Skip to main content

Summer FourWord and Alumni Spotlight: Sarah Riley



Sarah Riley, a Harrison county 4-H alum, has forged her own path to make the most of her experiences in the 4-H program. Her involvement in the STEM program helped her to create a world of opportunities through 4-H, and later through her collegiate degree program in Biosystems engineering.

Riley grew up in the small town of Logan, Iowa where some of her very first 4-H experiences happened through her interest in First Lego League (FLL). This was a place where she could truly express herself and step outside her comfort zone. As a member of the Hyperstream robotics team, she had the opportunity to be involved in various competitions. With the county extension office located only one block from her house, Riley would often spend her days building robots and cultivating friendships with the county staff members.  Outside of competitions, Riley continued to show her commitment to the robotics program by becoming a counselor and mentor at Harrison County robotics camps.

“I saw that the simple things that youth learned there got them excited to go back and participate in their clubs,” says Riley.

Riley developed an interest in clean water and agriculture when in high school and she took her experiences and background in the 4-H program to attend Oklahoma State University (OSU) majoring in Biosystems engineering. As an undergraduate, Riley served on the Presidential Leadership Council, and as the Vice President of the American Society of Agricultural and Biosystem Engineers (ASABE) student chapter at OSU. Through her collegiate involvement, Riley credits her 4-H experiences with helping her to develop her leadership potential and helping her to think outside the box.

“There is no difference between men and women in the workforce,” Riley says. “I believe that if you are willing to work hard in your field, race and gender don’t matter.”

Riley has been conducting her own research on reducing annual grain losses. She worked to create an “electronic nose” that would be a cost effective solution for locating mold in canola seed grain bins. She will be continuing this research while pursuing her master’s degree in sensor technology.

Riley is a great role model for young women who want to be involved in the STEM program. She tells younger 4-H members to not be afraid to get involved! New experiences can be scary, but when you get to the end, it is worth every step along the way. To read Riley’s full story, check out this summer's FourWord. To receive the newsletter regularly, click here.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ISU Women's Basketball Game a Big Hit!

4-H Night at the Iowa State Women's Basketball Game was a huge success Saturday. It was great to see everyone out and supporting the Cyclone's. We hope everyone had wonderful time. A recap of the night.... Over 1000 4-H guests were in attendance Glen and Mary Jo Mente were recognized on the court for all the great things they do the Iowa 4-H Program One lucky fan won a basketball autographed by Bill Fennelley and the women's basketball team 4-H alum interview with Anna Grimley was broadcasted on Cyclone Sports Radio Network AND..... Chris Clover, famous 4-H mascot, made his appearance at the game throughout the night Overall, everyone had a great time. We have some fun pictures that were taken during the game, and we invite you to check them out at our facebook fan page located at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Iowa-4-H-Foundation/59560467951?v=posts&viewas=16926868
Post a Comment
Read more

Alumni Spotlight: Lindsay Mickelson

When one thinks of 4-H, they might not jump to music. However, 4-H allows youth to develop skills that help in areas of creativity and performance. Lindsay Mickelson was a Dayton Tiger 4-H’er from Webster County. Involved in several project areas, she loved to show pigs at county and State Fair, cattle for a couple years, photography, baking and Share the Fun. “I have so many great memories from 4-H. From playing cards in the cattle barns with friends to earning trophies for raising a fine-looking pig,” says Mickelson. “Fair time was always my favorite time of year because it combined my two favorite things: hanging out with friends and tending to the animals. I can remember the first year when I started 4-H, we had our calves so tame we would lay on them in the barn, just because they would let us. Half the time the calves couldn’t care less, as long as they had food and water, they were happy.” Mickelson identifies 4-H as a steppingstone growing up, teaching her how t
1 comment
Read more

4-H Love Stories

Happy Valentine's Day! Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so we thought we'd share some 4-H love stories we've heard throughout the years. We hope you enjoy! You may even know some of the couples or have your own story to share. We'll start off by sharing a story about two generations in the same family who fell in love at 4-H camp! So what's your 4-H love story? Share in the fun by submitting your own story! Check back frequently to read more 4-H love stories! Happy Valentine's Day!
7 comments
Read more