Growing up on a corn and soybean farm in central Ohio, Maci Carter was immersed in agriculture from a young age. From delivering meals to the field with her mom to riding in the cab of a tractor with her dad, agriculture was part of everyday life.
Today, Carter is a senior at Oklahoma State University pursuing dual degrees in agribusiness and agricultural communications. She will graduate in May 2026.
“I always knew agriculture was where I belonged,” Carter says. “It just made sense.”
Carter’s involvement expanded through 4-H and later FFA, where she discovered a passion for leadership and communication. Through public speaking, job interview contests and the agricultural communications career development event, she realized she enjoyed telling agriculture’s story and helping others better understand the industry.
“I loved educating people about agriculture and communicating ideas in a way that was digestible,” she says.
Her path eventually led her to Oklahoma State after learning the university offered a true dual-degree option, allowing her to earn two separate degrees.
Carter was introduced to the National Association of Farm Broadcasters early in her college career through a freshman-year internship with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network. That summer, she traveled across Oklahoma conducting interviews with a wide range of agricultural professionals.
“One day I’d be in a wheat field in the middle of nowhere, and the next day I’d be at the Capitol interviewing the Secretary of Agriculture,” Carter says. “I wasn’t pigeonholed into one part of the industry, and I was learning something new every day.”
She credits the internship with building confidence, professional communication skills and a strong network—particularly valuable as an out-of-state student.
“It taught me how to ask good questions, think on my feet and be comfortable starting conversations,” she says. “Those skills have carried me through every job I’ve had since.”
Carter is also a recipient of a 2025–26 NAFB scholarship, an achievement she says became a goal after attending her first NAFB Convention as a sophomore.
“I remember sitting at the scholarship banquet thinking how cool those students were and wondering if I’d ever be there,” she says.
Receiving the scholarship, which was presented at the annual convention in November 2025, was especially meaningful, as Carter previously completed a John Deere internship and received the John Deere scholarship.
“It was reassuring to know I was doing good work,” she says. “It wasn’t just financial support; it was mentorship and encouragement from people I admire.”
As she prepares to graduate, Carter is exploring opportunities in corporate communications, marketing and broadcasting. Regardless of where she lands, she expects her radio background and involvement with NAFB to remain central.
“The skills I learned through radio translate everywhere,” she said. “NAFB has played a huge role in preparing me for whatever comes next.”
