Kylie Bedel Headshot 

Two Majors, Three Years - Building my own plan one step at a time! 

Name: Kylie Bedel 

Hometown: Evansville, IN  

Major & concentration: Agribusiness Management & Animal Science Agribusiness (dual major) – graduated in 3 years!!

Why did you come to Purdue: Purdue had always seemed like a second home to me. Being involved in Indiana 4-H, I attended several events at Purdue, and the campus was always welcoming and fun. Also, being the daughter of two Purdue College of Ag graduates, it was almost destined that I would attend Purdue and become a second-generation Boilermaker.  

Kylie Bedel and friend with an Indiana 4-H sign

Favorite Purdue tradition: The entire student section dancing (Lance Dance) during 3rd quarter of Football games and the end of halftime in basketball games.  

Top three influences at Purdue:  

  1. In the first year of AGEC 296, a guest speaker related his time at Purdue in a simple quote: “Purdue is a giant sandbox; play in it, build some castles, and see what you like.” This quote helped me understand that I can try anything I want while at Purdue and should enjoy the challenge. 
  2. Going to AFA for the first time and seeing the giant group of students all excited about agriculture.  
  3. My family—With both of my parents being agricultural graduates, I knew a little bit about the school, and because of this, I tried all the things that they never did.  

Not too nice, but an honest one: Having someone tell me I did not do enough in an interview, and I then did enough stuff from being invisible to being a leading student in two departments. (Sometimes spite works as motivation.) 

Kylie Bedel with Purdue students on study abroad trip to Switzerland

Top five memories of your time at Purdue:

  1. On my 20th birthday, on the ride back from Kansas City, MO, and the AFA Leaders Conference, I was sung Happy Birthday to. 
  2. Standing on stage accepting the award for outstanding sophomore in Animal Science at the College of Ag award banquet. 
  3. Being at Ag Week and Spring Fest with my wooden animal model displays that I made because of Issues 360. 
  4. Attending Big Man on campus the first year, not knowing what to expect with my friend Natalie and laughing so hard that it became an official annual tradition for us. 
  5. Traveling abroad and bonding over experiences with new friends. The Germany trip was great, and I made great friends, who I think will be impactful on my life going forward. 

Places you have been as a Purdue student:

  • Agriculture in Ireland – Spring Break 2023 
  • Adventure in the Alps – Germany, Austria, & Switzerland – Maymester 2024 
  • AFA Leaders Conference – Kansas City, MO 
  • Indiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ag Professional Conference – Indianapolis, IN 
  • Beck’s Hybrids – Practical Farm Research Internship – Henderson, KY 
  • Union Pacific Railroad – Sales & Marketing Internship – Omaha, NE 

Kylie Bedel in Switzerland

Favorite club/organization: Collegiate 4-H 

Favorite student-led event/initiative: Ag Week / Diamonds & Denim Ag Ball 

Favorite Purdue event: Honestly, I enjoy so many events that I do not think I can pick one.  

Favorite social activity: Moonlight Pancake Breakfast

Favorite place to study: WALC library, 6th Floor Krannert, or Krannert Main Floor 

Favorite place on campus: Anywhere on Ag Campus. I love everything from the flowers in the Hort garden to the classrooms in ABE to the labs in Creighton and everything in between.  

Favorite thing about CoA: The College of Ag is a family; everyone is willing to help and becomes connected through events and classes.  

Favorite thing about your major: I get to learn skills that are applicable to any area of the ag industry, and I find that really rewarding. I have learned that I can learn more about one specific area of Ag in the job, but having the skills needed to do that job is sometimes harder to teach. 

Favorite class: ANSC 255, AGEC 330 – good class for anyone in business 

Favorite professor: Dr. Valerie Kilders 

Coolest project: Issues 360 Project; I am so proud of how everything turned out.  

Three biggest accomplishments: Animal Science Outstanding Sophomore, Top 5 AGEC Sophomore, Issues 360 Wooden Animals  

Kylie Bedel standing next to her outstanding sophomore award Kylie Bedel accepting award

Things on your resume not listed above:  

  • Alpha Zeta Agriculture Scholars Honors Fraternity (February 2024-Current)
  • Issues 360 Participant – Project focused on animal by-products, taught in middle and high school class (Jan 2024-April 2024)
  • Diamonds & Denim Ag Ball and Philanthropy Event: Planning Committee Chair (December 2023- April 2024)
  • World Food Forum: Indiana 4-H Representative (October 2023) 
  • Indiana 4-H Volunteer Specialist Search Committee: Colligate and Youth Representative (May 2023-Sept 2023)
  • Alpha Lambda Delta Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society (March 2023-Current)
  • Collegiate 4-H-Purdue University (August 2022-Current)
    • 2024-2025: President 
    • 2023-2024: Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair, Spring Fest Bake Sale Coordinator, Ag Week Display Maker 
    • 2022-2023: Outstanding New Member; Ag Week Planning Committee-Animal By-Products Presentation 
  • Agribusiness Club-Purdue University (August 2022-Current)
    • 2024-2025: Ag Council Representative 
  • Sheep & Goat Club-Purdue University (August 2022-Current)
    • Jan 2024-May 2025: President, Southern Indiana Industry Tour Administrator, Meeting Organizer  
  • Indiana 4-H State Ambassador (June 2021-December 2022)
  • Indiana Farm Bureau: Ag in the Classroom Certified Volunteer 2024 
  • Townsend Communications Contest-Outstanding Communicator Award   
    • 2023 – Female Farmer’s Impact on Agriculture 
    • 2024 – Railroads & Agriculture 
  • Beef Quality Assurance Certification: Feedyard Concentration 2023 

Accepted employment: Planning on attending graduate school next instead of entering the workforce. Potential schools: Purdue University, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University – AGEC Masters focused on Livestock Production Economics.   

Kylie Bedel at a pork display

Career Goal: I want to work for a company, government agency, or university that focuses on helping farmers be more profitable and sustainable. Currently, there is no specific plan in place.  

Advice for underclassmen: Try anything that interests you because time flies by while you are at Purdue.  

Biggest takeaway from Purdue: If you are willing to learn, someone will be willing to teach you, and you need to constantly be open to their advice.