Paige Rohrbach is AEE June Student of the Month

AEE June Student of the Month:
Paige Rohrbach

Each month the Center for Professional Personnel Development recognizes an AEE for their achievements. For the month of June, we would like to recognize Paige Rohrbach as Student of the Month. Throughout her time at Penn State, Paige has had many achievements both in academics and extracurriculars.  gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg Paige is from Oley Valley, Pennsylvania and is a graduate of  Oley Valley High School. During her time in high school, Paige was a member of the Oley Valley FFA chapter. She is currently a senior in Agricultural and Extension Education and will graduate in the Spring of 2024. Her future plans are to return to the classroom to teach high school agriculture. She chose Penn State "because of vast opportunities and resources that they provide and connections that we make while in college".

During her time at Penn State, Paige has become very involved in many different clubs, jobs, and other activities. She is currently a student worker for the Center for Professional Personnel Development. She also serves as an Ag Recruitment Intern, Ag Advocate, Teach Ag! Avenger, and is a member of the Coaly Society. She has also completed an internship over the summer for Montgomery county 4-H. A defining moment for Paige during her college career was when she got the opportunity to teach in a high school classroom in Glenwood, Minnesota with Mrs. Tiffany Kobberman during Spring Break of 2023. 

Paige's favorite class at Penn State was AEE 349 with Dr. Ewing. Room 213 in the Ferguson building is Paige's favorite place to hangout on campus. Her favorite place to eat in State College is Moe's. She is a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Her hobbies include hunting and hanging out with family. One interesting thing about Paige is that she has been alligator hunting in Florida. 

Her agriculture interest is Environmental and Wildlife. In the Spring she will be student teaching at Cedar Crest High School with Mr. Philip Haussener and Ms. Claudia Brady. She will be teaching a wide array of classes. She is most excited to grow as a teacher and become more confident while teaching lessons. She is really looking forward to growing her knowledge of mechanics. 

Her favorite quote is:

 "An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. So when life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means that it's going to launch you into something great. So just focus, and keep aiming." -Paulo Coelho

Follow Paige on Twitter and Instagram

Twitter: @prohrbach02 

Instagram: @paigerohrbach02

Erica Teagarden

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2026

Baylor Shunk is AEE May Student of the Month

AEE May Student of the Month: 
Baylor Shunk

Each month the Center for Professional Personnel Development recognizes an AEE for their achievements. For the month of May, we would like to recognize Baylor Shunk as Student of the Month. Throughout his time at Penn State, Baylor has had many achievements both in academics and extracurriculars. 

Baylor is from Centre Hall, Pennsylvania and is a graduate of Penns Valley High School. During his time in high school, Baylor was a member of the Penns Valley FFA chapter and apart of the Penns Valley Rams Wrestling team.

Baylor will graduate in 2024 with a Bachelors Degree in Agricultural and Extension Education and is currently apart of the Penn State wrestling team. His future plans are to teach in a school-based agriculture education program in Pennsylvania, coach high school wrestling, and settle down and raise a family. 

When asked why he chose Penn State Baylor said, "I chose Penn State because I knew that the Ag Ed program was superior, and then when the wrestling program reached out, that solidified my decision in continuing my academics and athletics here in State College". His favorite class at Penn State is AEE 311 with Dr. Curry. On campus, he is apart of the Penn State wrestling team and has been since starting college. Baylor says that his favorite hang-out spot on campus is the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex.

His hobbies include wrestling, farming, hunting, and trying to play guitar which he is currently teaching himself to do. Jersey Mike's is Baylor's favorite place to eat in State College. His favorite sports team is the Pittsburgh Steelers. HIs agricultural interests includes ag mechanics and farming practices

Baylor is completing his student teaching internship at Central Columbia High School with Mr. Doug Brown. He is teaching Ag Science 1, 2, 3, and 4. He teaches units with in Small Gas Engines, Food Science, Electrical Wiring, Welding, Animal Welfare, Pollinators, Woodworking, ATV Safety, FFA, Safe Tractor Driving, and Machinery Operation. He also teaching Environmental Science and Forest and Wildlife Science. During his student teaching experience, Baylor says that he is most excited for coaching his students for CDEs and LDEs. "I love coaching, so getting to coach some CDE/LDE teams and individuals during my student teaching is something that I love and enjoy".

His favorite quote is:

 "Life is far too important of a thing to ever talk serious about"- Raymond Reddington

Follow Baylor on Twitter and Instagram

Twitter: @ShunkBaylor 

Instagram: @shunk_psu

Erica Teagarden

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2026

2023 Cohort Final Presentations Showcase

Senior Presentations Showcase

2023 Cohort 

    The members of the 2023 Cohort have completed their final presentations and officially started their student teaching experience. In their final presentations, they demonstrated what they have learned during their educational journey that prepared them for becoming future educators. 

For each presentation, they are expected to answer the following three questions: 

• What do I aspire to be as a teacher? 
• What experiential education opportunities have I engaged in to become a better Agricultural Educator? 
• How am I prepared to maximize my student teaching internship opportunity?

    We are so proud of each of our seniors and hope you enjoy watching them present all they have accomplished during their college careers and all they hope to accomplish in their future careers. The entire playlist is linked below, or scroll down to view each individual and their video. 

Use this link to access the entire playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vlAoiMaNwQ&list=PLysuEbjHRsoExMjtlfRQDwMxH6cDlJdey 

Anna Sweeten

Anna Sweeten is currently doing her student teaching at Kennard-Dale High School in Fawn Grove, PA, with Ms. Hannah Harris. 

Baylor Shunk

Baylor Shunk is currently student teaching at Central Columbia High School in Bloomsburg PA, with Mr. Douglas Brown. 

Carly Rudy

Carly Rudy is currently student teaching at Tyrone Area High School in Tyrone, PA, with Mrs. Tiffany Hoy.

Grace Shawver

Grace Shawver is now student teaching at Selinsgrove Area High School in Selinsgrove, PA, with Ms. Valerie Fry.

Jacob Turko

Jacob Turko is currently student teaching at Walter B. Saul High School in Philadelphia, PA, with Ms. Tiffany Turrentine.

Killiann George

Killiann George is currently student teaching at Dover Area High School in Dover, PA, with Mrs. Alex Barzdylo.

Krista Mathias

 Krista Mathias is currently student teaching at Pequea Valley High School in Kinzers, PA, with Mrs. Jasmine VanSant.

Lauren Kachel

Lauren Kachel is currently student teaching at Penn Manor High School in Millersville, PA, with Mr. Neil Fellenbaum. 

Elizabeth Holtry

Elizabeth Holtry is currently student teaching at Shippensburg Area Senior High School in Shippensburg, PA, with Ms. Kelly Bier.

Morgan Bear

Morgan Bear is currently student teaching at Northern York High School in York County, PA, with Ms. Meagan Smyers.

Nicolette Cusate

Nicolette Cusate is currently student teaching at Northwestern Senior High School in Albion, PA, with Mr. Anthony Honeycutt.

Amber Lema Ramos Robalino

Amber Robalino is currently student teaching at Brockway Junior-Senior High School in Brockway, PA, with Mr. Kyle Norman.

Sara Lichty

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural Sciences

Class of 2023

Meet the 2022 February AEE Student of the Month: Lauren Mchenry

Each month the Center for Professional Personnel Development recognizes a student that has excelled in the program in a variety of ways both academically and professionally. This month, we are proud to recognize Lauren Mchenry as the February 2022 Student of the Month for Agricultural and Extension Education. Lauren is from Plymouth, Pennsylvania where she attended Nanticoke Area High School.

Lauren is currently a senior at the University Park campus. Lauren has shared why she chose to continue her journey at Penn State. "I chose to attend Penn State because of the amazing opportunities they have related to educational development and personal experiences. I was highly influenced by the many family members who are Penn State alumni and I grew up visiting the campus and attending football games. In high school, I participated in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science where I was able to compete at the state level at Penn State. I got to experience a taste of college life while still in high school, and I really liked it!" 

Lauren did not take a traditional route to agriculture, but we are so happy that she found her path to it while studying at Penn State! She shared "My agricultural journey didn’t start until I came to Penn State majoring in Animal Science. I’ve always had a passion for animals/wildlife and learning about the environment, so I decided to major in Animal Science. Not coming from a traditional Ag background made it a little challenging at first, but I grew to appreciate the world of Ag and all that it encompasses. I gained a passion to learn more about where our food is made and how natural resources play a role in our everyday lives. I then switched my major to Agricultural Education because I’d love to continue learning all about the Ag industry while also instilling the same passion in my students. My goal is to reach those students who may not have a traditional Ag background similar to me and open their eyes to the agricultural industry so they can pursue their interests and passions within it." 

Since Lauren's journey to Penn State, she has been active inside and outside of the classroom. One of her favorite places to hang-out on campus is the Creamery because she can enjoy sitting outside while having some ice cream. She also enjoys going to Penn State football games and watching the women's volleyball team. Additionally, Lauren participated in THON for 3 years at Penn State in various committees. She was a part of the THON Communication committee for 2 years and then the Rules and Regulations Committee for a year, where she joined individuals who want to better the lives of children impacted by childhood cancer. Lauren was also a part of the Small and Exotic Animals Club and the Collegiate Cattlewomen’s club. Aside from college, in her free time, Lauren enjoys reading and going for hikes with her golden retriever, Buddy. She also really likes fishing with her dad in the spring and summertime. Her favorite hobby is nature photography and being able to capture wildlife or flora in different environments. 

This Spring semester, Lauren is completing her student teaching internship at Olley Valley High School with Mrs. Kacey Rice and Mr. Jeremy Deysher. She is excited to engage with students directly in the classroom through exploring ways to connect biological concepts with agricultural content. She stated "One of my goals is to learn lab techniques related to Agricultural Biotechnology so that I can take that knowledge with me to my future classroom. I love being able to incorporate biology with Agricultural concepts, so I am very excited to be student teaching the Animal and Plant Biotechnology course at Oley Valley. My main goal is to gain the confidence I need to be a great teacher for my students, not only when it comes to content knowledge but classroom management as well." While working to accomplish her goals, Lauren has been looking forward to teaching her Food Science students about Microbiology. She said "The labs and activities that I planned for this class are designed to be fun and engaging, so I hope my students will enjoy them just as much as me. Overall, I’m looking forward to forming relationships with my students, Mrs. Rice and Mr. Deysher that I will remember when times might get tough during my first year of teaching and will motivate me to continue." 

One piece of advice she wanted to share with underclassmen is "Don’t get too caught up in the day-to-day life of college classes and assignments. Always keep your end goal in mind as motivation to keep moving forward and hopefully you will achieve it with confidence. Surround yourself with individuals who have similar passions and work ethics and don’t forget to have fun as well!" We are so excited to see where Lauren's journey takes her after student teaching! Be sure to keep up with Lauren by following her on Twitter @LaurenMchenry9 and on Instagram @laurenmchenry_7.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2023

January 2022 Student of the Month for Agricultural and Extension Education: Adalyn Reed

 To start off the New Year and Spring semester the Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize Adalyn Reed of Derry, Pennsylvania as the January Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month for 2022! Adalyn is currently a senior student majoring in Agricultural and Extension Education with plans of entering the classroom as an Agricultural Educator. Her passion for agriculture was sparked at a young age, Adalyn shares, "My family has always been rooted in agriculture, and I was ultimately inspired to be actively involved in FFA because of the influence of my father. He served as the PA State Vice President in 1976-1977, and always instilled the values of hard work and responsibility when I raised my market animals. My agriculture education teachers in high school, Mr. Roy Campbell, and Mrs. Carly-Jean Rippole encouraged me to turn my passion for agriculture into a career."

In her youth, Adalyn was actively involved in 4-H where she did a variety of activities throughout her community and state. "I have always been involved in the agricultural community and grew up attending 4-H meetings as a Clover Bug when my siblings were members. Once I was old enough to be a 4-H member, I exhibited many projects including market lambs, pigs, goats, chickens, rabbits, and floral arrangements to the Derry Township Agricultural Fair, Westmoreland Fair, and Pennsylvania Farm Show over 10 years. I held multiple officer positions in the Blue Ribbon Ag. Club, and got the opportunity to participate in cultural exchanges as part of the Travel- All Club. Additionally, I was a member of Westmoreland Squares, and participated in the square dancing competition at Farm Show for a few years." Throughout Adalyn's involvement in 4-H, she continued to gain experiences that were valuable as she pursues her education and career. This involvement continued in high school through her journey in FFA.

"My involvement in Derry FFA began in 9th Grade when I took my first Ag class at my high school and was elected 9th Grade Representative. This role allowed me to begin my leadership experiences within the organization, which led me to become chapter Chaplain, Vice President, and President. My SAE project was an owner/entrepreneurship for market lambs and pigs. I competed in various CDE and LDE events including Creed Speaking, Livestock Judging, and Floriculture." The leadership skills Adalyn gained from her FFA experiences have served her well in her college journey.

Adalyn began her Penn State journey at Penn State Altoona which helped her to transition to college from a small high school. She mentioned the benefit of having smaller class sizes for her first two years while at Altoona. While she was there, she was a member of the Altoona Benefiting THON and Ag Club. When she arrived at University Park, Adalyn was involved with LEAD Society and spent a summer working at the Penn State Beef and Sheep Center. Her favorite Penn State class was Agriculture Mechanics (AEE 349/350) with Dr. Ewing. She shares "I really enjoyed these courses because I was able to expand my knowledge on various applications (welding, electrical, plumbing, woodworking, and concrete/masonry) of agriculture mechanics that I didn’t have much experience with before college. I now feel more confident working in the shop, and look forward to applying what I learned in these courses to my student teaching experience."

This Spring semester Adalyn will be student teaching at West Greene High School in Rogersville, Pennsylvania with her cooperating teacher Mrs. Karlie Wright. Adalyn stated that she is most excited to work with the students and help them grow their interests in agriculture, along with attending various FFA events and assisting as a chapter FFA Advisor. She hopes to continue to grow her time management skills, and connect with industry professionals in the local agricultural community.

One interesting thing about Adalyn is that she is the youngest of ten siblings and the fourth to pursue a career in education. One piece of advice Adalyn wanted to share with underclassmen is to "Get involved with the campus community, and spend time making connections with your cohort members, as well as current agriculture teachers. These are all people that will be more than willing to help you in times of need." To follow Adalyn's Teach Ag journey be sure to keep up with her social media on Twitter and Instagram @AdalynReed1. We are so excited to see where Adalyn goes in the future! Congratulations again on being the January Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2023

November 2021 AEE Student of the Month: Gabrielle Kriley

The Center for Professional Personnel Development is proud to name Gabrielle Kriley as the November 2021 Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month. Gabby is a senior studying Agricultural and Extension Education with a minor in International Agriculture. She is from Rural Valley, Pennsylvania where she graduated from Lenape Technical School. 

Gabby's passion for agriculture was sparked at a young age from growing up on her family's fruit farm and continued as she began her journey as a member of the Armstrong County 4-H. She was apart of the Young Ruff Riders, Square Dancing Team, and Teen Leadership Council. She shares "Once I became actively engaged in 4-H, I began to learn the way plants grow, the importance of agriculture literacy, and became more familiar with the importance of agriculture on society. I grew such a love for agriculture as I realized that without it, the human race would no longer exist. As I continued my education through high school and college, my passion for agriculture has only grown."

Before starting her journey at Penn State, University Park, Gabby attended the Penn State New Kensington commonwealth campus where she was involved in THON and served as a biology lab assistant as well as the president of the Student Government Association. Once arriving at University Park campus Gabby has not skipped a beat. She is involved in LEAD Society, serves as a Teach Ag! Avenger, and Student Worker for the Professional Personnel Development. 

Some of Gabby's favorite things on campus include hiding on the third floor of the library to study, exploring new places, and eating at URBN Flavourhous in Bellefonte. Her favorite course that she has taken so far has been AEE 350: Teaching Methods for Agricultural and Environmental Laboratories because of the hands-on opportunities that she can take into the classroom. In her spare time she also enjoys horseback riding and listening to new music. 

Gabby is currently gearing up for her student teaching experience at Bermudian Springs High School in York Springs, Pennsylvania where she will be teaching Agriculture Environmental Awareness and Plant Science. She has shared some goals she has set for herself going into student teaching "My goal is to experience classroom teaching while also pushing myself to learn new content knowledge that I am unfamiliar with. Having the hands-on opportunity of teaching can change my whole perspective of teaching and ultimately, I know it is for the better because my Cooperating Teacher is incredibly helpful and has allowed me to run with the ideas that I have experienced so far."

One piece of advice she is offering underclassmen is "Do not allow your grades to define who you are as a person. College is challenging and you have various resources that can help you advance in your education." The Center is excited to see what else Gabby accomplishes in her Teach Ag journey. To keep up with Gabby be sure to follow her on Twitter @KrileyGabrielle and on Instagram @Gabrielle_mae128.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural & Extension Education

Class of 2023

October 2021 Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month: Dylan Clark

Each month a student is recognized within the Agricultural and Extension Education program as Student of the Month for their hard work and dedication to their education, major, and passions. This October, the Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize senior, Dylan Clark, as the Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month. 

Dylan comes to us from Enon Valley, Pennsylvania where he graduated from Mohawk Junior Senior High School in Lawrence County. Dylan is no stranger to agriculture, he grew up on his family's beef farm and was an active member of the Lawrence County 4-H Animal House Club for 11 years, and Teen Council for 3 years. In high school, Dylan was a member the Mohawk FFA Chapter for 4 years where he participated in many events and was even a part of the square dancing team!

Before arriving at University Park campus, Dylan spent 3 semesters at the Penn State Beaver commonwealth campus. Dylan chose Penn State because he wanted to attend a college deeply rooted in agriculture. While attending Penn State he has been involved in a variety of student organizations and experiences. He currently serves as the Public Relations Director for LEAD Society at Penn State, is a member of Delta Theta Sigma, and lives and works at the Meats Laboratory. Dylan's favorite hang-out place on campus is in the Ferguson Building. Some of Dylan's other favorite things include Wings Over and the Pittsburgh Steelers team.

Dylan is excited to share his passion for agriculture with others. He states "I want to be able to share my knowledge of agriculture with the next generation of agriculture leaders as well as continue to learn more about the agricultural industry myself. Being a part of 4-H and FFA was an amazing experience for me and made me who I am today, and I want to be able to continue to excite students about agriculture for years to come." This coming spring semester, Dylan will be starting his student teaching journey at Wilmington Area High School with Ms. Joanna McKelvey. 

One of Dylan's favorite quotes is by Mac Miller, "No matter where life takes me, find me with a smile." We are incredibly proud of Dylan and his accomplishments here at Penn State! To keep up with Dylan on social media be sure to follow him on Instagram @mr_showcow63 and on Twitter @clarkncompany.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural & Extension Education

Class of 2023

September 2021 Agricultural & Extension Education Student of the Month- Jenna Kibbe!

The Center for Professional Personnel Development is excited to recognize Jenna Kibbe, a senior studying Agricultural and Extension Education as the 2021 September Student of the Month! Jenna is from Findley Lake, New York and a graduate of Clymer Central School. During her senior year of high school, she was elected to serve as the New York FFA State Treasurer in 2017-2018. She attended Penn State Behrend for her first year of undergraduate studies. Jenna is a senior preparing to embark on her student teaching experience this spring where she will be teaching at Gettysburg Area High School under Ms. Jenna Timmons and Mrs. Laura Kennedy. Additionally, Jenna is pursuing two minors along with her degree in both Spanish and International Agriculture. 

While attending Penn State, Jenna has been involved in a variety of student organizations including LEAD Society, Spanish Immersion Club, and SALT. She has taken advantage of student employment opportunities including supervising concessions at Beaver Stadium, welcoming the newest Penn State students as a New Student Orientation Leader in 2020, and serving as an Agriculture Education Avenger over the past few years.

Jenna's passion for agriculture was sparked from her family, where agriculture is a deep tradition. She shares that "My grandfather and dad were both active members of FFA and were involved in showing livestock and competing at all levels in the state. Although I have never shown an animal a day in my life, I grew up with the love of gardening and wildlife management. From helping my dad with his food plots to selling my vegetables at the end of my driveway in the summer, I always enjoyed being outside and enjoying God’s beauty through my involvement in the agriculture industry. My passion only grew as I got older, so I challenged myself by working on a horse farm starting at the bottom by cleaning stalls to eventually being a trail guide."

In her free time, Jenna enjoys playing basketball, hiking, reading books and watching movies! You can find Jenna on campus at her favorite spots which are the Creamery and Arboretum. Her favorite places to eat in State College are Plaza and Rey Azteca, which she said are some of the best comfort foods! 

As Jenna spends the fall semester preparing for her student teaching experience, she is hoping to make a lasting impact on students and the program at Gettysburg Area High School. She states "I am looking forward to teaching classes in Animal Science, Horticulture, Landscape Design and Introduction to Agriculture. One of my main goals for student teaching is to make impactful connections with my students. I hope inspire my students to become lifelong learners and advocates for the agriculture industry. I also hope to help guide them out of their comfort zone to develop leadership skills to become better leaders in the future. Another one of my goals is to be a positive and active member of the community by making a meaningful difference. Whether it’s through service learning, donations or community service projects, I hope to strengthen the relations between community members and my students to make a positive impact. My final goal is to better my skills as a teacher and leader. I want to be proactive in learning from my cooperating teachers, administration and students." Jenna has been a great example of a what being a good leader is like to her colleagues and friends. We know she will accomplish great things throughout her student teaching experience. 

Jenna wanted to share a piece of advice for underclassmen. "For any underclassmen reading this, I would recommend that you spend your time in college exploring different passions and take advantage of every opportunity that you can! It is great to find passions that bring you joy and comfort you when you are stressed in college. It is easy to be overwhelmed and overwork yourself like I did. However, when I felt like my stress levels were getting high, I always had my few passions/hobbies that helped me refresh and enjoy my time here at Penn State!" We are proud to see how Jenna has grown over the past few years at Penn State and excited to see where her Ag Ed journey continues to take her. Keep up with Jenna by following her on Instagram or Twitter @JennaKibbe. 

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural & Extension Education

Class of 2023

March 2021 AEE Student of the Month: Lacey Walker

 

For the month of March, the Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize Lacey Walker of Glen Rock, Pennsylvania as the Student of the Month. Growing up on her family's farm and being involved in 4-H sparked her interest in agriculture, and as she continued to grow up and find her role in helping around the farm she realized that she wanted to work in the agricultural industry. She had many inspirations for Teaching Ag, she expressed "Many people inspired my to Teach Ag, especially seeing younger kids discover their love for agriculture in 4-H. One of the most influential people was Linda Spahr, who was my 4-H county extension agent. It was amazing to watch her work with us 4-H kids and help get kids excited about agriculture. "

Lacey is a rising senior, and attended Susquehannock High School and decided to come to Penn State to pursue her major in Agricultural and Extension Education with a minor in International Agriculture. She chose Penn State because the College of Agricultural Sciences is well-known and a big university while also providing many opportunities to succeed with a small college feel in the major. Throughout Lacey's three years at University Park, her favorite class was Animal Science 201 with Dale Olver. The clubs she is involved in are Penn State Block and Bridle and Lead Society. In addition, she devotes time to working as an undergraduate intern for the Global Teach Ag Network while also serving as a Teach Ag Avenger. Before coming to Penn State, Lacey was involved in 4-H a great deal as she was a part of three clubs where she exhibited market goats and dairy beef. 4-H also gave her an opportunity to travel to Wisconsin and Idaho through the 4-H exchange program. 

Aside from doing school work, Lacey enjoys doing anything outdoors, especially going on hikes or runs with her dog, and hanging out with her family and friends. You may find Lacey in her favorite place to hang out on campus, on the second floor of Agriculture and Science Industries building (ASI). This summer she plans to continue working as a Global Teach Ag Network intern and help out around her family's farm. Lacey is also gearing up to begin her student teaching experience next Spring and is preparing for that. If you are interested in keeping up to date with her student teaching experiences, be sure to follow her blog at Ms. Walker's "Wise" Tales (walkerteachag.blogspot.com). Upon graduation she plans to work with youth likely in a high school agriculture classroom, but she has also been exploring international opportunities as well. 

A piece of advice she wanted to leave underclassmen is "Get involved and get to know your advisors, professors, and classmates. It will pay off in the long run when you have questions or are looking for opportunities you will have connections!" Over the past few years we have enjoyed getting to watch Lacey develop into a great leader and role model to her peers. We can't wait to see where the future leads you, Lacey! Congratulation's again on being the March 2021 Student of the Month. To find more about Lacey, follow her social media page on Twitter @lacey_walker13.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2023

Penn State Ag Alumni Society Internship Award's Benefit Penn State Agricultural Education Students

The Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize students in the Agricultural and Extension Education major that were awarded Penn State Agricultural Alumni Society Internship Awards. These students have all completed internships related to agriculture which helped them to gain different experiences across the field. The students who received this award were Mary Wurzbach of the 2020 cohort, Justin Kurtz, Nathan Moyer, and Jenna Kibbe of the 2022 cohort.

The Ag Alumni Society at Penn State has many benefits for undergraduate students. "The Internship award, established in 1986, is a competitive awards program designed to encourage undergraduate students to participate in internships. The Society recognizes the importance of planned on-the-job learning experience to adequately prepare students for today's competitive job market. The Ag Alumni Society has distributed over $201,000 in internship awards benefiting 300 students." This past fall, we were grateful to have had four Agricultural and Extension Education students receive these awards to help pay off their college tuition costs and more.

Mary Wurzbach completed her internship at Oley Valley High School in Oley, Pennsylvania where she student taught under Mr. Jeremy Deysher and Mrs. Kacey Rice at their formal agricultural education program. Mary shared "The internship award seemed like the perfect way to share my experiences from student teaching to Penn State College of Agriculture alumni." While at Oley Valley Mary taught students in grades 8-12 in a variety of agricultural related topics while interacting with over 150 students over 15 weeks. While student teaching during a global pandemic, the philosophy Mary created kept her motivated during a difficult time. "After my student teaching experience, my philosophy of teaching has expanded to include a work-life balance and being sure to use different resources." After wrapping up her student teaching experience, Mary decided to work at Kreider Farms as an Assistant Processing Manager at their Middletown egg facility. 

Justin Kurtz was another recipient of the Ag Alumni Award as he completed his internship with Shaver's Creek Environmental Center. During his internship he worked with the guidance from Mr. Brian Sedgewick and Mr. Chris Diehl on the grounds and facilities team. Justin shared a few details about his experience. "My duties included tasks such as cleaning restrooms, landscaping, and trail maintenance. There was never a day where I went home regretting my decision to partake in the experience." Learning is a common part of any internship, and Justin highlighted that his internship taught him that professional relationships matter in making connections for future endeavors. Being a well-rounded educator is something Justin is working on building throughout his time at Penn State and Shaver's Creek has taught him this through what he highlighted as "our best learning happens in our natural environment which I strive to create for students, the same way the Environmental Center has done for me."

Nathan Moyer our third recipient, spent time interning at Ashburn's Animals, a non-profit animal rescue located in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.  Ashburn's is home to more than 100 animals, including horses, sheep, snakes, birds, and much more. Due to Covid-19 Nathan's experiences looked different at his internship as he shares, "Normally, I would have been lesson-planning and facilitating a week-long farm camp experience opened for youth aged 6-12. Instead, most of my summer was spent re-designing the website, managing the website, engaging online audiences through social media, creating digital and graphic content to highlight the animals at the rescue, and promoting the rescue through guided tours of the facilities." Nathan made the most of his time spent at Ashburn's Animals and learned a few things along the way including developing his skills in graphic design and photography including programs like Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Spark, and Illustrator, as well as the Facebook, Instagram, and Wix website builder. Nathan stated "With technology continuing to change, it's important that educators adapt to those changes to engage with their students (no matter how old they may be) on a relatable level."

Although the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted many plans, one thing still remained; nearly 15,000 new Penn State students from across the globe still had to be welcomed into the family. Jenna Kibbe, who received the award completed an internship this summer which allowed her to serve as a New Student Orientation Leader for Penn State’s Student Orientation and Transition Programs. Over the course of the spring and summer, she transformed the orientation program to be completely virtual while still allowing new Penn State students to build connections and prepare for their journey ahead. Jenna shares, "I was able to fine tune many of my communication and leadership skills by facilitating workshops about academics, Penn State resources, and ways to make the most out of their college careers. From learning about how to be more inclusive to everyone, to effectively communicating a message and being able to be flexible in any situation, it is safe to say that many of these skills will be very beneficial in my future."  As Jenna pursues a career as an Agriculture Educator, she will surely take all of the lessons learned from this summer experience and apply them in her future classroom.

 

These students have went above and beyond in not only completing an internship experience, but maximizing the potential learning opportunities from them. We are proud to have them earn these awards sponsored by the Penn State Agricultural Alumni Society. Many Agricultural and Extension Education students have gained valuable skills from taking on an internship experience and we encourage other students to apply in the future! To apply for the Ag Alumni Society Internship Award in the future, check out the following link. https://agsci.psu.edu/alumni/awards/student/internship-award for more information.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2023