Katie Collins has lived in the same house in Charlotte, Tennessee, since the day she was born. She grew up surrounded by 800 acres as part of a century farm family. The Daniels Dairy farm, started by her mother’s side of the family, has been in operation for over 100 years and manages about 200 cows. Some of their land is also used for soybeans and corn.

Collins loves being outside among the animals, riding her four-wheeler, and spending time with friends and family. And while she does have her share of farm chores, her parents made sure school and sports were the No. 1 priorities.

Photo credit: Misty Wong

Collins recalls her first introduction to the 4-H program fondly, remembering it as a pivotal moment in her young life.

“They told me I could demonstrate how to milk a cow to everyone, and it was so exciting,” says Collins. “That really got me hooked.”

She showed cows until about eighth grade and in high school took part in leadership programs and public speaking. Initially, she had some hesitation about being up in front of groups, but with the encouragement of her mentors, Collins grew to enjoy it.

“I had people come up to me and tell me that they were afraid to try 4-H because they never saw anyone who looked like them, and so it really inspired me,” says Collins.

As the daughter of a mixed-race couple, Collins knew she looked “different” from most of the people in her small, rural town. But her family taught her that diversity is a good thing and brings “new, innovative ideas that you don’t always see.”

Collins understood the importance of this role as a public speaker. Eventually, it led her to form a project group made up of youth and people of color. She also visited after-school programs, teaching the kids about where food comes from and the different jobs available to them in the field of agriculture.

Dairy Farmer to Diversity Advocate

“Some of them got to come to our family dairy farm. I wanted to show them that agriculture is in your county and their backyard,” Collins says.

In August 2022, Collins started her freshman year at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), majoring in animal science. She wants to study the field of genetics, which she sees as a perfect blend of her two passions.

“For my whole life, I’ve wanted to help farmers. But I didn’t always want to stay on the farm and run it daily,” Collins says. “I love science, math and biology, so I found this great interest in animal genetics.”

At 18, her life is just beginning to become her own, but Collins points to her time with 4-H as positively impacting the trajectory of her interests and career goals.

“I owe lots of my success to the 4-H program,” Collins says. “They’ve helped me become who I am today, and I would never change that in a million years.”