Stepping into Western Illinois University in Macomb Illinois for the first time was a whirlwind for me and I fell in love immediately. I grew up in more of a rural area so there really wasn’t farmland or cows when you drive down the road. I wasn’t brought up on a farm or taught how to take care of the land. When I came here, I was taken by how passionate people are with this way of life. I come from a small house in Washington, IL. I grew up there with my grandma, grandpa, mother, and sister. My mom was a very proficient painter. Grandpa was a mechanic and grandma was a nurse. So, how did I get here?
What brought me here?
I didn’t start out wanting to go into agriculture. This was an interesting journey for me. I have always wanted to help animals ever since I was a little girl. I was always welcoming the neighbor animals into Grandma’s house without her knowledge. She found out eventually when the neighbors would come knocking on her door. Aside from wanting to help animals, my grandma opened up another door as well. Grandma planted everything from flowers to her own vegetables and taught me how. I knew that I wanted to learn more about nature and the affects certain things have on animals or maybe even make natural medicine if possible. Being at Western has made me realize that this is the path that I want to take. It opens up a whole new world. I have learned so much already with animal sciences and there’s still so much more to learn. I am excited for what lies ahead of me.
About the author
Western Illinois University School of Agriculture 