Growing up in Teutopolis, Illinois, a rural town that is very dependent on agriculture, sparked my interest in the agricultural industry at an early age. Beyond that, being a member of 4-H, showing cattle, and helping my dad at our family business has impacted my love for this industry. While I have a true love for virtually every aspect of agriculture, my passion is in nurturing and creating relationships with animals, and this began in my early years of 4-H. Showing cattle has allowed me to escape my comfort zone, create lifelong friendships with people from across the country, and has aided me in developing several skills, such as work ethic, responsibility, and integrity. Helping my dad at Schmid Auction & Realty Co., an auction company that specializes in farm machinery and farmland, has aided my knowledge of the row crop segment of the industry, giving me a more well-rounded background. 

        At the same time of being involved in 4-H and showing cattle, I also played softball at a highly competitive level both in school and in summer travel leagues. Balancing both, I was quickly forced to learn time management skills, and how to prioritize my time and energy to make sure the most important tasks received the time that they deserved. After I graduated high school, I accepted a scholarship to play softball at Frontier Community College. Managing workouts, practices, and games was difficult at times, but I still achieved stellar grades. At FCC, I was taking nursing prerequisite classes, and although I enjoyed these classes, I knew something was missing. With a lot of thought, I decided Agribusiness was the career path meant for me. I applied to the Agribusiness Program at Illinois State University during my sophomore year at FCC, and I was accepted. Being accepted into a program with such a high reputation was rewarding. Throughout my classes at ISU, I can happily say I made the right decision. I cannot wait to see what my future holds in this innovative industry!