Emily Mertes

Young Alumni Council Member Bio

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How did you end up at Virginia Tech and in your major?

• Growing up in Blacksburg, I never wanted to go to Virginia Tech! (Too close to home!) However, I ended up loving Virginia Tech and came in as a freshman with no major. Dr. Kurt Stephenson was a good family friend of mine and encouraged me to look into Agricultural and Applied Economic Management. At first, I was hesitant but ended up loving it and never looked back!

Class year(s) and degree(s)

• 2018, B.S. in Agricultural and Applied Economic Management  

Favorite Virginia Tech memory

• During my time at Virginia Tech I worked at the local farmers market and loved selling grass-fed beef, learning about local growers, and enjoying the fresh veggies. Also, as dorky as it sounds I loved the classes in the department (especially International Agricultural Development and Trade) and met some incredible friends and professors that made my time at VT so memorable.

Why should a prospective student consider agricultural and applied economics? 

• When I heard about agricultural and applied economics I thought I would end up counting cows and chickens all day (spoiler alert... I have done that!) However, there is so much more to it. The classes in the department will open your eyes to the global footprint of agriculture and the many different pathways you can take to help feed the growing population. It will inspire you to think just beyond agriculture in Virginia, it will open your eyes to trade and development, the economic drivers of different countries, and just how impactful agriculture is to the world.

Fun fact about yourself.

• I came out to Australia on a working tourist visa and have been working at a variety of farms!