食色视频

KENNESAW, Ga. | Nov 11, 2021

Students in the are helping a combat veteran sow the seeds of a better future for fellow vets at his farm 45 miles north of campus in Calhoun. 

Mike Reynolds retired from the military in 2012 following 18 years as a U.S. Army flight medic, when he suffered a traumatic brain injury while serving in Iraq. He said students in the Coles College Scholars Program, an initiative that gives high-achieving business students opportunities for leadership development, community engagement and mentorship, are helping him achieve his dream of assisting other veterans in readjusting to civilian life.

鈥淎 lot of guys come out of the military without something to do,鈥� Reynolds said. 鈥淥ur goal is to give these people a mission.鈥�

Since spring semester 2020, the students have been working with Reynolds to grow his nonprofit, Hero Agriculture (Hero Ag), which teaches farming skills to veterans that they can use to run their own agricultural businesses. Unable to return to his previous job as a paramedic and firefighter, he began learning farming from a family friend, purchased some land, and soon realized there were others like him.

Hero Ag鈥檚 relationship with the Scholars started when Coles College namesake introduced Reynolds to Stacy Campbell, executive director of the Scholars Program and a member of the Hero Ag board of directors. The program鈥檚 annual service-learning education abroad trip to the Dominican Republic was canceled due to the pandemic, and Coles and Campbell saw assisting Hero Ag as a worthy alternative.

鈥淢ike鈥檚 story was inspiring,鈥� Coles said. 鈥淭his veteran had come back broken, unable to do the job he had done, and was searching for a new purpose. He found it in farming and now is helping other veterans find their own renewed purpose.鈥� 

Students have so far developed marketing and business plans for Hero Ag, launched a website and social media channels, created print and digital promotional materials, built cost-modeling tools, and, most recently, organized an open house at Reynolds鈥� 82-acre farm.

鈥淭his experience has helped me grow as a business student because it鈥檚 given me the experience of working directly with a client, rather than learning about working with clients in class,鈥� said Catherine Allsteadt, a senior student and Scholar who helped organize the open house. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been fun and exciting to help Hero Ag grow while I鈥檓 still a student. It has helped me confirm that marketing is where I want to be after I graduate.鈥�

A team of six students worked on the open house project with the goal of introducing Hero Ag and its mission to the community. They invited potential donors, veterans, and local students in 4H and the Future Farmers of America clubs; handled many of the logistics such as securing tables, chairs, portable bathrooms, and handwashing stations; and created a 3D rendering of a proposed veterans鈥� learning center Reynolds wants to build on the property.

鈥淭he event was a success,鈥� said Campbell. 鈥淢ike was able to talk about his goals and needs for the nonprofit, while guests got to hear from veterans themselves. Mike had a really big vision for the event, and our students were able to use the tools they鈥檝e learned in class to identify and track tasks so that we were ready.鈥�

The Coles Scholars will continue working with Hero Ag each semester going forward. And as Hero Ag continues to grow 鈥� the Department of Defense recently awarded Hero Ag a SkillBridge certification allowing active-duty military to receive job training there before getting out 鈥� Reynolds is more grateful than ever to have the support.

鈥淲e鈥檙e a very small organization with small budget,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his has been like having our own well-staffed small business planning agency that steps in and knows what needs to be done.鈥�

鈥� Patrick Harbin

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 食色视频 offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. 食色视频 State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. 食色视频 State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.