Graduate student Jessie Worley is a secondary agriculture teacher in Southern Virginia. Her passion for agriculture fueled her desire to expand her knowledge in a well-rounded degree. “I decided that I wanted to obtain my Master's Degree in Agriculture after being the first in my family to obtain a college undergrad degree. I began searching online for programs and the online Master of Ag program here at West Texas A&M fit my idea perfectly.” Jessie loves the program because, “I have had wonderful professors who helped in any way that they could which has allowed me to be successful in this program so far.” For a full-time teacher like Jessie, “this program is perfect for full-time working individuals and those who have families as well. I feel supported by the professors and staff, and they truly want to see you succeed! Go Buffs!”

Michael Ronquillo, a Southeastern Arizona native, started the Master of Agriculture Program at West Texas A&M in the fall of 2023. Michael is the Seed Manager at Helena Agri-Enterprises in Mesquite, NM. “My experience is vast as I have worked in different areas of the industry in both the private and public sectors. I chose the M.Ag. program because I felt it was the perfect fit for me at that point in my life and career.” Michael was not sure about whether he should return to school since he had not been enrolled since 2001 and says that finding that right fit was crucial in his decision. “The way the program was structured and laid out was one the main reasons that on why I thought it was the right time to get back into school. What I have enjoyed from my time in the program is learning and getting to know my classmates. You have many individuals that all have different experiences in their backgrounds and careers, that I am able to pull and learn from. Also, the professors that I have had so far, they are not only talented and great in the information that they are teaching us, but they are also very understanding of who you are as person and professional in your career. Go Buffs!!”

Taylor Osbourn, the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent with Texas A&M Agrilife says, “What drew me to West Texas A&M first was the people. The leadership in the Agricultural department at West Texas A&M is second to none and is made up of individuals that I have a great deal of respect for. West Texas A&M’s commitment to production agriculture education and providing students with hands on training and experience is a huge priority for me.” He says that the department's ability to connect students with industry leading experts in large scale production agriculture on an individualized level was very integral in his decision to join the program. “During my master’s course I really enjoyed discussing and researching the challenges we face and will continue to face in agriculture and coming up with solutions to these challenges. Topics like sustainability, artificial intelligence, lab grown meats, etc. were some of the most challenging but rewarding in terms of challenging us to come up with different ways to deal with these topics.” He loves that the program encourages the students how to lead and be advocates for the agriculture industry and its producers. “Knowledge is powerful, but being able to communicate and advocate effectively is the key to preserving and protecting agriculture for years to come, that’s what I enjoyed the most about my experience at West Texas A&M.”

Video coming soon...