA and Washington, D.C., as well as multiple honors, such as being inducted into the 2023 Ohio 4-H Teen Hall of Fame and serving as president of the Ohio 4-H Teen Leadership Council. 

When I realized that I wanted to be involved in 4-H as my future career, it was a natural choice for me to major in community leadership at Ohio State ATI, with a specialization in Extension education. Knowing that I am a role model and resource for so many individuals that I have impacted throughout my years of involvement solidified my major choice for me. 4-H has allowed me to find great joy when interacting and educating others on topics within agriculture and STEM. My lifelong career goal is to be involved in an agricultural organization or Extension where I am educating, advocating, and cultivating the next generation of leaders that will take our spots one day.  

Written By Lexi Troyer

Molly McGuire, an upcoming sophomore at Ohio State ATI, is spending her summer interning at Brookside Laboratories in New Bremen, Ohio, to learn more about what her agronomy major entails. Molly chose this internship to gain experience with the laboratory side of agronomy. She says, “Last summer I interned with an agronomist doing a lot of soil sampling. I wanted to gain experience and see the different perspective of what happens after the soil sample is taken.”

A typical day for Molly starts with arriving at Brookside Laboratories around 7a.m. She then finds the lab manager to get her tasks for the day. Molly notes, “I work a lot in production, which means grinding and organizing soil samples. I also work in our filter room, cleaning the many filters that soil samples go through. I also will unpack lawn samples.” Molly recognizes one of the most interesting things she has learned thus far in her internship is how a sample is processed. She states, “It’s interesting to take a giant bag of soil and then only need about a quarter size of the sample for filtering and processing.”

When asked how this internship experience has shaped her perspective on the industry she is interested in, Molly shares, “This internship has really made me realize how big the network is surrounding Brookside Laboratories.” Molly then talks about certain consultants she has known since a young age, getting samples at Brookside Labs from overseas, and remarking that so many people know about Brookside Labs—that it is more than just a lab in New Bremen, Ohio.

Looking ahead, Molly is eager to get through the busy season of May—June with her team. She says, “Everyone is sending in their spring soil samples during this time. I look forward to watching how my managers handle this busy season and learning from them.”

Written By Becca Staley

For a lot of students, the transition from high school life to college can be a bit challenging and overwhelming. It can be even more overwhelming to find a job that fits a college student’s busy and hectic schedule. However, it’s all about finding balance and making things work. For me personally, I have an on-campus student job and an off-campus job as well, and I’m going to tell you how I make things work, even though having two jobs gives me less time to do other important things that come with college. 

I work as a student ambassador in the admissions office at Ohio State ATI. My hours are catered around my class schedule, and my supervisors always understand other obligations that may arise in connection with classes or other on-campus events. As a student ambassador, I get to do many things that other students don’t have the ability to do. I get to interact with prospective students and their families, have a behind-the-scenes look at the admissions process, help make content for social media pages, and plan for large groups of highschoolers to visit our campus.  

In terms of my off-campus job, I work at a local small business called Wooster Nutrition. I work a couple days a week when I have a large enough break in my class schedule to work a worthwhile shift. With great communication, my bosses are extremely understanding that I’m a full-time college student, and that my schooling comes first. When business is slow, I can catch up or get ahead on some of my college assignments.  

Overall, having two jobs on top of a full class schedule can become too much at times, but for the most part, it has been nothing but rewarding. I have the chance to stay busy all the time, while also having financial stability. I use my short breaks in my schedule to stay caught up on assignments and studying, so I can use my evenings to relax and hang out with my friends. At the end of the day, college can be a huge adjustment, but always remember why you took the leap to do it and just have fun! 

Written By Lexi Troyer

Mallory Kramer, a dedicated upcoming second-year Ohio State ATI student from Pemberville, Ohio, is currently taking part in a summer internship experience as she pursues her major in agriscience education. The chance to intern at the Sandusky County 4-H Extension Office came to Mallory’s attention through a network of fellow students at Ohio State ATI. Inspired by the experiences and recommendations of her peers, Mallory pursued this opportunity.

Mallory’s daily routine at her internship can revolve around office work or field visits, depending on the day. During her hours spent in the office, she will find herself completing a variety of online tasks, such as preparing for 4-H Camp or project judging. If Mallory is not in the office, she may be visiting elementary schools in Sandusky County. Mallory says, “So far this year we have visited two local elementary schools. While visiting the schools, we teach students about coding through the use of robots that were gifted to us through a grant.”

Looking ahead, Mallory shares that she is looking forward to managing the Sandusky County Summer Showcase. She describes the showcase as “an event that takes place after project judging, where individuals are awarded with trophies based on their placement at judging.” Mallory is enjoying her internship thus far and is eager to see what the future may hold. Reflecting on internships in general, she states, “Internships are important because they help students gain an idea of what they may want to do in their future. They also open the door for possibility and opportunity.”

Written By Lexi Troyer

I recently completed my first year of college at Ohio State ATI and am now preparing to begin my second year in August, majoring in Animal Biosciences. Reflecting on where I was a year ago, I was getting ready for orientation, purchasing items for my apartment, and meeting my roommates. It was an incredibly exciting time, yet also quite overwhelming and chaotic. Currently working in the Ohio State ATI Admissions Office this summer, I speak with incoming students who are experiencing the same feelings I had. While I cannot eliminate their stress, I can share insight about orientation and what to expect for those attending this summer.

Orientation helps new students transition smoothly into college life in several ways.

1. Orientation will serve as an introduction to campus, whether you have been here before or are visiting for the first time at orientation. You can tour the campus and see important locations like the Wooster Science Building, campus farms, classrooms, inside our apartments, the library, and Café Carmen.
2. At orientation, you will learn more about the registration process to schedule your classes.
3. You will also be introduced to various campus resources, including academic advising, counseling services, disability services, financial aid, IT for technical support, Program Excel, the bookstore, and our student life activities on campus. These areas of support will ensure that you know where to seek help when needed.
4. Attending orientation will also benefit your social integration. You’ll have the chance to meet your peers, make new friends, and build a sense of community. Additionally, there will be panels featuring current sophomores who will answer questions from incoming freshmen. Fun fact, I met two of my three roommates for the first time at orientation.
5. Lastly before you leave orientation, be sure to get your BuckID, which serves as your official identification card for various campus services, facilities, and activities. Remember that you must bring a government-issued photo ID (i.e., passport, driver’s license, state ID, etc.) to obtain your Buck ID at orientation.

Overall, orientation offers an enjoyable experience that serves as the starting point for acquainting yourself with fellow students, faculty, and staff, as well as the diverse array of programs available at Ohio State ATI. It’s a time filled with excitement and discovery, where you’ll begin to make connections and explore the opportunities that await you during your college journey.

Written By Lexi Troyer

Caleb Bennett and Gracie Sprague, Ohio State ATI sophomores majoring in Agriscience Education, along with Layna Gordon, an incoming freshman in the same program at ATI, exemplify what it is like to be a leader and scholar. All three have been elected to serve on the 2024-2025 Ohio FFA State Officer Team, expressing their excitement for the year ahead and gratitude towards those who have mentored them to this prestigious honor.

Caleb Bennett was recently elected to serve as the 2024-2025 Ohio FFA State Sentinel. Caleb shares that “the sentinel is stationed by the door, meaning I am to be one of the first faces to welcome members and guests at meetings and events.” Caleb got started in FFA through his middle school FFA chapter, where he gained an interest in going to competitions and competing. His dad also guided him to find interest in FFA, as he is a current FFA advisor and agriculture educator. When it came to running for state office, Caleb was encouraged to apply by one of his best friends from high school, who had also previously served as a State Officer.

Reflecting on his high school FFA experience, Caleb explained that he spent his sophomore year of high school serving as a non-constitutional officer. This means he was there to step in if any of the other officers were absent or needed additional help with a task. His junior year was spent serving as Treasurer and receiving his gold pin for completing a state-rated gold treasurer’s book. His high school officer experience did not end there, though, as he spent his senior year serving as his chapter’s President.

Anticipating the year ahead, Caleb is looking forward to spending another year at Ohio FFA Camp, this year as a State Officer. He is also eager to attend the 2024 State Officer Summit which is held in Washington D.C. When asked about his goals as a State Officer, Caleb said, “I want to learn how agriculture is practiced in different parts of the state and even across the nation.” After college, Caleb has plans to become an agriculture educator in a high school classroom or become a county Extension agent.

Gracie Sprague was elected at the 96^th Ohio FFA Convention to serve as one of five 2024-2025 State Vice Presidents at Large. She shares that her task alongside other officers is “to promote Ohio FFA and encourage members from across the state to become involved with FFA.” As a proud third generation FFA member, Gracie’s own involvement with the FFA program began her freshman year of high school when she enrolled in an introductory course called “Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources.” This class, along with her 4-H involvement, led her to further her interest in FFA and agriculture. In high school, Gracie served her chapter as the President throughout her junior and senior years, giving her insight into being a successful officer.

When asked about applying for state office, Gracie shared she was not only inspired by her family and Ohio State alumni who were also FFA involved, but past Ohio FFA State Officers from as far back as 30 years ago as well. Enthusiastic about the year ahead, Gracie is most looking forward to attending Ohio FFA Camp as a state officer. She explained, “It will be a change from attending camp for five days as a member to attending camp for two months as a state officer.” She acknowledged some of the highlights of camp being outdoor fun, guest speakers, and leadership sessions. Gracie also expressed interest in applying for the International Leadership Seminar for State Officers, which takes place this year in Spain and Portugal.

With approximately 30,000 students involved with the Ohio FFA Association, Gracie has set a goal for herself to connect with as many members as possible throughout her year of service. She emphatically states, “I want to let members know that I believe in their potential as a member of the Ohio FFA program.” After college, Gracie looks to become an agriculture educator and/or FFA advisor at the high school level.

Layna Gordon was elected at the 2024 Ohio FFA State Convention to serve as the State Treasurer for the 2024-2025 term. She notes that her task with this position is much like the responsibilities that other officers on the team have: “We all work to support members and advance the Ohio FFA Program.” Following in the footsteps of her mom, grandpa, and great grandpa, Layna began her involvement with the FFA program during her freshman year of high school. She said that at first, she questioned if FFA was for her, although when she began entering public speaking contests, she quickly noticed an improvement in her communication skills. From then on, she realized the positive impact that FFA can have on someone’s life.

While in high school, Layna served as her chapter’s Secretary during her sophomore year and as President during her junior and senior years, further enhancing her experience in FFA. When it came time to apply for state office, Layna found inspiration from past State Officers. She remarked, “I looked up to previous State Officers, most often at FFA Camp. They were always excited no matter how tired they were and were also very supportive to younger members.”

One of Layna’s primary goals for the upcoming year is to meet as many people as possible and support them through any mental or physical challenges they may face. She is excited about upcoming events like FFA Camp, banquets, leadership nights, and chapter visits across the state to learn how inner-city chapters differ from rural ones. After college, Layna aspires to become an agriculture educator but is open to new opportunities that may come her way.

All elected Ohio FFA State Officers complete a rigorous application process where 50 applicants compete for state-level positions. The application process includes a written application, a video presentation of “Why I Desire to Serve as an Ohio FFA Officer,” a writing exercise, and two interviews. If slated for state office, candidates then give their “Why I Desire” presentation live to the delegates during the voting process.