Your Input Is Needed to Help Future Ag Communicators

By Courtney Leeper Girgis, Future Ag Communicators Committee Chair

Ten years ago this August, I boarded a plane in Kansas City, chewed a whole pack of cinnamon gum, and, soon after landing in Buffalo, New York, to attend my second Ag Media Summit, ate a classic beef on weck. As you can imagine, the combination of a salty sandwich and spicy gum (too much, I realized too late) was a big mistake. My mouth was on fire.

I was a sophomore agricultural journalism student at the University of Missouri, and I was slated to interview for the Dr. James Evans Scholarship from the Agricultural Communicators Network (then AAEA). I was worried about how I would talk with an increasingly swollen tongue, but somehow, with Benadryl and lots of pre-interview ice chips, I managed to push through the pain.

I did not receive the top scholarship that year, but seeds planted during the 2013 AMS continue to yield fruit in my life. I recall the Future Ag Communicators Committee’s thoughtful questions and genuine interest in my desire to help farmers share their stories. With the encouragement of committee members, I applied for the scholarship again the following year and received the top honor.

A few years into my professional career, Laurie Bedord, former FAC committee chair, invited me to join the committee. I continue to count on her and former committee members JoAnn Alumbaugh, Elaine Shein, and Karen Simon, as valuable mentors and encouragers in my journey.

Today, I have the honor of serving the committee as chair with a new generation of members: Ashley Craft (co-chair), Warren Clark, Chelsea Dinterman, Betty Haynes, Ryan Tipps, and McKayla Robinette.

I can tell you from personal experience that connections with Ag Communicators Network members make all the difference in a young professional’s development. Scholarship dollars equate to votes of confidence. Internships build skills. Every outreach is an opportunity to form relationships, to help mold and support the next generation.

The Future Ag Communicators Committee is fortunate to be building on a strong legacy in 2023. However, as the industry changes, especially in the post-COVID-19 environment, our committee has recognized a need to gather data from you and from ag communications college faculty to ensure we are best meeting the needs of you-ACN members and companies-and students.

Please take our survey by Friday, March 3, 2023, to help inform our programming and support the future of the agricultural communications industry.

Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. You are making an important investment in our organization.

If you have any questions or additional thoughts you’d like to share, please reach out to me at [email protected] and co-chair Ashley Craft at [email protected].