Advanced Application (Depicted above is a drone demonstration at the Virginia Tech Extension Facility during the 2023 Weed Management Tour. This technology was specifically modified for pesticide application to aid in aerial spraying with an emphasis on spot spraying and increased application efficiency.)
Imagine yourself in five years. Hard to do? It is easy to focus on the present, the next step in a grand procession of next steps, a staircase winding towards the ultimate destination, the barely imaginable, nearly intangible dream of promise.
As a child, you are often asked, ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ As we progress in age, that question becomes a pointed remark, identifiable in a neat package for some, an incomprehensible mess for others. Within that spectrum, I believe, most people lie, a vague understanding of purpose without a clear, set path towards said ultimate destination.
To ask what my mission statement might be, a neat narrative of all of my future aspirations condensed into a handful of sentences, my brain fragments, shatters into the conflicting nature of such a task: to know my ingrained ambitions without knowing my next step, of knowing my ultimate goal while knowing that I as a human an subject to a whimsical everchanging, dynamic brain contingent upon the experiences and influences of others. How to condense my desire to lead, my desire to alter the circumstances of the world around me, to heal a broken environment and society, into a few sentences? As is evident by my aforementioned rambling, brevity is not my strong suit.
If “your values guide your vision and…your vision informs your mission” then what might these basic values entail? Professionally, my values rely on a tireless work ethic more so than excellence at a desired skill. It is a desire to achieve a certain goal, to be proud of the work being done around you, to be the light around you to lift yourself and everyone around you. Furthermore, I believe that this may only be done through empathy and understanding, by taking the time to understand the complexities and nuances of fluctuating circumstances, emphasizing professionality all of the while. Quality should be of the highest caliber, however, should not rely on the expertise of solely one person, but rather the collective experience and knowledge of those around you. The basis of these values are what inform my personal vision. Professionally, with my potential career paths largely focused on the environmental fields, these values guide my desire to ameliorate the health of the environment in an efficient, productive, and inspirative manner. This is my vision. My mission is reliant on the understanding of said vision, it is the functionality of the vision. How might I go about something as broad as my vision for healing? Like any good recipe, there are always a few constants that provide a strong basis for success. For one, higher education, although not necessary, will promote said vision. Completing my undergraduate studies, then specializing through my Doctorate of Philosophy will offer knowledge often kept to niche fields of studies. Most obviously, internships and job opportunities to broaden my skill set and gain experience in fields I know of very little, the list goes on.
All of this dancing around the specifics of my vision and mission statement, albeit a clumsy and dawdling dance. I hesitate knowing my values will change, that I will change, yet, understand that these only provide the basis for my change, a blueprint for my future success. They may not encompass all of my values, but that is the beauty of words. They will never encapsulate my desire to change, to aid myself, to aid those around me, inanimate and intelligent, to lead by example and to lead with purpose on a team united by a common desire, a team working by trust as one. They are a foundation for my dreams, a liftoff point for an intangible purpose:
I strive to create a better world by unifying the broken bond between human and nature and promote a better standard of living for all.
I will become an environmental leader by undertaking higher education to heal the broken bond between nature and man.
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Losing Control (A research plot located on an organic farm in Greensboro, MD, has been overcome by the noxious weed Palmer Amaranth, distinguishable from other members of the pigweed family by the lack of hairs located on the plants stem. The emphasis of this study was to observe whether the cultural practices of flame weeding and cultivation were viable methods of management of Palmer Amaranth for organic practices.)
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