A PASSION FOR AGRICULTURE: HALEY CURTSINGER Most CU graduates who earn a degree in journalism and media production dream of a satisfying career in television. That’s exactly what Haley Curtsinger had in mind when she elected to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Media Production. “Informing the public has always been something intriguing to me, so my original plan was to be a television news anchor or reporter,” Curtsinger says. “Cameron University provided me with a wonderful television/media production program with the most fantastic professors that worked tirelessly to make me and my classmates the best multimedia journalists that we could be." But her career path took an unexpected turn when she tackled the first assignment for her broadcast television class. “The first news story I chose was about the Department of Agriculture’s (now known as the Department of Agriculture, Biology and Health Sciences) new bee program, where they housed, cared for and collected honey from bees. After that story was produced, it was then that I realized not only did I want to inform the public, but I also wanted to inform the public of things I was passionate about, which includes agriculture." That led to Curtsinger declaring a minor in agriculture – a minor that isn’t very common among journalism majors. It’s no surprise that Curtsinger felt comfortable delving into CU’s agriculture program – she was raised 10
CAMERON UNIVERSITY
on a ranch east of Lawton, where her family still runs a cow-calf operation. “My dad learned his knowledge and skill from his grandpa and my mom spent her childhood working on her uncle’s farm, so agriculture runs in my blood," Curtsinger says. “It was no surprise that I wanted to show livestock and be involved in 4-H, and when I was old enough, I joined FFA. During my time in that organization, I was involved in anything I could get my hands on – showing livestock, livestock judging, meat judging, land judging, creed speaking, prepared public speeches, and opening ceremonies contests, to name a few. I earned my State FFA Degree just a couple weeks before graduating high school. The things I learned being involved in FFA are truly unforgettable and extremely valuable to me.” Her dedication to agriculture paid off well before Curtsinger earned her CU degree in Summer 2018, as she had already been hired as southwest field representative by the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, an organization with which she was well acquainted. “I was raised in the Farm Bureau federation,” Curtsinger says. “My dad has served on the Stephens County board for almost 20 years, so growing up around Farm Bureau for most of my life gave me a vast understanding of what the organization meant to my family and thousands of Oklahoma farmers and ranchers. When the position became available for the southwest field representative, I felt I was qualified for the job of building relationships
