Senior Spotlight
Every issue of the E-News will feature some seniors in Ag. Industries programs that have made great contributions to both MSU and their communities at home.
Andrew Barber
I grew up on a dairy and cash
crop farm in Lapeer, Michigan, where agriculture was our way of life.
I had always thought of staying on the farm until I learned about the
Ag Tech program at Michigan State University. At the time, I felt that
I could get the same information from Ag Tech as I could from four-year.
Four years at a university was too long for me.
During my past two years at MSU, I have enjoyed the environment and have had the opportunity to meet many new people.
I would encourage all future students to take advantage of what's all at MSU. Try not to go home every weekend, because time tends to go by faster if you say on campus and have fun with your friends.
As a future Agribusinessman, I look forward to returning to the family farm with a gained knowledge of farming and farm management. I know that my education at MSU will help me to make better business decisions to survive in the Ag Industry Sector.
Vicki Talaski
I am from Harbor Beach, Michigan where I was actively involved in FFA, National Honor Society and cheerleading. I come from a family of five. My dad is a field drainage contractor, my mom a florist, and both of my grandpas are farmers, so I have been around agriculture my entire life. As the middle child with a brother of 22 and a sister of 5, I will be the first in my family to graduate from college.
I choose Ag Industries as a stepping stone into the Agriscience Education program at MSU. This was a way for me to attend MSU, get my foot in the door, and learn more about agriculture instead of attending a university closer to home and then having to transfer after a year. I chose Ag Tech because it gave me the opportunity to get to know MSU before reapplying to the Agriscience program while receiving a certificate in Ag Industries.
There are many benefits to being an Ag Tech student. I was blessed with an adviser who is very flexible and allowed me to mold my schedule into something that I would learn from while still meeting the Ag Industries requirements. I was able to substitute many of my Ag Tech classes with Agriscience classes which will help me when transferring into the Agriscience program this spring. However, the best part of my time at MSU, has been the people. I have met some really fantastic people involved in Agriculture and have begun to network with future employees and friends.
As advice to future students, I would encourage you to not be afraid to diversify your education. Your time at MSU is a great opportunity to learn more about the different aspects of agriculture. Take an animal science or ecology class as electives if you want to. Don't think that just because you're an Ag Tech student that you can't take four year classes. CANR has a large variety of class to help you expand your horizons. Take some risks and learn new things because you will better enjoy your time at MSU if you do.
I will be transferring to the
Agriscience program this spring to finish my degree in Agriscience Education.
I hope to someday return to Huron Country to teach agriscience and advise
the leaders of tomorrow in the FFA. During my time as an Agriculture Industries
student, I was able to complete many of my four-year Agriscience requirements,
so I will hopefully finish my program in a shorter time. With the knowledge
I have already gained from MSU, I know that I will be a strong teacher
who will share her love for agriculture with her students.