Making Life Better
Ag Education Major
Casey Horton says teaching, much like preaching, is a calling. And growing up on his family's farm in Rhine, Ga., he says he saw the light. Casey, 22, knew he wanted to spread the word about the importance of agriculture and how it's tied to environmental stewardship and the future of Georgia and the United States.
If you teach agriculture, he said, you teach about something that touches everyone's life, whether everyone knows how much or not. He's learning his sermon now at the University of Georgia Tifton campus through the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication.
"I want to develop myself to be a resource that students and others can use to build their own knowledge and use to work toward their own success," he said.
Casey's Student Profile
Name: Casey Horton
Hometown: Rhine, Ga.
Started CAES: Spring 2007
Major: Agricultural Education — UGA Tifton
Graduate: Spring 2009
Q&A with Casey
What made you choose to attend UGA?
I chose to attend ... because of the family atmosphere and the one-on-one communication we have with our instructors here. We have opportunities to see firsthand how to apply the things we learn.
How many times have you changed your major? What made you settle on your current major?
I've changed my major twice. I began in the physical education field but finally decided on ag education because I see the importance of teaching our young people agriculture and its impact on our overall economy.
What exposure did you have to agriculture before coming to CAES?
Being raised on a traditional family farm growing cotton, peanuts and watermelons, I've experienced all the aspects of the day-to-day farming operations.
What's your favorite class and why?
My favorite class at UGA Tifton is Farm Management and Organization because I gained so much valuable knowledge on how to compete in this ever-changing world of agriculture.
Which CAES instructor has been the most influential?
Dr. Don Shurley, a department of agricultural and applied economics professor, has been the most influential to me at UGA Tifton because he gave me the knowledge of how the ag world markets operate.
What's one thing you're always sure to take to class?
The one thing I never leave home without when going to class is my laptop computer, because of its easy access to information.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I hope to have my Masters degree in Ag Education Leadership, teaching my students the importance of farming and agriculture and working on starting up my own registered cattle operation.
What's the coolest thing that's happened to you at UGA?
Mrs. Erin Womack, academic programs coordinator at UGA Tifton, has made me believe in myself and encouraged me to follow my dreams and not give up.
Favorite thing to do outside class:
I enjoy visiting the UGA farm plots and learning new techniques in farming and seeing how the Global Positioning System satellites operate.
Best advice for incoming freshmen:
Stay focused. Believe in yourself. Face your goals, and fight for them as if your life depended on it.
One thing about yourself that sets you apart:
The biggest thing that sets me apart is that when I decide to do something, I never give up until I get it accomplished. I'm a very determined person. Unless you try to do something beyond what you've already mastered, you'll never grow.