Introduction

Hi there. My name is Rosie Templeton.

Checking Newborn Calves (Ric Swihart, 2009)

I grew up on a cattle ranch and farm near Lethbridge, Alberta. I was a 4-H member for 10 years, during which time I discovered my passion for public speaking. In 2009, I was the Alberta 4-H Champion public speaker, moving on to place 3rd at the national competition. I also served as an Alberta 4-H Ambassador for 2 years, which involved traveling the province giving presentations and workshops to 4-H members and leaders. I am currently in my second year at the University of Alberta taking a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business Management...for now. In the fall of 2012, I plan to transfer to Oklahoma State University to pursue my dream degree, a double major in Agriculture Communications and Agriculture Economics. When I complete that degree, I plan on returning to Alberta to work for an agricultural company in a communications or policy position.

Absolutely Agriculture Blog Header (Rosie Templeton, 2011)

Communication is a very large part of my life currently, and will be even more in my future. I started my own blog last summer, Absolutely Agriculture, as part of a marketing competition for a cattle show. I placed first in the blog competition based on greatest number of hits, quality of posts, blog design, and frequency of posts. To market my blog, I started a Twitter account and began interacting with other people in agriculture. I now use Twitter more than any other social networking site, and have made numerous real-life friendships that started on Twitter. I attended the 2nd Annual AgChat Conference last summer after hearing about it on Twitter. I spent 4 days in Nashville, Tennessee networking with people in agriculture and learning how to better communicate with consumers via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and my blog. This experience solidified my passion for communication in agriculture, and gave me valuable contacts for my future in this field.

I'm excited to expand my knowledge through my ALES 204 (Communication Theory and Practice) class this semester. I hope to learn more about growing my online presence and using it to market myself to future employers. I'm also excited to see what other ALES 204 students come up with, such as my now-blogging roommate Dani.

I will be participating in a Community Service Learning lab component of the course, working with the Writers Guild of Alberta to develop their social media presence. This is a very exciting placement for me, as I am always looking for opportunities to broaden my knowledge of communication and social media. Working with the Writers Guild will give me a chance to share my blogging and design abilities with an organization and learn from them as well. I am excited for this experience and the contacts I will make during my placement.