Sometimes the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. For Omar Roman (‘21), agriculture is part of his family’s history, and something he decided to pursue as a first-generation student in higher-education.
“I had the opportunity to pursue higher-education, so I thought about what I wanted to do,” said Roman. “I figured out that I wanted to do agriculture. My family was in agriculture and my grandparents have a farm in Mexico where they grow corn and squash and raise cattle.”
Aside from his grandparents’ farm, agriculture isn’t new to Roman, who’s majoring in agribusiness. Upon graduating high-school, Roman worked at a dairy farm like his father. It was this job—and his family’s history in the field—that drew Roman toward agriculture.
Roman began his studies at Aims Community College in Greeley, Colorado, before transferring to CSU. To Roman, studying agriculture is “opening opportunities,” he said. “My parents immigrated here and so I wanted to make them proud.”
“The scholarships I have received so far have been a product of my passion for the agriculture industry,” notes Roman. “These scholarships keep me pursuing a career in agriculture not only by helping me fund my education but also by knowing that there are people that believe in my passion and goals as I complete my degree in Agricultural Business.”
But it’s not just family that’s inspiring Roman to pursue the field. To him, relationships are also important; helping folks find their place in the field.
“As a student, I’m an Ag Ambassador for the college,” said Roman. “Doing that is raising awareness of agriculture, and helping people find their place in the ag community. I feel like in the future, once I graduate, part of what I want to do is keep in touch with consumers, letting them know how we grow food, how we nurture it.”
Roman’s interest in relationships and community doesn’t stop at just raising awareness. While his professional interests center around potentially managing a farm, whether it’s a small dairy operation or a bigger pursuit, he also has a deep interest in learning about resources for farms, particularly in lending.
“Agriculture is important because within the ag community, we’re tight knit and help each other,” he noted. “I have a lot of respect for that. That’s a big part in helping us grow as a human race. Agriculture keeps us moving forward.”
