Katie is an agronomic solutions advisor at BASF. Growing up on a beef cattle and row crop operation in central southern Ohio, Katie always found herself drawn to the science of farming. This inspired her to study agriculture at The Ohio State University.

As a member of Class II of our Scholars program, Katie had the opportunity to participate in two week-long learning experiences in Louisville, Kentucky, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. She credits these learning experiences for setting her on the right path to a fulfilling career in agriculture and helping her understand how to manage her finances from a young age.

“We all joke about how you don’t learn certain life lessons in school, like how to do your taxes or save for retirement, but this program taught us those valuable skills,” Katie said. “It meant a lot that Farm Credit Mid-America taught us 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds how to achieve our financial goals.”

In addition to financial literacy, the Scholars program also helped Katie build crucial leadership skills and define her own leadership style.

“One of the coolest ways they invested in us was taking us to the Gettysburg Leadership Experience, where we had a chance to learn lessons in leadership while visiting different historical sites across the battlefield,” Katie explained. “Having those lessons tied directly to history is an experience I won’t forget.”

Katie began her career as a loan officer for Farm Credit Mid-America for four years before transitioning into her current role. Her time as a Scholar was the catalyst for success in her early career.

“I got to build relationships with other students, but I also found the relationships I built with Farm Credit Mid-America team members to be just as valuable,” Katie said. “It was clear to me that they cared about us as individuals and wanted me to be successful in our different career paths.”