In agriculture, you’re constantly being confronted with things that are beyond your control. That’s why having faith in Christ is so important for the job.
In the agricultural science program, it’s not uncommon for students to be born and raised in farming families. However, this was not the case for Olivia Leising. “My dad owned some farmland that he rented out to people, but I didn’t really do anything farm-related until high school. I joined Future Farmers of America (FFA) my freshman year, and absolutely loved it.”
Olivia enjoys the variety of opportunities that exist within the agriculture industry. “There are so many areas of study that go into a career in agriculture. There’s science, business, communication. I love that I get to do a little bit of all of it.”
This interest in agriculture complicated Olivia’s college decision. “In the beginning, I visited some other schools, and they were good, but I was looking for something more. When I found out that Concordia was starting an agriculture program, I finally visited the campus, and just immediately fell in love with it.”
Olivia’s love of Concordia extends to the agriculture program. “People in the program aren’t scared of hard work. There’s a unique sort of spirit and determination. A big part of it is finding what you’re talented at and using that talent to serve other people.”
For Olivia, this serving spirit is a dominating trait at Concordia. “At Concordia, there are distinct groups of people, but the unique thing about them is that they are willing to meet new people and expand their groups. I’m very thankful for that because you can learn a lot from people who are different from you.” Even though there is a wide variety of people at Concordia, Olivia finds one commonality between them. “There is an emphasis on finding solutions to problems through my relationship with Christ. I’m constantly reminded of the fact that it’s not what I do, but what he does for me.”
Olivia’s future career revolves around remembering what God does for His people. “I decided to major in agriculture and environmental science because I don’t think the two intersect as often as they should. I hope to become an environmental consultant so I can help people have maximum productivity, while also encouraging them to care for the environment. With these two areas of study, I hope to truly focus on how I can be a good steward of what God has given us.”