In the Field Friday: Paige Schaffter ’19

This week’s In the Field Friday is Paige Schaffter from Edon, Ohio. Paige graduated from ATI this past spring with her associate of science degree in Agriscience Education. She is spending the summer working for the Williams County Extension Office before heading to Columbus to finish her bachelor’s degree.

A typical day for Paige consists of anything 4-H related. She contacts judges for Miscellaneous, Food, Clothing, and Livestock interviews and competitions. She also is in charge of finding volunteers for various events throughout the summer. Paige also works with the 4-H extension educator and the program assistant for everything camp related.

This is Paige’s second summer working for the extension office. What she enjoys most about working for the extension office is watching everybody compete at different judging events and watching them succeed in a project area with big smiles on their faces! Paige went on to talk about her time at ATI and how being exposed to different groups of people helped her expand her people skills:

“My experiences at ATI truly helped me in this job by exposing me to a variety of people. Some families don’t show livestock at the fair and are in 4-H for the still projects. Had I not gone to ATI, I would not have experienced interacting with individuals that don’t know a lot or anything about livestock or agriculture. After attending ATI, I can effectively and efficiently interact with individuals with all types of backgrounds and differing levels of agricultural literacy.”

When it came to giving advice to future students, Paige was quick to say get out of your comfort zone. “I would tell incoming students to get comfortable doing things outside your comfort zone. If you’re pretty shy, go out of your way to make a friend in one of your classes, or join a club. Yes, college is about earning a degree and learning a lot inside the classroom, but what makes it truly enjoyable is the experiences you have with some of your favorite people outside of the classroom.”

Paige’s final advice for everyone is to, “Make friends, be a nice person, and always make time for some fun stuff. College is a completely new start where hardly anyone knows you, so take this time to figure out the type of person you want to be, and form habits that help mold you into your ideal person. Also, don’t be afraid to try. Just talking to people or showing an interest in a company or position can land you a pretty cool job! Study hard, have fun, meet lots of people, and do whatever makes you come alive and sets your soul on fire!!!”

In the Field Friday: Katlynn Fuller

This week’s in the Field Friday is Katlynn Fuller. Katlynn is from Paulding, Ohio and will be transitioning to Columbus this fall for her junior year. Katlynn is an agronomy major. She is spending her summer interning at Mercer Landmark in Elgin, Ohio. Katlynn spends her days scouting fields with agronomist and making chemical decisions based on the needs of the crops. She also got the opportunity to work at the Vanwert, Ohio airport, where she was able help load the crop dusters with fungicide spray for wheat. This year’s planting season has been wetter than others, but because of this she has gotten to experience some things that in a normal year she would miss out on. For Fuller, ATI was a place of growth and because of this she feels more prepared to enter industry. She encourages students to take it a step further and get involved in an internship.

“Internships are a great way to get your hands dirty within your degree,” said Fuller. “By doing internships you will be able to narrow down what you like and dislike about working in the industry. I recommend doing an internship every year that you are able to.”

While Katlynn attended ATI, she was active in clubs and organizations. She even served as a resident adviser. Her advice for future students is to get involved.

“Starting college as a freshman seems scary, although everyone you are surrounded by is in the  same boat as you are”, said Fuller. “Keeping this in the back of your mind can help ease your freshman jitters. When I was a freshman I was involved in the OWL (Orientation Welcome Leader) program at ATI that allows you to move in two days early which allows you to meet new people and feel better prepared for the start of the semester. I encourage everyone to apply to be an OWL.”

There are many different clubs on campus to get involved in and it will make your college career more enjoyable. One thing that she has learned while involved on campus is networking.

”Never pass up a chance to meet someone new. Now is the time to step outside of your comfort zone and try new things,” said Fuller. “If the thought of trying something new scares you, then you will most likely grow by doing it.”

 

Good luck and Go Bucks!

Katlynn Fuller