Howdy, this is what I like and why..

My name is Katherine Lynn Atkeisson, but I mostly go by Katie. I grew up in a small town in Texas with a population of about 1,300. Being surrounded by a rural environment, I was raised on a small cattle operation by a rodeo-loving school administrator and an outgoing English teacher. I was involved in 4-H and FFA competitions and showed livestock from a very young age. I was my FFA Chapter President and Sandyland District Vice President in high school. Agriculture has always been a passion of mine, and I knew from a young age that I would love to work in agriculture. I also share my mother’s passion for English and writing and love to be creative. When choosing my major, I knew that Agriculture Communications and Journalism would be the perfect mix of my two passions.

My Writing Journey

Writing has always been something I enjoyed. I first found a passion for writing while sitting at my grandmother’s kitchen island. There, I would sit with papers and markers, writing and drawing stories to my heart’s content. In church, I would draw my stories on construction paper and finish the project later at home. The story I kept expanding the most was a series about a duck and a man. The duck’s name was Sammy, and all the “book” titles included his name. As I got a little older (upper elementary and middle school), my stories evolved into writing prompts assigned by my teachers. I found satisfaction in being a good writer in my class while creating escapes and exploring imaginary worlds that reminded me of my favorite books. 

Reading has always greatly influenced my writing style as I have grown along my academic journey. Books like Curious George could be attributed to my blossoming Sammy stories, which spurred my passion for writing. The R.L. Stein series Goosebumps also caught my attention and lasted from second grade through fourth grade. Finding stories that sparked interest and kept me on my toes left me turning pages and led me to create more serious stories in my free time on my grandmother’s computer. 

The next series of stories I began writing in middle school was titled Tammy Toller. It followed the life adventures of a middle school girl, including splitting her time between her divorced parents, navigating a new relationship with her stepmother, and growing up with a pesky little brother. 

While in high school, I immersed myself in many extracurricular activities and needed more time for recreational writing. My writing in high school became project-based and was very structured to the demands of class. My writing shifted to prove my ability and succumb to pleasing my teacher. While the passion was still there, a shift in agriculture as my future path encapsulated my goals and dreams of achievement. 

When I entered college, I found that a degree that combined my passion for agriculture and writing existed. By obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications and Journalism, I could grow as a writer in ways I never expected. 

Attending Texas A&M University has led me to many opportunities, including interning at The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. While in Houston, I wrote daily in collaboration with another intern, producing the vendor newsletter. This experience was delightful and taught me many things. I could apply the skills I was introduced to in the classroom, such as interviewing, AP writing, and programs used for design. 

I have also used learned skills for creative captions and engaging short-form writing for multiple social media internships within the rodeo and livestock show industry. I would not be where I am today without the fantastic professors at Texas A&M University. I would not have attended this great university without the passion that grew from childhood. All my experiences have contributed to the growth that has placed me in writing this very sentence and have built the foundation of my dreams for my future.

Education

After graduating high school, I received an academic scholarship to Navarro College to achieve my Associate of Science Degree. Texas A&M has always been my dream school, so after achieving my degree from Navarro, I transferred to Texas A&M University in College Station. I am currently a senior at Texas A&M and love it. I hope to obtain my master’s degree in Marketing after graduating in December of ‘24.

Marketing

Through taking different public relations and marketing courses at A&M and business and economic courses at Navarro College, I have found that I have a strong interest and drive for the marketing industry. I believe marketing is important for businesses and that all messages sent and created by a company contribute to a bigger story about a brand, their goals and their people. Marketing identity is complex and the glue of public perception for a lot of what builds our society and economy.

Why I Do What I Do

I am a firm believer that we all have a purpose. Our purpose is unique to us and carefully crafted by a marvelous Creator. The love of God motivates me to be a better person and servant daily. I do everything to the best of my ability and strive to learn from failure so that God can receive the glory He rightly deserves. If you are reading this, you have a great and unique purpose that no one can replace or take away.