Aryn Copeland Wins Collegiate Discussion Meet
When Wilmington College junior Aryn Copeland won the Ohio Farm Bureau’s 2019 Young Farmers & Ranchers Collegiate Discussion Meet in February, that accomplishment was just the beginning of a winter/spring loaded with hands-on learning opportunities.
PICTURED: WC junior Aryn Copeland (RIGHT) and Ohio State student Paige Schaffter are pictured with their 5th District congressman, U.S. Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio), in his office while attending the AFA Policy Institute in Washington, D.C.
Indeed, the agriculture communication major from Bucyrus was selected among the top 40 “outstanding” college students interested in agriculture policy to attend the Agriculture Future of America (AFA) Policy Institute in early March. This program connects students to their legislative representatives and the policy process.
“The discussion meet and the AFA Policy Institute were both so much fun and great experiences,” she said, noting that opportunities like these provide an outlet for students to apply the skills they have learned in the classroom and really focus on polishing those skills.
“These opportunities provided me with diverse experiences and many new connections that will be helpful when searching for jobs next year,” Copeland added.
The Discussion Meet simulates a committee meeting in which discussion and active participation are expected from each participant. The competition is evaluated on the exchange of ideas and information on a pre-determined topic. Participants build basic discussion skills, develop a keen understanding of important agricultural issues and explore how groups can pool knowledge to reach consensus and solve problems.
Copeland won the state championship and participated at the national competition hosted earlier this month at the American Farm Bureau Federation FUSION Conference in Milwaukee.
“It was a great experience to discuss current ag issues with other collegians from across the country and network with individuals from many different backgrounds,” she said.
In addition, Copeland was one of several dozen students selected to represent AFA during the National Ag Day programming, which is sponsored by the National Ag Council and brings 100 students to Washington, D.C. from 4-H, FFA, AFA and MANNRS.
Students are taught about lobbying on the first day and actually advocate on Capitol Hill on the second.
“Following the National Ag Day programming, the AFA students stayed an extra day for the opportunity to speak and network with industry professionals working in D.C. and a visit to USDA, where we also heard from the Brazilian and Colombian embassies on their relationships with United States agriculture,” she added.
Three other WC students attended another AFA program as 2019 Food Institute delegates. Seniors Sara Pope and Jordan Crumb and junior Trisha Seckel participated in the organization’s Food Science Workshop in Chicago during the College’s spring break in March.
