Deere Intern Credits MANRRS With Introducing Her To Talented People With Diverse Backgrounds
24 March 2021, USA: Adriana Arias lights up when she talks about agriculture. From crop production to sustainable innovations, her passion for the field is contagious and her hard work doesn’t go unnoticed.
As a junior at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo studying agribusiness and agricultural communications, Arias has a plethora of experiences including her recent marketing internship at John Deere Seeding in Moline, Ill. In the role, she pitched a new innovative tool that would help farmers connect and interact with different products virtually across the globe. Her enthusiasm and hard work landed her another internship this summer.
Arias’ passion for the ag industry started at a very young age. Her grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico where they worked with livestock and feed. Her mother grew up picking strawberries in the fields off the central coast of California.
Later in life, her mother would become an accountant supporting farmers and ranchers while her father fixed and repaired farmers’ mechanical equipment in the fields. The lineage of farming on both sides, combined with the dedication to sustainable practices, was passed down to Arias.
“My passion and pride stem from the hard work that my family demonstrated,” Arias said. “In every job and educational experience related to agriculture, I always think about the innovation and dedication it took to get to where technology and agriculture is today.”
Arias is also a proud recipient of the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) John Deere scholarship award. MANRRS is a nonprofit organization that promotes academic and professional advancement by empowering minorities around the United States. John Deere awarded six college scholarships last year.
“Without MANRRS I would not have experienced working with such talented people across diverse backgrounds,” Arias said. “Even in a virtual work environment, I gained valuable skills, knowledge and connections that I will carry with me for a very long time.”
