Eleven Cornell CALS students showcased their agricultural leadership skills at the Agriculture Future of America (AFA) conference Nov. 2-5 in Kansas City.
The AFA Leaders Conference provides leader development and networking opportunities for college men and women who are preparing for careers in agriculture and food-related fields. The conference bridges the gap between academic, leadership and work experiences while helping students understand the impact of their decisions.
At the conference, students are given the opportunity to network with peers and leaders in the agriculture industry as well as increase their excitement about the future of agriculture by creating awareness about career opportunities in food and agriculture.
“(The conference) serves as an extension of the education that we receive here at CALS, allowing us to apply what we have learned towards developing a career in the agriculture and food industries,” said Stephanie McBath ’19, an animal sciences major and the Cornell campus ambassador for AFA.
McBath said the event helps students build a network with leading industry partners and major agribusinesses. “Additionally, it provides an opportunity to meet other young agriculturalists from across the country and share our experiences. We are, in turn, able to bring these experiences back to campus, share them with our peers, and enrich not only our own education, but the education of others as well,” she said.
The following CALS students took part:
• Dennis Atiyeh ‘18
• Daniel Frea ‘19
• Nelly Guerra ‘18
• Haowen Hu ‘18
• Stephanie McBath ‘19
• Conor McCabe ‘18
• Grace Montgomery ‘18
• Kelsie Raucher ‘18
• Jessica Skellie ‘20
• Alanna Staffin ‘19
• Kayla Windecker ‘19
