COLUMBUS, Ohio – Central Ohio Farm Bureau summer intern Kassandra Simmons developed an early interest in agriculture. The 2024 West Jefferson High School graduate grew up surrounded by a strong agricultural community and a love for the outdoors.

“I always loved fishing, going out to the woods, going kayaking, all that stuff, so that kind of sparked my interest toward animals,” Simmons said.

Since her high school did not offer ag classes, she created her own agriculture experiences by working on a farm, participating in 4-H, and raising and showing goats.

“I was an active member of the Fairfield Rascals 4-H Club, where I raised and showed Boer goats,” Simmons said. In addition to 4-H, she worked on a horse farm, served as senior class president and played basketball and softball in high school.

Simmons’s desire for a career rooted in agriculture led her to Wilmington College, where she just completed her freshman year, majoring in agribusiness with a minor in accounting. Wilmington College is one of the few small schools in Ohio that offers agriculture degrees.

“I like the opportunities and benefits they provide, and it feels like you’re at home,” Simmons said. “There are so many ways to get involved and hands-on experiences that that’s really what I wanted and that’s what I’ve gotten out of it so far.”

On campus, Simmons is involved in multiple organizations, including Gamma Beta Eta Lil Sis, Collegiate Farm Bureau, Aggies and Collegiate 4-H, the Agricultural Education Society, and the Ag Communicators of Tomorrow.

These groups gave her the opportunity to build her professional capacity and make connections with others who share her passion for agriculture. “It’s all about networking with the right people,” Simmons said.

During her first year, she assisted with the Horse Judging Career Development Event at the National FFA Convention in October and attended the Agriculture Future of America (AFA) Leaders Conference in Kansas City, Mo., in November.

Her campus memberships gave her the chance to get hands-on experience at local events too.

“As part of Aggies and Collegiate 4-H and we host the livestock judging conference each year in Clark County, where thousands of kids come and judge livestock, plants, chickens, horses, whatever you can think of, they’re judging there, and we help with that,” she said.

Simmons is preparing to work in the business side of agriculture after college, while living on her own farm.

“I want to be a loan officer because I’m a minor in accounting too, so I want to help farmers in that way,” she said. “I want to be an advocate for farmers, help them with their land, and then eventually get my real estate license to help buy back farmland for farmers, and then I would have my farm.”

While she applied for several summer internships, it was her mom who encouraged Simmons to apply for the Ohio Farm Bureau summer internship.

“I was just trying to get internships, stay on top of things, and head in the right direction for school,” she said.  “I came across the Ohio Farm Bureau application, my mom sent it to me. So, I applied, had an interview, waited a couple of weeks, and got a call back.”

As an intern, Simmons does social media posts, helps with event set-up, and participates in events. “We just did a blood drive and I donated blood for the first time,” she said.

Simmons is also working on a member spotlight project, where she travels to meet with different farm bureau board members.

“I’ve been traveling out there asking them questions about their life, how they got involved in farm bureau, what they farm, all that kind of stuff,” she said. “I was with John Hummel, who’s our Franklin County president. I got to interview with him in his tractor while he was planting his beans – it’s been fun.”

The internship with Central Ohio Farm Bureau started in mid-May and runs through the middle of August, when she returns to Wilmington. Central Ohio Farm Bureau serves Delaware, Franklin, Madison and Union counties.

Simmons is happy and grateful for the internship opportunity, as she pointed out in her Ohio Farm Bureau press release.  “I would like to thank the Central Ohio Farm Bureaus for this incredible opportunity to develop my skills further and contribute to the agricultural community. I’m truly looking forward to a meaningful and impactful summer.”