Tyler Skerik

ALE Reflection
There have been many of experiences throughout my college career that have helped me
better myself as a student, intern, and future employee. Rather it be a class that really helped me
to interpret situations better, or the outside of school experiences that broadened my network of
contacts, college has been an important time in my life in which I have gained knowledge, future
colleagues, and friends. As my internship nears completion, I can look back and reflect on the
areas that helped me the most.
There were many classes that fell into the discipline of my degree that were beneficial to
me as an agricultural major. One of those many classes was Ag Mechanical Services. As a sales
intern at a John Deere dealer, this class was beneficial to me because it helped me better
understand the basic operation of some larger agriculture equipment. For example, I learned
about basic operation of combines, hay equipment, and cotton equipment which is all popular
equipment in my area. As I entered my internship, I had an added boost of confidence that I
knew enough information about the equipment John Deere offered that I could talk to customers
and be knowledgeable in any questions they may have thanks to this class.
The second course that I found to be beneficial within the discipline was Fundamentals of
Crop Production. Although I may not be looking to work with plants as a career, by having the
knowledge of different crops, I am able to relate to farmers who could be potential customers in
the equipment industry. Also, with todays technologies in agriculture equipment, having some
agronomy knowledge can be beneficial when assisting customers in yield mapping through GPS
technology. In general, this has been one of the most beneficial courses because of the
knowledge it has given me to relate to customers. Furthermore, by understanding crops and their

Tyler Skerik

growing function, I am able to better understand the type of equipment farmers need to be
efficient in their farming operation.
A third course that has been helpful is Animal Related Systems. Similar to Fundamentals
of Crop Production, Animal Related Systems has taught me information that has not only been
beneficial to me, but has also helped me to become more relatable to potential customers.
Furthermore, it has helped me understand the importance of things such as hay quality which is
important in knowing how hay equipment can help producers meet their hay quality needs.
Although the agriculture classes have been the most enjoyable and relatable classes for
me in college, there are many basic courses in which I have found to be just as beneficial. Two
of these courses are my government classes. Although these classes were required in high school,
their importance level was much higher when I reached college. By understanding our
government structure I am able to knowledgeable and social in areas of politics. Furthermore, I
am better able to understand how things that happen in politics may affect the agriculture
community negatively or positively.
Two other classes that have helped me in my experiences outside of the discipline are the
English classes I had to take. Although I may still make a fair amount of grammatical mistakes,
my English courses have taught how to appear professional anytime communication is required.
Both English classes and the Technical Writing class I had to take have helped me to be able to
communicate through e-mails, letters, and verbal communication effectively and professionally.
This has been especially important throughout my internships, as much of the communication
done is via e-mail. Furthermore, these classes have helped me in making a strong resume which I
believe was important in obtaining my internship.

Tyler Skerik

There have been many experiences outside of the college courses that have made college
more beneficial to me and potential careers. The first major outside experience that I was lucky
enough to be a part of was the Texas Junior College Agriculture Association Conference in
Lubbock, Texas. This was an event that allowed Junior Colleges to compete against each other
in areas such as Agriculture Mechanics, Agronomy, Agriculture Economics, Mock Interviews,
and many other areas. Not only was it a chance for me to see how I stood in comparison to other
Agriculture Major students, but it also got me out of my comfort zone, helped me to enhance my
resume, and made new friends and contacts.
The other outside experience that I give most credit to helping me in a future career is my
job as a farm hand. As a full-time student and employee I quickly learned about the devotion I
needed to get me through my college career. Outside of that, I learned a new work ethic and was
able to learn more about agriculture than I could any other way. As I started my internship, I had
confidence that with the knowledge I gained from school and the first-hand experience I obtained
while working for a large farmer, I knew enough about agriculture equipment that I could talk to
others about equipment and agriculture practices.
Altogether, my classes and outside experiences assisted me throughout my internship. As
I entered my internship, I knew what was expected of me as a Tarleton State University student.
I was able to put the knowledge I learned throughout my college career to use to make a good
impression on my bosses and start what I hope to be a future professional career.
As I started my internship I had certain stereotypes and assumptions about agriculture.
Throughout my college career, I learned about the lack of those connected to agriculture. As I
started my internship I quickly learned how disconnected a majority of the population is. I
entered the internship thinking I would be talking to many farmers who already understood more

Tyler Skerik

than I may ever know about agriculture. However, instead I dealt with people who have no
knowledge of agriculture or even basic operation of small equipment. Basic agriculture and
equipment knowledge that I took for granted as being common sense, does not exist in many of
the customers I deal with daily. Although the lack of equipment knowledge is not a big deal, it
shows that many are not knowledgeable in agriculture in general which is concerning on a larger
scale. Furthermore, this issue demonstrates the issues that agriculture majors will have to face in
future careers.
Overall, my internship experience has helped me to better understand many of the
challenges and concepts learned throughout college. I was able to enter the internship as a
prepared individual that knew what to expect. However, I gained much more knowledge than I
thought and am now able to say I am leaving an internship and starting a career.