Illinois 4-H

Favorite 4-H Projects:  Poultry, Animal Science, Vet Science, Public Speaking, Leadership

Did any of your 4-H project skills, experiences or connections help prepare you for your career path?
Yes! Because of 4-H, I grew an interest in poultry. Because of that, I ended up changing my direction in college from becoming a veterinarian to wanting to work in the poultry industry. During my undergrad, I was able to intern a two poultry companies, and one ended up being the company I currently work for. Additionally, the leadership skills and public speaking skills I developed in 4-H has helped me to be successful.

What did you learn through 4-H that benefits you today?
4-H helped me to understand that there will always be someone who is a champion at something, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn that skill, too. I may not be the champion of anything, but I can use the various skills and knowledge I have learned and use it to help me be a great leader and employee.

How did 4-H contribute to your leadership skills today?
I was involved in multiple leadership groups during my last few years in 4-H. I was an Ogle County 4-H Ambassador, a member of the Youth Leadership Team, a member of the Livestock Ambassador Team, a member and president of the Food Advocacy Team, and I attended the National 4-H Conference. These opportunities helped me to build connections with people who had similar interests as I did. However, each of these groups was different from the other. Because of that, I am able to connect with my employees with different backgrounds and experiences to help them be successful.

What advice would you give a current 4-H member?
Stay connected in 4-H and always ask questions. Networking with people will help you tremendously in the long run.