Two soon-to-be alumni of the Auburn University College of Agriculture’s Department of Agricultural Economics & Rural Sociology received the highest honors the college can bestow upon graduates ahead of commencement ceremonies on Saturday, Aug. 3.
Angela Touchette of Tully, New York, received the summer 2024 Dean’s Award for Academic and Professional Experience. This award is presented every semester to a graduating senior who has demonstrated leadership and service to the college, has exhibited excellence in scholastic accomplishment, and is selected by the college scholarship committee and the associate dean.
Meanwhile, Birmingham-native Cole Johnston is the summer 2024 graduation marshal. Johnston graduates with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural economics and a minor in finance. He plans to work for a year as he debates applying for law school to eventually practice agricultural law.
“If I decide not to attend law school, I aim to work in land and wealth management,” said Johnston, who is currently considering multiple job offers.
Touchette is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural business and economics on Saturday, Aug. 3. She credits the Department of Agricultural Economics & Rural Sociology for her success.
“It means the world to me to be the recipient of this award,” she said. “The College Agriculture has truly been a home to me for so long, and this program has completely changed my life. I have gained everything from confidence to friendships to new dreams during my time as an Auburn ag student. I am so grateful to be recognized for my time here.”
Touchette’s time at Auburn was punctuated by a great deal of experience working in the agriculture industry. She was most recently an intern with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, where she was responsible for collecting data and writing and editing articles. Prior to that, she worked for several farmers and growers in her home state, including Mountain-Grown Farm and Rocking Horse Farm, both in Jamesville, New York, as well as Dave’s Veggies in Homer, New York.
“After graduation I am planning to move back to my hometown, Tully, New York,” she said. “I am currently in the process of seeking employment with either the Onondaga County Department of Agriculture or Cornell Cooperative Extension. One of my main focuses when I get back home will be putting up my own low-tunnel greenhouse and working my way into the local farmer’s market as a seller of wildflowers and hanging baskets. I’m definitely trying to build my experience more in the direction of agritourism.”
Johnston’s Auburn experience was also marked by a number of impressive internships. He was most recently a senate intern for the Alabama Law Institute Division of the Legislative Services Agency. During his internship, he assisted in day-to-day operations of multiple Alabama Senate offices, including those of President Tempore Greg Reed, Senate Majority Leader Steve Livingston, Chairman Will Barfoot and Chairman Tom Butler.
In summer 2023, Johnston interned with Alfa Insurance, where he created a data entry system using Microsoft Excel VBA coding for the bodily injury department to enhance data management.
Prior to that, Johnston was a grounds keeper for Mountain Brook Country Club in Birmingham and a landscape worker for Southern Heritage Landscaping Co, in Irondale, where he developed his interest in the agriculture industry.
He credits the expertise and teaching excellence of his professors for preparing him and his classmates for life after graduation.
“What stood out to me the most were the relationships I built with fellow students and the incredible professors,” he said. “Comer always had a family feel to it, and the students you meet in your freshman year are the same ones you graduate with in your senior year.
“By senior year, our group functioned like a well-oiled machine, capable of tackling any problem — from predicting the next year’s crop yield to managing the farm itself. The professors understand that practical experience is more valuable than merely taking notes, so they prioritize placing students in real-life scenarios, encouraging us to work together to solve problems efficiently and cost-effectively.”
Johnston encourages future College of Agriculture students to remember their professors are human, too.
“They work hard to teach the material, so if students sit in class and play on their computers the entire time, it can be disheartening for them,” he said. “While there will always be students who take this route, do not be one of them.
“You are going to make mistakes in college — missing assignments, studying the wrong material for an exam, or other slip-ups,” he added. “However, if you attend class regularly, give your best effort, and demonstrate that you are a hardworking individual with a desire to grow, your professors will be more understanding and willing to help you rectify your mistakes.”
Touchette was also involved with groups on campus at Auburn, including Collegiate FFA, the Horticulture Club and the Agricultural Mentor Program. Her advice for future students in the college is simple: Speak up.
“Be the first one to raise your hand in class and be the first one to talk to the student next to you. Everyone is shy, everyone is nervous, and everyone is looking for a new friend,” she said. “Before you know it, you’re going to be walking along the stage with these same students, and you’re going to wish you could go back to sitting next to them in Comer. The power of Auburn friendship is so powerful, and it’s truly a crime to not take advantage of it.”
