Emily Nielsen’s love of horses inspired her own educational journey, and now, she’s hoping to inspire other children to find a similar love of agriculture in the classroom.

Nielsen decided to attend Lakeland College after a high school career fair in Stony Plain, where she learned that she could blend her love for horses with her education in Lakeland’s animal science technology program’s equine major. The deciding factor? Learning that she could ride her horse as part of her schooling—a dream turned reality.

"I have ridden horses since I was about 10 years old, but never at the depth that I have learnt to do at Lakeland," Nielsen explains.

Nielsen credits her instructors and their straightforward approach to teaching and coaching with helping her hone her equine skills and confidence.

"I appreciate Matt [Rustermeier] because he doesn't sugarcoat things," Nielsen says. "He's genuine in teaching and coaching us with our horses. I feel like his sternness and how he doesn't dance around the subject has helped me grow."

Another key component of her Lakeland experience has been her time working on the Student-Managed Farm – Powered by New Holland (SMF). Students in the animal science technology and crop technology programs take the reins of the SMF during their second year, making critical decisions that affect daily operations on the farm. Together, they manage over 3,700 acres of land, and approximately 720 mature cattle, bison and horses.

Nielsen was part of the public relations group in the SMF equine unit. Here, she discovered the power of education and communication, managing the equine SMF's social media accounts and showcasing her newfound expertise in agriculture to a broader audience.

"It's like passing on what I've learned—educating others about horse practices and the agriculture industry," she explains.

This year, the SMF groups had the opportunity to visit local elementary schools where they shared information about the farm at Lakeland. Elementary students got to "adopt" a farm animal to follow along with for several months over the course of multiple visits from the SMF students. In April the SMF students visited a Grade 5 class to share information on how climate change affects operations on the farm.

"I like kids," Nielsen says. "We're not so far from their age, so I think we connected with them more during the presentations. They loved asking questions, which made it fun for us—even though some caught us off guard!"

Her time working with students showcased her ability to inform and inspire and highlighted her knack for building meaningful connections.