URBANA, Ill. — While Kendall Herren did not grow up on a farm, she sure has plenty of farming in her.

This University of Illinois agricultural communications senior has enough scholarship and interest to earn her one of four finalist positions in the 2015 Forrest Bassford Student Travel Award competition at the Ag Media Summit in Scottsdale, Ariz., this July.

Originally from Sheridan on the edge of suburban metropolitan Chicago, her love of ag journalism is rooted in all kinds of interests, including her horticulturist parents, a U of I multigenerational alum family and a benchmark experience with Ag in the Classroom. “My ag background is kind of a funny story because I didn’t grow up on a farm,” Herren explained. “I’m not sure what exactly got me in this direction, but ag communications is something I enjoy.”

That includes basic design for traditional and digital media, writing and social media. Yet, it was her experience last summer with an Ag in the Classroom program in Chicago that cinched her career path. “The educational part was exciting to learn, and I thought it was unique that it was in Chicago,” she said. “I learned how to explain the basics of waterways and windbines, and other topics that some of these teachers didn’t know. It was one of the coolest things, especially knowing that I helped them learn.”

She’s about to learn even more. The finalists – all female ag communications majors selected by the Livestock Publication Council – will immerse themselves in the Livestock Publication Council’s annual convention and Ag Media Summit.

Here, they will mingle with more than 500 livestock publication personnel and sit in on ag journalism workshops and seminars.

The winner of the 2015 Forrest Bassford Student Award will be determined by their essay on why they want an ag communications career, as well as interviews and portfolio reviews.

As a travel award finalist, Herren’s travel and conference expenses are provided, thanks to award sponsor Alltech, an animal pharmaceutical company in Louisville, Ky. The winner of the student award will receive a $2,000 scholarship and the others will be awarded $750 travel scholarships.

The other three finalists also are seniors, at Kansas State University and Utah State University.

“The Forrest Bassford Student Award is designed to help some of the top prospects in the livestock publications industry to grow in their success,” said LPC Student Award Committee Chair Scarlett Hagins. “We hope this opportunity will aid these four students in finding a path to their bright futures in agricultural journalism.”

Herren is already familiar with the summit, having attended it for the past two years, but this is her first as a finalist. “What I’ve learned most from this conference is that ag communications is really a family industry,” she added.

As for her scholarship, she emphasized she developed strong mentor relationships with past Bassford Student Award winner Ellen Reeder and Ag Communications of Tomorrow adviser Jennifer Shike. “I just love connecting with people and talking to them about their stories. This is not just about me.”

This is the 30th anniversary for the Forrest Bassford Student Award Program. Its namesake was added in 1992 in honor of his particular interest in furthering the Livestock Publication Council’s Student Award.