UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Leah Welk, a third-year student double-majoring in agricultural science and public relations, has been selected as an ambassador for Agricultural Future of America at Penn State.
AFA is a national nonprofit organization that provides personal and professional development programs to college students and young professionals in agriculture.
As an ambassador, Welk will work to promote AFA to peers, faculty and industry professionals. “I’ve seen firsthand how much of an impact AFA can have on your life,” she said. “I want other students to have the same opportunities.”
Welk, who also is minoring in leadership development and digital media trends and analytics, began her college career at Penn State Berks. During her transition to University Park, she learned about AFA from the director of student recruitment and activities in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
“I heard a previous ambassador speak about his experience at a virtual involvement fair, and that made me want to apply for the 2020 AFA conference,” Welk said. “After attending the conference, I fell in love with AFA.”
Welk described ambassadors as the connection to showcase how AFA impacts students on college campuses and in their professional lives. She will speak to clubs on campus to get students involved in the organization.
“I’m looking forward to making the most of this role and having those interactions,” Welk said. “There are countless opportunities for Penn State students in AFA. If I can help someone realize the impact AFA can have, I have done my job.”
Welk credits the organization with helping her explore options within the industry that she had not even realized existed.
“My goal is to work in ag communications after graduation,” she said. “AFA has allowed me to connect and network with industry professionals from all across the country, including at John Deere and Cargill.”
Welk grew up on her family’s fifth-generation farm in Lancaster and said she always knew she wanted to be part of the agriculture industry. “I’ve been in the barn from a young age and worked in the tobacco crop fields in the summertime,” she said. “I was heavily involved in FFA and 4-H, where I showed pigs, lambs and goats for as long as I can remember.”
She said she also is interested in communications and public relations. Since her two older brothers will take over the family farm, she decided to lean into her interests outside production.
“By working in ag communications, I can bridge the gap between producers, consumers and companies,” Welk said. “I think companies are the forgotten middlemen between producers and consumers, but they have a crucial role in effectively communicating their message to both audiences.”
Personal and professional development are two key items that AFA can offer to students. Through the annual Leaders Conference, students from across the country come together to bridge the gap between academic, leadership and work experiences. Students also can attend an opportunity fair, which allows them to connect with various organizations to discuss internships, full-time employment and continued education.
Welk noted that her conference experience was central to helping her find her latest internship with Curious Plot, a marketing and communications agency based in Minneapolis that focuses on clients in the agriculture and food industries. She spent her summer in Minneapolis, gaining firsthand experience at an agency while networking with agricultural communicators and fellow interns. In the fall, she will recruit students to attend the 2022 conference as part of her ambassador duties.
She also has taken advantage of two other AFA programs. She participated in the Bridge Series — a four-week program focused on diversity, equity and inclusion in agriculture. Welk also is part of the AFA Leader Fellowship program, which connects students with a mentor or coach in their area of interest to help set goals and network.
Additionally, students can attend the Leaders Institutes to explore their areas of interest within agriculture. Welk attended the Animal Leader Institute in April and will attend the Policy Leader Institute in September.
“I’m forever grateful to AFA,” she said. “I cannot imagine getting to where I am today without it. It has changed the trajectory of what I am going to do after college. I have met so many new people I now call friends who have been my greatest supporters. It has made me a better candidate and a better person.”