Townsend communication competition awards six students

Judges have selected six Purdue Agriculture student winners for the 2023-2024 Townsend Communication in Agriculture competition. Four winners received a Townsend Outstanding Communicator award worth $1,000 for their entries in writing and presentational speaking. The other two received Townsend Awards of Excellence awards worth $1,500.

Reagan Koester is a sophomore from Wadesville, Indiana majoring in Agribusiness. She received a Townsend Award of Excellence for her “Mooving the World Forward” presentation. Koester has deep roots in the dairy farming community and describes herself as a passionate advocate for the agricultural industry. Actively involved in various initiatives, Koester has made trips to the Indiana Statehouse and Washington, D.C., to discuss key agricultural issues. Koester said she aspires to build a career in agriculture with the goal of serving on state and national agricultural boards to further support and advance the industry.

Shelby Whitaker is a senior from Valparaiso, Indiana, with majors in Agricultural Communication and in Sales and Marketing. She received a Townsend Award of Excellence for her “Beyond the Bloom: Pollination Processes, Importance, and Technology” presentation. Whitaker said she hopes to pursue a career in marketing communications at a large agricultural company where she can advocate for farmers and educate others about agriculture.

Kylie Bedel, a senior with majors in Agribusiness and in Animal Sciences from Evansville, Indiana, received a Townsend Outstanding Communicator for her presentational speaking entry, “Railroads & Agriculture.” Bedel said she plans to continue her education in graduate school where she will focus on livestock production economics. After that, she said she wants a career that focuses on production efficiency, farmer profitability, and agricultural sustainability.

Jaden Maze, a senior Agricultural Communication major from Thorntown, Indiana, received a Townsend Outstanding Communicator award for her written entry, “Where Corn Does Grow.” She said that she plans to pursue a career in agricultural journalism where she can develop unbiased news stories for those in agriculture. She said she is passionate about researching current events that affect the decisions people make about their operations.

Mina Reising is a senior Agricultural Communication major who is originally from southern Indiana but now hails from a homestead in Stockwell, Indiana. She received a Townsend Outstanding Communicator award for her written entry, “Purdue Ag Alumni Fish Fry Spotlights Progress in Digital Agriculture.” She said she has a passion for storytelling and all things communication and a strong love for agriculture. She said she hopes to become an agricultural journalist and use her communication skills to help farmers gain knowledge and awareness of the ever-changing agricultural industry.

McKinley Underhill is a sophomore Animal Sciences: Pre-Veterinary Medicine major from Noblesville, Indiana. She received a Townsend Outstanding Communicator award for her presentational speaking entry, “Grocery Confusion: What Food Labels Actually Mean." She said she plans to attend veterinary school to study both large and small animals. She aspires to join the Army to serve as a veterinarian.

The Townsend Communication in Agriculture Program recognizes and develops excellence in professional speaking and writing about science, agriculture, and natural resources. Entrants are undergraduates in the Purdue College of Agriculture.

The competition is in honor of the W. Wayne Townsend family of Indiana. The late Mr. Townsend ran as the Democratic Party’s candidate for Indiana governor in 1984 and started his leadership career at Purdue, ultimately serving on the Purdue Board of Trustees for 15 years. 

The late Mrs. Helen Townsend, like her husband, was a Purdue graduate (1951) who dedicated her life to public service in her hometown community and the entire state of Indiana. She was an avid supporter of Purdue Agriculture and Purdue University students.