As I reflect on our cohort’s adventure in Richmond in January, the theme of service comes to mind. We were able to meet with so many fellow Virginians who keep this state’s government running day-to-day, and year-to-year. Many of these people are elected or appointed to their positions for short (or extended) periods of time,… Continue reading An Attitude of Service
As VALOR Class VI embarked on our first trip to explore agriculture in the Commonwealth, I was excited to get to know our cohort members better and learn about the sandy, flat regions of Virginia called Tidewater and the Eastern Shore. With family in Central Virginia and the Valley, and living in Southwest, I don’t… Continue reading Find your market and serve it with passion
The first livestock that my family raised when I was growing up was three pigmy goats: Smokey, Charcoal and Frostbite. Purchased from a friend that my sisters and I happened to be in 4-H with, these three goats road home with us to our barn built in the 1800s in the back of a Pontiac… Continue reading Us Millennials Need to Know the “Why”
VALOR stands for Virginia Agriculture Leaders Obtaining Results. Although our platform is agriculture we will be evaluating leadership in the industry and ourselves. For Session II we completed the Strengths Finder Assessment. It is a 100+ questionnaire and out of a bank of 34 options you are given a ranking of your top 5 Strengths.… Continue reading Soar With Your Strengths, Manage Your Weaknesses
As I reflect on our time spent in Southside Virginia during our last VALOR seminar, I am reminded of our training on crucial conversations. A crucial conversation can be one that is difficult, challenging, and/or important. These types of conversations occur in every part of our daily lives. In many cases, it is a conversation… Continue reading Crucial Conversations
Service has always been a part of my life. My family has always set an example for me of the importance to serve others beyond yourself. Sometimes this comes as sacrifice, but at the end of the day the lasting legacy of service will live beyond your years. I feel that growing up in a… Continue reading Why I Serve
Virginia, roughly shaped like a triangle (per my fantastic drawing above), is home to two distinct population curves. The more common one, called the Golden Crescent, is home to approximately 6.1 million people, and if it were a state, it would be second in the nation for college degrees, wealth, etc. It stretches from the… Continue reading I Expect MORE
Leaving your county, or state, or country (as the case will be shortly for the VALOR fellows) imparts a gift of perspective. Not a gift to be taken lightly, it takes processing and production by the user in order to create anything of value. I can travel to another state or country, but if I… Continue reading The Gift
The Northern Neck of Virginia offers a distinct view of the Commonwealth, a region unlike any other with its rural life, “rivah” sauce, national history, and all things seafood. The VALOR program through Virginia Tech does many things well, but in particular the culture immersion that comes with each regional session is truly the icing… Continue reading Saltwater Seminar
I’m always captivated by a good story. I think that most of us are; when you hear humor, or details, or just plain emotion, you connect with the storyteller at a deeper level. Let’s take this to a deeper level. I meet you. You meet me. I tell you that I’m from Virginia, have 2… Continue reading A Great Story
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