Wordless Wednesday: Spring Break!

Last Friday I returned from a fantastic spring break in the mountains with a group of Iowa State friends. The week long break was a welcomed change of pace from school, meetings, and work. Here are a few of the beautiful scenes we encountered on our adventure. To read more about our vacation, check out my friend, Kaci's blog!

Monday Night Movie Night: Why I Farm

I haven't posted a Monday Night Movie Night for a long time, but after the release of the latest Why I Farm video by Beck's Hybrids a few weeks ago, I couldn't resist. Also, since March is Women's History month, this clip seemed fitting. As I mentioned in another blog post, I am thrilled to work for Beck's this coming summer as their marketing communications intern, and am thankful for the opportunity I had to spend part of my Christmas Break learning the behind the scenes stories of this Why I Farm campaign.

Women in ag are constantly inspiring me. Search social media for #FarmHer and #WomenInAg for hundreds of other awesome stories. Thanks for reading! 

#Thankful Thursday, Week 10!

This week I'm overwhelmed with thankfulness for the people who pushed me to check out Iowa State... and give it a second try. Many people who knew me as a high school senior will remember the girl that thought she'd attend a small, private college far from home and be the statistic that changed her major 13 times before finally graduating in 5 and a half years. I was excited for new independence and a fresh start, but so anxious about choosing the perfect school and right major. The fear of getting it wrong was almost paralyzing.

Eventually, I checked out Iowa State, only after receiving strong "suggestions" from adult friends and others who thought it would be good to visit a bigger, public school, "just to be sure" of what I was sure I knew about my preferences. I came for my tour, picked up my folder from the visitor's center, and ventured off with my mom to find our appointments scattered across the sprawling campus on the highlighted map. As we made our way through the day, we met with faculty that had thick accents, received huge folders full of curriculum requirements, and when we got lost the students we stopped to ask couldn't even point us in the right direction. That was the last straw. I returned happy to announce I could cross at least one school off the list. I could never be a Cyclone.

Little did I know, my mentors were pretty persistent, and probably knew me better than I knew myself in some ways. After months of encouragement, I went back to give it a second shot. A friend from high school was kind enough to host me in her dorm and show me around campus. Another family friend took the time to line up classes for me to sit in on and students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to meet. The light switch flipped. I knew Ames would be my new home and the Agricultural Business program seemed to fit like a glove.

Now 5 and a half semesters, 10 clubs, 4 internships, and countless trips and events in to my Iowa State adventure, I wouldn't trade it for the world. I've been blessed with so many forever friends, discovered my passion in agriculture, and been challenged like never before as a Cyclone. Campus really isn't that huge, the faculty is amazing, and the coursework is exciting. In the last month alone, I've had the privilege of traveling to 4 states, 3 conferences, and attending 5 dinners representing one of the top agricultural schools in the world. Many thanks to my mentors and friends who have encouraged and supported my college career! Thanks for reading!

Iowa Ag Leaders Dinner Reflection

Yesterday evening, I had the honor of attending the Iowa Ag Leaders dinner hosted by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey. Agricultural business leaders, commodity group members, legislators, FFA members, and Iowa State University representatives gathered for a night of networking and inspiration. I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with friends and mentors during the reception. 

Photo Credit: Katie Klaes

As we savored a delicious dinner served by The Machine Shed, I was encouraged by talks from Abrah Meyer, FFA President for the state of Iowa, Bill Northey and the keynote address from former President and CEO of Heifer International, Jo Luck. There were so many good things mentioned about the enthusiasm of young agriculturalists, and the leadership of Iowa in the industry, but I wanted to share a couple things from Ms. Luck's speech in particular. 

In order to have achievement, you must possess VISION. This is how she described VISION:

V- Values. Know what you value and write it down. Everyone should value caring and sharing.
I- Important. Know what is important to you. (and probably many of the people around you) Family, love, health, faith, justice, community, education, etc.
S- Senses. We learn about 5 senses from the time we are young-- sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing and it's great to use and appreciate all of those, but there are 5 more sense that are also essential-- sense of direction, sense of pride, common sense, sensitivity, and sometimes the hardest to remember, sense of humor.
I- Interdependence. Teamwork, harmony and balance are all key components of achievement. No matter how independent you may be, we still impact each other. There is a Kenyan saying that means "Together we can do it."
O- Ownership. There must be a local (or personal) belief, want, need, and value for the goal. Luck shared the example of Dr. Tererai Trent, which is a story that will have to wait for another blog post.
N- NamJai. A Kenyan word translated "living waters of the heart." Compassion is so important in everything you do, from a smile and thank you to a hosting family, to taking time to walk in someone else's shoes. 

Simply put, never compromise your core values, remember what is important, use all your senses, be sure the right people own it with you, and don't forget your NamJai... ever.

Finally, I want to leave you with one last quote I found particularly inspiring. It went something like this, "You never know when you are influencing someone who will change the world."

As you pursue your goals I challenge you to keep your VISION in mind. Thanks for reading!