By: Mary Siekman, Agricultural Communication | Delaware, OH
There are many reasons I look forward to attending the National FFA Convention & Expo each year. I enjoy seeing blue jackets swarm in from all over the country, taking in the energy that floods the convention hall and reconnecting with old friends. But the one thing that makes attending convention each year something I look forward to is simple – the people. It is definitely people who make National FFA Convention great and this year I was lucky to spend it with some pretty great people.
Some of the people I spent most of my time with were members of the CFAES Ambassador Team. Together we spent Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of Convention working in the Ohio State CFAES booth talking with FFA members as perspective student to our college. Students were able to participate in science experiments and make buckeye key chains (I had to explain what a buckeye was to a student from Georgia…something I never thought I would have to do!). The coolest part about being in the OSU booth was having the opportunity to chat face to face with students from literally all over the country about why I love Ohio State and what our college has to offer students.
Students in our college weren’t only working in the OSU booth, but instead could be found all over Convention. Some of my peers were working at different company’s booths they had previously interned with, facilitating workshops with National FFA, serving as Ohio FFA Officers, receiving their American FFA Degrees, being elected to the National FFA Officer team (yay Sydney!!) or just there to support their friends. Faculty were also present during the week. Dr. Emily Buck was at convention working in the FFA News Room and also received her Honorary American Degree (be sure to tell her congratulations!)
Convention is not only a time to reconnect with old friends, but also to meet new people, too. It was such a great surprise to see Chris Soules, an Iowa farmer who recently starred as the Bachelor on the ABC television show, was at the Monsanto booth! Even though he forgot to bring me a rose I was still so excited to finally meet Prince Farming.