Kestlyn Willert

Kestlyn Willert

Thank you so much for awarding me with a 2023 Targeting Excellence scholarship. As I enter my senior year at the University of Minnesota, your scholarship will allow me to focus on finishing up my double major of Animal Science and Agricultural Communication & Marketing along with my Political Science minor. Following graduation, I aspire to work in government affairs for an agricultural association, agribusiness, or commodity group to impact legislation that supports the work of farmers and ranchers. Your financial support will allow me to achieve my goals and ultimately support agriculturalists across the country. Thank you again for believing in me and my educational and career goals.

Awards Received

2023 Undergraduate Award (Minnesota)
2021 Undergraduate Award (Minnesota)

Hometown:

Hometown:

Aurora, SD

School:

School:

University of Minnesota

Major:

Major:

Agricultural Communication & Marketing; Animal Science

Career Goals:

Career Goals:

Through past internships with the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce and Minnesota Farm Bureau Foundation paired with my current internship with the Minnesota State Senate, I am quickly realizing that public service is the area for me. Throughout each of these internships, I have had the unique opportunity to build relationships with multiple industry stakeholders and work to support them in multiple ways. To me, assisting others’ meet their business and organizational goals, advocate for their passions, or pass legislation to support the greater good is extremely rewarding. I am projected to graduate in the spring of 2024 with a double major of Agricultural Communication & Marketing and Animal Science with a minor of Political Science. Using my formal educational knowledge coupled with my field-based experiences, I intend to work for an agricultural organization in the area of government affairs. Whether it be a commodity group, a member-based organization, or a cooperative, I am confident that my deep ties to agriculture and my vision mindset will prove an asset to an agricultural company. Ultimately, I, like many others involved in the agricultural industry, aspire to leave the land and economy better than it was in past generations. Through supporting agriculturalists and advocating for policies that uphold tradition but still work to implement solutions of the future, I am confident that this goal is achievable.