The Oklahoma State Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT) Club is set to host the National ACT Professional Development Conference (PDC) on January 16-19, 2025. This premier event is held annually for agricultural communications students from across the nation. Farm Director KC Sheperd talked to our own Maci Carter who is president of Oklahoma State ACT, about the event.
“Each university usually has their own chapter,” Carter explained. “We have about a hundred due-paying members at Oklahoma State. We threw our names in the hat and received the honor of hosting PDC this year.”
PDC is a three-day conference, providing a platform for students to immerse
themselves in a variety of opportunities aimed at advancing their professional and personal growth in the agricultural communications industry.
“Students will get the opportunity to talk with industry professionals, build skills, and network,” Carter said.
While it is too soon to give the names of Speakers for the event, Carter said that thirty industry professionals have been invited to speak there. “We have everything from, you, KC Sheperd, talking about radio broadcasts and mentorship. We have stuff about writing, photography, and design. Information on marketing yourself, building a portfolio, and some financial information about running a business. Hopefully, we have everything under the sun covered! We are really excited about those workshops and the opportunity for our students to work with those professionals.”
To ensure that the opportunity for students and professionals alike isn’t cut short by any means, Carter and her team are asking for donations for the event. Funds will be allocated for securing a suitable venue, creating engaging decorations to set the tone of the event, and covering any other necessary logistics to ensure the conference runs smoothly and successfully.
“We are taking sponsorships or any other type of support that people are willing to give,” Carter said. “We have three different levels of sponsorship: a five-hundred-dollar level, a thousand-dollar level, or a twenty-five-hundred-dollar level.”
On the last night of the event, ACT will be hosting a gala dinner for top sponsors to have another opportunity to get to know the students who are attending from across the nation.
For additional information about the event or becoming a sponsor, send an email to either Maci Carter or Kenna Sandberg, or visit the website here.
“Other students should be hearing about this through their own chapters, and National ACT Communications,” Carter said. “The Oklahoma Agricultural Community is the reason we are so strong here at Oklahoma State, and we want to be able to show the students from other institutions what that community looks like.”
For More information on the conference, follow this link:
