UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Inspired by the students who helped her when she was new at Penn State, Benelli Risser is paying it forward by participating in the Agricultural Advocates program, where she can apply her schoolwork and passion to help others.
Risser, a rising fourth-year student in the College of Agricultural Sciences, has been a part of the Agricultural Advocates program since her third semester. The group assists in recruitment efforts for the college and comprises academically advanced and well-rounded undergraduate students who plan events to get the community and prospective students involved.
“As an Ag Advocate, I can lead tours and go to functions on panels where I promote the programs within the college to prospective students,” Risser said. “One of the best parts of the program is participating in large-scale networking events where I can talk to the alumni and community on what the college is currently doing.”
Risser said she wanted to be an Ag Advocate because she loves helping others. The program was a great resource for her when she first came to the college since she could ask students further in the program for advice. She also loves learning and collaborating with the community inside and outside of Penn State.
“My favorite experience as an Ag Advocate has been representing the program at the Farm Show every year,” Risser said. “This event has always meant a lot to me, and when I learned that I could go as an advocate for the college, I was more than enthusiastic. It also provides me with the opportunity to see how Penn State has partnered with the agricultural community and impacted the world around me!”
Risser is majoring in food science with a minor in international agriculture and is involved in various Penn State clubs in addition to being an Ag Advocate. Risser will be the next president for CRU, a Christian ministry group at Penn State, and is also a member of the Coaly Society, an honor society for outstanding undergraduate leaders in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
Through her classes and extracurricular experiences, Risser said she has been able to help others around the world in countries such as Greece, where she studied the summer after her freshman year, and Tanzania, where she went with UNTO, the humanitarian branch of CRU.
“Food science has allowed me to get the education I will need to understand food processes and the importance of keeping out pathogens,” Risser said. “Through my minor in international agriculture, I’ve learned about agricultural systems on a global scale. It has helped me form valuable connections and discover how to use my food science degree to approach worldwide food supply and safety.”
Risser said after graduation, she hopes to go into food safety and help others by fighting food insecurity. She noted that through the resources available at Penn State, she has been introduced to the career paths available to her.
“The Ag Advocate program has helped me to understand how invested the college is after graduation,” Risser said. “It has also shown me what the college has to offer. As students, sometimes we see a very narrow view of the college from the perspective of our unique major. This program allowed me to discover the other majors in the college and become connected to the people within them.”