Too long, didn’t read:
Personal and professional growth is often shaped by unexpected opportunities, the people we meet, and the experiences we choose to pursue.
Internships can provide more than work experience by allowing young professionals to develop confidence, discover their strengths, and find their place within an industry.
Building a future in agriculture takes faith, patience, and hard work, especially when that future has to be built from the ground up.
Where My Story Began
I was raised in Round Top, Texas, a small rural town between Houston and Austin. It was a unique place to grow up, where a trip to the grocery store could easily take 30 to 40 minutes, and graduating classes were small enough that everyone knew each other like siblings. I attended Round Top-Carmine from elementary school through high school and graduated in 2024 with a class of only 19 students. During that time, I became heavily involved in FFA, competed in speaking and communication events, served as a district officer my senior year, and showed pen heifers at local county shows. I did not necessarily know exactly where those experiences would take me, but they gave me an early connection to agriculture and eventually played a role in the path I chose.
A large part of who I am also comes from something that happened much earlier in my life. I lost my mom in 2009 when I was three years old. Although I was very young, losing her has shaped the way I look at life and the kind of life I want to build for myself. My faith is a huge part of that. I believe my mom is waiting for me in Heaven, and when it is eventually my time to see her again, I want to be proud of the life I get to tell her about. My faith pushes me to work hard, dream big, and trust that there is a reason for the people and opportunities God places in my life. I do not really believe in coincidence. I believe things happen as part of God’s plan, even when we do not understand that plan at the time.
After high school, I moved to Lubbock to attend Texas Tech University, where I am now a senior studying Agricultural Leadership and expect to graduate in May 2027. College has not always been easy, but I think that is part of what has made it so important to me. It has taught me how to be independent, how to work through difficult seasons, and also how important it is to appreciate where I am instead of constantly waiting for whatever comes next. People always say life is short, but I think sometimes life just feels short because we spend so much of it looking ahead. There are obviously times when planning for the future is necessary, but I have learned that when I slow down and pay attention to what is right in front of me, life looks a little different.
That is part of the reason I look at meeting John the way I do. I first met John and his wife, Amanda, when I went to pick up a Christmas tree I had purchased from them. During some small talk, John learned about my connection to agriculture and handed me his business card. I knew I needed an internship before graduation, and eventually I decided there was no harm in reaching out and asking if he might be looking for an intern. After several conversations and interviews, John gave me a chance. As he explains, “I did five internships while I was an undergrad, so from the very beginning of my career, I’ve believed in giving back just like so many others did for me. That’s what led us to start an internship program as soon as we were able.” Looking back now, it is funny to think that something as simple as picking up a Christmas tree led to all of this. Some will call it a coincidence, but I believe this was a part of God’s plan all along.
My Time at Sero
When I started at Sero Ag Strategies, I really did not know what my internship would turn into. I knew I needed the experience for school and wanted an opportunity that would actually teach me something about working in agriculture, but I did not walk in with a perfectly defined role. A lot of my internship developed as John learned what I was capable of and I learned where I could be useful. That eventually led to me taking on Sero’s social media and building a more consistent presence for the company across its platforms.
Social media became something I could really make my own. I started creating content, developing posting schedules, filming videos with John, promoting newsletters and other projects, and thinking more about how we could explain what Sero does to people who may not work in the same part of agriculture. My mission was never just to post something every day for the sake of posting. I wanted Sero’s social media to be educational while still feeling approachable, especially for younger people who might be interested in agriculture but do not always understand some of the more technical conversations surrounding sustainability, water, economics, and technology. It has been rewarding to look back at where we started and see something that I helped build become part of how Sero communicates.
Some of my favorite experiences, though, happened outside of social media. I was able to travel with John to Kansas, attend meetings with him, meet people working in different parts of agriculture, and tour High Plains Ponderosa Dairy. Being able to sit in those rooms and see those operations gave me a completely different kind of education than I could get in a classroom. John did not treat me like I was only there because I was the intern. He gave me opportunities to listen, participate, ask questions, and understand more about the actual work happening behind the projects about which I was helping communicate.
That is probably what I will take away most from my time at Sero. I was given enough trust to figure things out for myself while still having someone there to teach me when I needed it. I have learned a lot about communication and agriculture, but I have also become more confident in my own ability to contribute professionally. As I move closer to graduation, I hope to continue working with John and supporting Sero, especially through the social media and communication work I helped start. What began as an internship I needed for college turned into something I genuinely care about continuing to build.
Looking Beyond Graduation
After graduation, I hope to continue building a career in agriculture. I have not completely decided whether graduate school will be part of that path, but it is something I want to keep open as an option. What I do know is that my strongest passion is in the beef industry and the ranching way of life. That is something my significant other, Lio, and I share. Lio also attends Texas Tech, where he is studying Animal Science with an industry concentration, and this summer he completed an internship at Friona Feedyard in Friona, Texas. We have spent our time in college gaining different experiences and building our own careers, but ultimately we are working toward a lot of the same things.
One of our biggest goals is to eventually build a cow-calf operation together. Neither of us is inheriting an established ranch, a herd of cattle, or an operation that someone else has already spent generations building. If we want that life, we are going to have to start from the ground up. We know that means there will probably be plenty of mistakes, sacrifices, long days, and times when progress feels slower than we want it to. But I also think the fact that we are willing to start with very little says a lot about how badly we want to be part of this industry and create something of our own.
Within the next year, we hope to purchase our first group of heifers and begin figuring it out together. Obviously, a few heifers are a long way from the ranch we picture someday, but everybody has to start somewhere. We want to be more than cattle owners. We want to contribute to the agricultural community around us, be part of producing American beef, and know that the work we are doing ultimately helps put food on someone’s table. There is something meaningful to both of us about being able to say we had a hand in that.
Our long-term goal is to grow that small beginning into an operation we are proud of and, hopefully, something our future family can continue someday. We may not be inheriting a ranch ourselves, but maybe we have the opportunity to build one worth passing down. I have no idea exactly what our lives will look like 10 or 20 years from now, and I am learning to be okay with that. My faith reminds me that I do not have to know every part of the plan. For now, we can work hard toward the future we want while still being thankful for where we are and the opportunities already in front of us.
Making Space for the Next Young Professional
One of the most meaningful parts of my experience at Sero is simply that John was willing to take a chance on me. I did not start this internship knowing exactly what I was doing, and I definitely did not know everything I know now. Instead of expecting me to already have all the answers, John gave me real responsibilities, let me ask questions, and trusted me enough to try things on my own. That allowed me to discover skills and interests that I probably would not have found sitting in a classroom.
I think young professionals need more experiences like that. An internship should be more than a title to add to a résumé or a list of small tasks nobody else wants to do. Young professionals need people who are willing to teach them, bring them into conversations, and give them meaningful work even when they are still learning. Agriculture talks a lot about supporting the next generation, and I think this is one of the simplest ways we can actually do it. Someone has to be willing to open the door and let a young professional get started.
John has expressed that he wants to continue hosting interns at Sero in the future, and I hope he does. Their experience probably will not look exactly like mine, nor should it. I hope they come in with different strengths, find something they can make their own, and continue building on what has already been started. I also hope that some of the things I have built during my time here make it a little easier for the next young professional to come in and find their own place within Sero.
John has talked about how the internships he had made him want to provide the same opportunity for someone else. Now I understand that a little better. Someday, when I am further along in my own career, I hope I am in a position to take a chance on a young professional too. It is strange to think that this entire experience started because I went to pick up a Christmas tree, John handed me a business card, and I decided to reach out. But I think that is also what makes the story so special. I am still at the beginning of figuring out where my own life and career are going, and I am learning that I do not have to rush through that part. There is a lot to look forward to, but there is also a lot worth appreciating right now.
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About Serō Ag Strategies
At Serō Ag Strategies, we bridge farmers and supply chain partners by transforming complex agricultural data and policy into actionable insights. We also work to create and grow markets for commodity crops by aligning production with evolving demand, policy shifts, and sustainability goals. Combining multinational expertise with the personal touch of boutique consulting, we specialize in economic and sustainability analysis that drives strategic innovation.
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That place has nothing to do with Agriculture. (Stewarding soil and growing food)
Producing toxic from input to product commodities is Agribusiness.
Great Post Jenna. Wishing you & Lio a fantastic future. Agribusiness needs good young minds & energy more today than ever. With an open mind & following your Hearts you will be Successful.
Thank You for being honest & open about your faith.
Best Wishes.