By Delanie Crist, AMS First-Time Attendee Stipend Recipient
My first Ag Media Summit was a wonderful experience. The midsummer getaway was a great opportunity to learn and network within the industry. The sessions were well organized and the staff did a great job providing versatile, articulate speakers.
As a young professional, I am continually looking for opportunities to learn more about communications and the important roles they play within agriculture. Ag Media Summit provided a diverse collection of professionals who were eager to help. I enjoyed meeting new people who shared similar interests and hearing their stories of why they chose a career within agriculture.
Every session I attended provided great insight to skills and tools utilized in my day-to-day activities. It was inspiring to hear from industry professionals who have the humility to share their knowledge with others after spending years developing their skill sets. One overall take-away from the learning sessions were the unique ways each professional had skillfully compiled the elements they had be taught and used them to create a working format to maximize their efficiency and quality of work.
The most impactful moment for me came during the AAEA Awards Presentation. As I was listening to Orion Samuelson acceptance speech for the 2018 Distinguished Service Award, several things he said strongly stood out. “You can’t dream big enough.” His simple statement had a profound effect on my trip. I had the realization of the strong influence the summit can have on individuals like myself.
AMS was a great way to connect with people who inspire others to keep dreaming. There were people who motivated, empowered and encouraged attendees to improve and expand our own skill sets. There were even instances where professionals gathered together to share and celebrate success. Being surrounded by great people is empowering and provides the charge to keep chasing dreams. I look forward to attending next year’s summit where progressive professionals can gather together to help each other dream even bigger.