Jailynn Britt, a sophomore general agriculture major from Brandywine, Md., was recently selected through a competitive process as an Agriculture Future of America Ambassador. She is among a group of 24 ambassadors who will strive to increase awareness of AFA programs on their respective campuses and in their regions during their year of service, March 2020-21.
AFA is a professional development organization that “seeks to be a catalyst in the preparation of a new generation of agricultural leaders.” They provide leadership development, internships and scholarships for students. Their mission is to “build bridges for young leaders to foster engagement and innovation in food and agriculture.”
“I value AFA leader development programs, because they inspire, support and educate students. It lets students see what agricultural careers have to offer in an interactive, fun way. It also gives students a chance to network with their peers and major companies involved in agriculture,” Britt said.
Ambassadors attend events and meetings on behalf of AFA, where they interact with industry professionals. Britt looks forward to sharing the AFA experience with other students. “I want more people on my campus to utilize these opportunities and spread the word (about the benefits of the organization),” she said. According to AFA, the health of its relationship with a college campus relies heavily on the work of the ambassadors.
Britt’s introduction to AFA leader development programs began when she was selected for the 2019 AFA Leaders Conference in Kansas City, Mo. Since then, she has also represented the organization at National Ag Day. In addition to her involvement with AFA, she has been active at UMES in its Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) chapter, the Campus Activities Board and WORTH.
She has also pursued internships, work experiences and volunteer opportunities in preparation for a career in agriculture and food. She was selected as an 1890 Scholar, Bayer Ag Ambassador and Borlaug Scholar. Britt participated in USDA Ag Discover and attended the World Food Prize in Iowa and the Seeds & Chips Global Food Summit in Milan, Italy.
Britt’s first meeting as an AFA ambassador is this month.
AFA has provided 21,000 leader development experiences to college leaders and young professionals from more than 200 colleges and universities throughout 43 states since its inception in 1996. It has also awarded more than $10 million in academic and leader development scholarships. For more information about AFA, visit www.agfuture.org.
