The Ferguson Family

“Home is where the heart is.” We have all heard this expression making it easy to believe it is overused. I remember hearing these words and thinking to myself “Yeah right. Home is where my family is, and my family is in Earl Park, Indiana.” I never believed I would find a home anywhere other than where I grew up.
That was until I stepped onto Oklahoma State University’s campus during spring break of my junior year of high school. When I got out of the car I felt a sense of excitement that I had never experienced before. At that moment, I knew this would be the best college visit I would ever experience.
As I toured the campus, I noticed a few things: the beauty of the buildings, Boone Pickens Stadium, the world’s largest student union, and the people. The people at Oklahoma State make this university more than any other college. Students would smile at you as they passed you on the street, hold the door open for you even when it inconvenienced them, and speak about their school with genuine love and pride. I soon recalled the handwritten note I received in the mail after I visited the OSU booth at National Convention. The people in Stillwater are through and through the nicest and most sincere people you will ever meet. 
The last stop of my tour was the Ferguson College of Agriculture. While I was there, I met with two ag ambassadors who tailored a tour specific to my interests. I wasn’t a number. I was special. As the ag ambassadors talked about Oklahoma State, they stated that the College of Agriculture was more than a collection of majors. It is a family. It is the Ferguson Family.  At that moment, I knew I found a home in Stillwater. I knew I belonged in the Ferguson Family. 
The Ferguson Family is more than just a college. It seems wherever I go, whatever livestock show I am at, FFA event, or agriculture conference, there is someone who always loves Oklahoma State as much as I do. These are the people I can count on for help and support because that is what families do for each other.
Home is not a place. Home is where there are people who make your heart feel like it belongs. Find your people.
Go Pokes!Stephanie BerendaIndiana FFA State Northern Region Vice President