Kaitlyn Ballard of Northwest Missouri State University and Tarleton State University's Block & Bridle club are proving that the next generation of agricultural professionals knows how to tell agriculture's story.
The pair took top honors in the Animal Agriculture Alliance's 2025 College Aggies Online scholarship program, which awarded $16,000 to students and clubs demonstrating excellence in agricultural communication. Throughout nine weeks of competition, 265 individual participants shared nearly 1,670 positive posts about agriculture on social media, while eight collegiate clubs hosted 22 campus and community events reaching over 8,200 people.
Building communication skills that matter
CAO connects college students with industry experts to engage online about current agricultural issues. The program teaches students to spread factual information while developing professional communication skills—a critical need as agriculture faces increasing scrutiny and misinformation.
"It's impressive to see the growth of these students each year as they progress throughout the program," said Tricia Sheehan, Vice President of Farmer Communications for Dairy Management Inc., a program sponsor.
Ballard earned a $3,000 scholarship, while Tarleton State's Block & Bridle club received $2,000. Winners will be recognized at the Alliance's 2026 Stakeholders Summit in Kansas City. Registration for the 2026 program opens at animalagalliance.org/initiatives/college-aggies-online.
