Agricultural enthusiast

Katelyn Kinsella, an agriculture major at Wright State’s Lake Campus, is a leader in the Ohio Future Farmers of America and traveled to Australia to learn about that country’s agriculture practices.

Wright State University–Lake Campus first-year student Katelyn Kinsella probably didn’t eat too many Vegemite sandwiches or put a lot of “shrimp on the barbie” while growing up in Botkins, Ohio.

However, she had those opportunities while traveling to Australia as part of the International Leadership Seminar for State Officers, sponsored by the National Future Farmers of America Association, John Deere and Bunge Global.

Kinsella was one of 75 state officers across the United States selected to participate in the trip, which included an eight-week preparatory course to learn about Australian culture, agriculture and what to expect.

The group spent two weeks in Australia where they toured numerous sheep and cattle operations and processing plants and heard from a variety of industry professionals. A few of Kinsella’s favorite stops included a dairy with a 50-stall milking carousel, a sheep-shearing operation and an olive oil processing plant.

“After traveling from Sydney to Melbourne and all the stops in between, all of us went home with a deeper appreciation and level of knowledge on Australian agriculture and culture,” she said.

Kinsella was elected the 2023-24 Ohio Future Farmers of America (FFA) state sentinel. As a state officer, Kinsella leads the 29,123 Ohio FFA members, assisting with camps, conducting workshops, visiting state chapters and giving speeches at different events.

“I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunities, friendships and memories this year has brought,” she said.

Growing up in a tight-knit community, Kinsella relished the connections and support systems she found through agriculture, clubs, sports and friends. Her grandparents have a small sheep operation and she and her family grew up showing sheep through 4-H.

Kinsella chose to enroll at Wright State’s Lake Campus because she wanted to stay close to home and it reminded her a lot of the small-town feel of her Shelby County hamlet.

“I really like the idea of being able to create connections with my classmates and professors,” she said. “I knew I wanted to pursue a career in agriculture and liked the deep roots within the farming community in the agricultural department at Wright State.”

Because of the influence that agriculture has had on her life, Kinsella is majoring in technical and applied studies with an agriculture concentration and expects to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in the spring of 2027.

After graduating, she plans on working on a communications and marketing team for an agricultural business.

“I want to work in a field that I am passionate about and will allow me to share that passion with others,” she said. “My experience at Wright State has not only helped me expand my knowledge in different areas of agriculture but has also allowed me to network with others.”

Kinsella presented the opening remarks at the Emerging Agricultural Conference at the Lake Campus in March when she networked with fellow FAA members, business and industry professionals and members of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

“Katelyn has a wonderful spirit and a willingness to engage in class discussion,” said Greg McGlinch, Ph.D., assistant professor of agriculture, who instructed Kinsella in his Introduction to Agronomy course. “She is always cheerful and goes out of her way to help out her fellow peers. She is committed to the agriculture industry by sharing her experience and advocating for the next generation of agricultural leaders.”

In addition to serving as an Ohio FFA state officer and a full-time student, Kinsella interns as a communications professional at MVP Dairy in Celina, where she conducts tours of the dairy learning center, organizes events and creates social media content, among other responsibilities.

If she can forecast her future, Kinsella predicts it will be filled with promulgation of the agricultural industry.

“I hope to continue sharing the passion I have for agriculture with others,” she said. “Whether it’s working on a communications and marketing team for an agricultural business or speaking to various groups, I plan to continue advocating for agriculture.”