Building relationships and getting involved on campus
Name: Logan McGinnis
Hometown: Portland, Indiana
Majors: Agricultural Economics and Animal Sciences - Animal Agribusiness
Minor: Farm Management
Why did you come to Purdue: I chose Purdue because of the location, majors of interest, and the connections with others, whether that is for friends or for my future career, that I knew I could obtain.
Favorite Purdue tradition: My favorite Purdue tradition is Grand Prix week. It is a great time to have fun at events, talk with new people around campus about the karts you helped make or fix, and watch a great race.
Top three influences at Purdue: My top 3 influences for me at Purdue are my friends, my advisors, and the organizations I have been able to participate in. My friends allow me to talk about plans and interests to hold me accountable. My advisors have helped to keep me on track to graduate a year early with 2 degrees and make sure that I am able to stay involved in activities on campus and off. They have pushed me to find my interests in college and prepared me for after college. Clubs and organizations I have participated in have built my personal and professional skills and made my life better after college. 
Places you have been as a Purdue student: Purdue has taken me around the country for internships and conferences. I had an internship for Smithfield Foods in North Carolina and for Viterra Agricultural Network in Illinois. I have attended the Agriculture Futures of America Leaders Conference in Kansas City, Missouri for several years as well. 
Favorite club/organization: FarmHouse Fraternity
Favorite student-led event/initiative: Ag Week
Favorite Purdue event: Grand Prix
Favorite place to study: My favorite place on campus to study is Creighton Hall of Animal Sciences. It is one of the newer academic buildings in the College of Agriculture and it is always quiet and usually not busy. 
Favorite thing about the College of Ag: My favorite thing about the College of Ag is how tight knit all of the students are together and with faculty. Classes are usually small, especially when you get to upper-level classes so you get to know the other students around you and your professor very well.
Favorite class/teacher: My favorite classes that I have had were AGEC 321 with Dr. Mintert and AGEC 421 with Dr. Mallory. Both of these classes taught me about the career type that I want to pursue. 
Three biggest accomplishments at Purdue: 
- Graduating in three years
- Had successful internships
- Being very involved in several organizations. 
Something about you that is not listed on your resume: Something that is not listed on my resume is all of the connections I have built for references from alumni, faculty, and industry representatives. 
Future plans: I would like to find a career in commodity merchandising or brokerage. I have had an internship for merchandising, and I have found that I really enjoy that type of industry. 
Advice for lower classmen: My advice for lower classmen is to take the internship. Internships are the best way to find what you want to do for your career. You may find that you don't actually enjoy the career path that you think you do or find that you love it more than you thought. I know my first internship taught me that it was not the career path that I wanted. My second internship taught me that it was a better fit for my interests.
Biggest takeaway from Purdue: My biggest takeaway from Purdue is to always build relationships with others that are around you because you never know how it will impact you later in life. College is the best way to meet lifelong friends and companies that you will work for after college.