Erica Irlbeck, Ed.D.: Ag Media Summit 2012

Tech students and faculty at AMS.

Each summer, the agricultural communicators of America—professional and students alike—meet for the Ag Media Summit (AMS). This is probably my favorite conference. I learn so much each year, plus I get a chance to socialize with some of my most favorite people in the business. My students also can network with the pros and make connections that will help them get an internship or job in the future.

This year AMS was in Albuquerque, and I absolutely loved it. Albuquerque has a lot of fun stuff to see, dozens of great restaurants, and it’s a fairly quick drive from Lubbock.

The welcome party, which is always a blast, was right across the street from the hotel, and was fantastic. They had lots of great New Mexico food—enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, corn on the cob—it was great! As always, Boelte Hall had its bull set up for us all to take a picture. I think this year’s AMS had the largest showing of Tech ag comm alumni I have ever seen. We tried to get all of us together, but I missed a few. Still, we were able to get a great shot with most of the Red Raiders that attended.

Tech students and most of the alumni that attended AMS. I'm so sorry I forgot a few people!

At the welcome party, a few of my students met an internet celebrity. One of the guys from the “I’m Farming and I Grow It” YouTube video was at AMS. He’s an ag comm student at Kansas State, and my students thought it was pretty cool to have their picture with him.

Adri, Faith, and Trevor with Greg Peterson.

Ok, who am I kidding. I thought it was pretty cool to have my picture with him too.

Water water water water

And just in case you haven’t seen the video, here it is.

I must admit how proud I am of our students. Four undergraduates and one grad student went to AMS, and they did such a wonderful job representing Texas Tech. One student in particular, Faith Jurek, received one of the American Agricultural Editors’ Association scholarships, and she was a finalist for the Forrest Bassford scholarship, which the Livestock Publications Council presents. She was also elected secretary of the National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow.