abigail

Small town girl Ever Grateful for Purdue’s endless opportunities

Abigail Powell 

Hometown: Bourbon, Indiana 

Major & Concentration: Dual Major - Agribusiness with a concentration in Marketing and Agricultural Communications 

Why did you come to Purdue: For the endless opportunities available and for the top-notch College of Agriculture.  

Favorite Purdue tradition: The Old Oaken Bucket game 

Top three influences at Purdue: 

  1. Friends I’ve made from diverse backgrounds and learning from each of them 
  2. The College of Agriculture Faculty 
  3. Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority and FarmHouse Fraternity  

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Top five memories of your time at Purdue: 

  1. Purdue beating #3 Michigan State and storming the field  
  2. Raising $134,000+ for Breast Cancer Awareness, Education, and Research 
  3. Purdue Grand Prix Race 64 and 65 
  4. Leading prospect students and families on tours as an Ag Ambassador 
  5. Being a host for Rising Professionals 

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Places you have been as a Purdue student: 

  1. Kansas City for the National Farm Broadcasting Convention and AFA 
  2. Des Moines, Iowa for World Pork Expo with First Farmers Bank & Trust 
  3. St. Louis for ZTA Leadership Conference 
  4. I completed the course, was completely packed, and was 1 week away from heading to Costa Rica for a Study Abroad but the pandemic changed the plans :( 

Favorite club/organization: Ag Week Task Force 

Favorite Student-led event/initiative: Ag Week 

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Favorite Purdue event: Homecoming Weekend 

Favorite Social Activity: Going to Harry’s and getting Famous Franks after! 

Favorite place to study: My room super late at night  

Favorite spot on campus: AGAD 128 

Favorite thing about CoA: The first-name basis relationships that are easily created with professors, advisors, and leadership within the college. They truly become the biggest advocates for their student’s futures personally and professionally.  

Favorite thing about your major: I love how my 2 majors are pretty different. I take an array of classes from finance and accounting to video editing and photography.  

Favorite class: AGEC 455 - Agriculture Law 

Favorite professor: Dr. Mark Tucker  

Coolest project: Shooting and producing a video for my ASEC280 class that was shown to hundreds of potential sponsors for my sorority’s philanthropy 

Three biggest accomplishments: 

  1. Landing multiple internships that eventually allowed me full-time opportunities 
  2. Being selected as the President of Ag Week Task Force 
  3. Serving as the Director of Fundraising and raising $134,000+ for Breast Cancer 

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Things on your resume not listed above: 

  1. Being the 2020 recipient of Indiana’s Emerging Woman in Agriculture Leadership 
  2. Incredible internships with Indiana Farm Bureau and First Farmers Bank & Trust 
  3. Starting my own photography business during the COVID-19 pandemic 
  4. Involvement with Ag Ambassadors, the ZTA Executive Committee, Rising Professionals, and other Student Organizations. 

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Where do you want to end up: Indiana. Preferably northern Indiana near where I was raised.  

Advice for underclassman: Don’t do things because it checks a box or because you need them to build your resume. Do things because you're truly passionate about them. It will pay off every time. Push yourself, but stay true to who you are. Take this time to learn about yourself. “What can go wrong when you’re doing what’s right?!”  

Biggest takeaway from Purdue: Purdue allowed me to make connections and memories that will last a lifetime. I am ever grateful for the education in and out of the classroom that I was able to receive.

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