Behind theGlobal Desk Going
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Story by Shylo Adams
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indy Akers, Ed.D., stepped out of Room 209 in the my brothers,” Akers said. “I wanted to find a job where I could agricultural education and communications building promote an industry I loved, so it was a perfect fit for me.” feeling slightly nauseous about her first class. Nothing had Akers graduated from Tech in 1991 with a Bachelor of prepared her for the 15-minute lecture she had given in her Science in Interdisciplinary Agriculture with an emphasis in debut as an instructor at Texas Tech University. This was in the agricultural communications. She had completed an internship fall of 1997, after Akers had accepted a position as an agricultural with the USDA Farm Service Agency and wanted to return to communications instructor. Little did she know that she would the agency. Unfortunately, they were in a hiring freeze. Akers make education part of her career. instead took a job with Livestock Market Digest, a bi-monthly Akers grew up in Estancia, N.M., and as part of the fourth magazine. Then the USDA Farm Service Agency contacted her generation in agriculture, she knew her calling in life would be and asked her to apply for a management training position. After in that direction. After high school graduation she joined the completing a year of training she served three years as director livestock judging in Lincoln and Otero team at Clarendon counties in New College in Clarendon, Mexico. Texas. It was on this A series of team she would meet changes including Sam Jackson, Ph.D. marriage, moving the livestock judging back to Texas, team coach, and Jerry accepting an Stockton, Chair of the instructor position at Agricultural Education Tech, and beginning and Communications graduate classes department. Together, reshaped her life. they encouraged her to Two more major in agricultural degrees and 13 years communications at later, Akers remains Tech. “As a female I at Tech. knew I wasn’t going Although she back to production was reluctant to leave Cindy Akers with husband, Steven, and daughters, Lauren andWrye. agriculture; that was for Photo courtesy of Sinklier Studios.
38 | the agriculturist