Agricultural Researcher and Activist – Nebraska
“You meet people and face obstacles for a reason, so you just have to make the best decision you can.”
Sheila has served as the president of the University of Nebraska-Omaha's Scott Scholar Focus Group, an academic organization that mentors incoming freshman students, participates in philanthropic events and helps recruit new students to the Peter Kiewit Institute, the engineering college at UNO.
She has also been active in volunteer and mission trips to Jamaica through Mustard Seed Communities and the Winnebago Indian Reservation in Winnebago, Neb. While in Jamaica , she worked with abandoned and handicapped children and realized that even though these children were very poor compared to U.S. standards, they still live happy lives and enthusiastically practice their Catholic faith. In Winnebago, she witnessed their rich, welcoming Native American culture and learned how they are fighting to keep it alive.
Sheila is also involved on campus in various honor societies and serves on the University of Nebraska’s Information Systems Steering Committee.
She has a strong interest in agriculture policy, rural economic development and renewable energy. She realized this interest while interning with the National Corn Growers Association and taking three classes in business and government from Georgetown University during the summer of 2006. Sheila continued this interest by interning for Ag Processing Inc. in the renewable fuels department in January 2007 and volunteering for various political campaigns in Nebraska for the November elections.
In an economic research course, she analyzed the effects of agriculture subsidies on rural communities and the farming sector and then took an interest in public service and agriculture policy. In May 2007, she was awarded the Harry S. Truman Scholarship.
Next summer Sheila will be interning in Washington, D.C., hopefully at the United State Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy or a Congressional office.
When Sheila first arrived at UNO, she never had an interest in agriculture or helping small communities survive, but now it is on the top of her career interests because she sees small communities and family farms like the one she grew up on consolidating and shrinking in numbers. But in another light, she see so many opportunities that can be taken advantage of, like renewable energy, microfinance for small businesses, specialty agriculture and distance education.
How did you become interested and involved in agricultural and rural development?
Even though I grew up on a farm in Nebraska, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study when I started college in 2004. Originally I had no interest in agricultural and rural development until I interned with the National Corn Growers Association in Washington, DC after my sophomore year in college. At this internship I researched ethanol, found congressional records related to a farm bill, met with Congressional leaders on the Hill and completed small projects for the communications director of the company. Since that experience, I have taken an interest in helping rural areas with technology and agricultural policy.
What prompted you to become a leader?
I was very active in high school organizations, and that involvement has continued even though I am a senior in college. I saw need for change in some area, needed to jump in and make the organizations more effective.
What steps did you take to achieve your goals?
In trying to make change within the organizations I had to gain support from others by getting them to attend the meetings, getting them motivated and continually making progress towards their objectives. And lastly, I didn’t wait until the last minute to finish a task.
What obstacles have you faced in achieving your goals?
Working in policy field is hard being a student, sometimes you don’t have a voice, but you just need to find avenues for your voice. I was able to research projects for the Center for Rural Affairs, encourage people to call their senators, thereby getting other people to voice their opinion, and also I volunteered for political campaigns.
How has your experience been shaped by being a woman?
Some people don’t always take me seriously, especially older men who think conservatively or don’t think that you are qualified to work on project, but if you work hard to prove them wrong, they will take you seriously. I was a Teaching Assistant for a male-dominated class, and I just had to show them that I was qualified to be there. The agricultural and information systems field is dominated by men, so I am used to being around men, but more women are becoming involved.
If you had the chance, would you have done anything differently?
Everything happens for a reason. You meet people and face obstacles for a reason, so you just have to make the best decision you can in the day.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
After getting my Masters degree, I want to be in the Midwest, working on rural economic development, perhaps on a state level commission. I’m interested in starting a nonprofit that would conduct seminars and leadership conferences for young people in the area or encourage people to move into rural areas.
What advice do you have for young girls who share your interests or have leadership aspirations?
If you have passion for an organization: go for it, put effort in, make contacts, take every opportunity.
