By Jill Parrent, AAEA Member
As a recent college graduate who majored in Agricultural Communications, when looking at the programs prior to starting my college education, there were more options than I could wrap my head around. The choices of majors continue to grow in agriculture. From agricultural business and agronomy, to food science and animal science, the possibilities are endless!
When I toured the university that ultimately became my home away from home, one program became my mainstay – agricultural communications. This program is unique, and sometimes underrated, but it’s an evolving and exciting program to explore. Why? Because we are the ones who support the agricultural businesses, agronomists, food and animal scientists, plus many others. Our work focuses on telling the stories of those who are busy feeding 100% of the population.
Agricultural Communications is well-rounded where students learn to create feature stories, social media, video editing, photography, event planning and everything in-between. If you can dream it, we can do it. For example, if someone has a passion for agronomy, the opportunity to specialize in it and promote the organization exists.
The skills we learn in agricultural communications are unmatched as we can walk into nearly any industry and have a working knowledge and adapt and focus on that industry. Being well-rounded is not only a hirable trait but craved. Almost all companies have a demand for writing and social media. How else is their message sent?
Today, I write magazine articles, create social media, edit photos, talk to farmers on the phone, create presentations, and continually check off my “to-do” list in my planner—and that may be all in one day! Some careers can be mundane, doing the same thing over and over, day after day. The diversity of agricultural communications is unmatched with the ability to do more than meets the eye. When looking at careers, why not pick one where having a different day, five-days per week is possible?
Jill Parrent is the Communications Coordinator for the Illinois Soybean Association where she focuses on supporting 43,000 Illinois soybean farmers. As a 2020 Agricultural Communications graduate, she is still getting her feet wet in the Ag Comm industry.