My Path to Purdue Agronomy
Hello, my name is Emma Smith, and I am a new Agronomy Ambassador! I am a Sophomore studying Agronomy, Crop and Soil Management. I am a first generation and out-of-state college student.
I grew up on a farm in Morrow County, Ohio. One of the many questions I get asked is “Why did you choose Purdue?” While I had suitable options for furthering my education in Ohio, none stood out to me quite like Purdue. The safety of campus, job placement rates, and networking opportunities ultimately made my decision. I would be lying if I said the thought of moving away from my small, rural community to a completely different state didn’t scare me. Going from a graduating class consisting of 76 students to a campus home to over 50,000 students was a major shift. I went from knowing almost everyone’s full names and parents, to having no friend group. This led me to join clubs and campus organizations.
I started my college career as an Agribusiness major. As you can see, that’s different from the current area I’m studying. When hearing about others’ college journeys, you often hear of one or multiple major changes. Going into Freshman year, I was confident I wouldn’t change my major. I owe my change of major to the Purdue Agronomy Club. Agronomy Club quickly became my home away from home. The friendliness and tight-knit feel of the members reminded me of my community and friends in Ohio. I became very involved in Agronomy Club and am now the Historian where I run the social media and create posters and other publications. You can follow the Purdue Agronomy Club on Instagram at @agronomygrowshere.
I am now in my second semester as an Agronomy undergrad. This area of study continues to astonish me. I found my love for soil science and am now an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for AGRY 255, which happens to be one of my favorite courses so far. I have met so many amazing friends, colleagues, and faculty that continue to make my Purdue experience memorable. I love the Agronomy department so much I decided to become an ambassador. Though college seems daunting, remember why you’re here and who you’re doing it for.