“I am very grateful to have received this scholarship. Thank you, Targeting Excellence, for all that you have done for my education.”
Hometown: Forest City, NC
School: North Carolina State University
Major / Species: Poultry Science with Minor in Agribusiness Management
Career Goals: My name is Paxton Sappenfield and I am a senior in Poultry Science. In December, I will be graduating from NC State University with a bachelor’s degree in Poultry Science, a minor in Agribusiness Management and a concentration in Business Technology. After graduation, I plan to enter a management trainee program for a company within the poultry industry.
Upon completion of the management trainee program, I would like to have a leadership or a management position within the company. For the past three years, I have had leadership development training through a program called the Center of Creative Leadership (CCL). The past three years of leadership development training has taught me how to lead others, how to handle conflicts between workers, organization skills, communication skills, and how to adapt to changes in the environment in a positive way. I believe that the CCL training has made me a better leader in agriculture.
I have a passion for agriculture, and I want to continue growing as an individual within the poultry industry. I want to use the skills and talents that I have acquired through the years of leadership training that I have had, and through the management trainee position that I hope to have, and use all of that knowledge to make a difference in the poultry industry. I believe that after I complete a management trainee program, I can influence and benefit the poultry industry in a positive way. The skills and knowledge that I have gained through the CCL training, and through the experience that I will gain through a management trainee program, will help me become more skilled and knowledgeable about the poultry industry.
After completion of the management trainee program, I hope to become a manager or a supervisor for the poultry company that I will be working for. My dream job would be to become a human resource manager for a poultry company, and lead other managers in leading and promoting agriculture in a positive way. The poultry industry has such a bright future, and I want to be a part of it and make it better. In March, I will be traveling to the United Kingdom to study abroad and learn more about the global food systems and sustainable agriculture. I believe that what I learn overseas will help me benefit the poultry industry in the United States. This summer, I will be doing an internship with Wayne Farms in Dobson, NC. I will be working on improving 7 day chick weight; therefore, I will be spending most of my time in their hatchery. I know that I will gain valuable experience through this 12 week internship. I know that the information that I learn through the internship, will help prepare me for a job within the poultry industry.
