Andrew Schlegel - Taking Chances

Name: Andrew Schlegel

Preferred Pronouns: He/His

Hometown & Current Town: Mifflintown, PA/Centreville, VA

Graduation Year: 2012

Major(s) & Minor(s): BS Food Science, minor in International Agriculture

Current/Most Recent Professional Title: International Trade Specialist

Name of Employer/Organization: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)

Brief Description of Your Role/Profession: I work in our trade missions and shows division. For those two parts of FAS, our main goal is to help U.S. companies and the agricultural cooperator community export goods. Part of the agency is policy, some of it is capacity-building, but my area is really focused on marketing. Within the trade shows realm, I’m helping U.S. companies go to agricultural and food trade shows around the world. I set up USA pavilions so when buyers come to the trade shows they can explore our pavilion and see all the great products exhibited by U.S. companies. The other aspect is trade missions. We take U.S. companies overseas to a market that has good potential and have them explore it. We’ll go on site visits, they’ll see U.S. products on the shelves, learn the market, and have business meetings with potential buyers. It’s a good way to get face-to-face with U.S. producers and farmers and help them export.

How was your experience at the Pennsylvania School for Excellence in the Agricultural Sciences (PSEAS) and how did that influence your college choice?

It really gave me exposure to what I thought I wanted to do going into college. I loved all the hands-on experiences, but also the relationships that were developed. My wife and I attended the PSEAS (formerly the Governor's School) together and that’s how we met. Our first picture together is us standing beside a composting pile for a project we had to do.

It really introduced me to all parts of agriculture, including animal science, engineering, horticulture, but it ultimately ended up showing me that I wanted to do food science as my major. It gave me good exposure to what I liked, what I didn’t like, and what I could study once I got to college. It also gave me a great appreciation for how agriculture touches everyday life.

Why did you choose Penn State?

I grew up right down the road so that made it easy. I ultimately chose it though because it is one of the top ag sciences institutions in the country. I saw all the opportunities. The college has great connections to help students get jobs. Going through doing food science, I saw all the opportunities to connect with alumni.

Penn State was far enough from home, but not too far. I got to have that true college experience and enjoy the many opportunities with my degree, studying abroad and being involved.

What clubs, organizations, or leadership roles were you involved in?

I was an Ag Advocate and a member of the Food Science Club. I was also a manager for the Lady Lion Basketball team for two years because I was a big fan of basketball at the time. However, being in a small major with only one class offered a semester, the classwork and my class schedule took precedence over being a member of the team.

For Ag Advocates, it was great being a leader in the college and hosting potential students. Ag Advocates also introduced me to a lot of networking opportunities and meeting a lot of amazing people. I also represented the Food Science Club on the Ag Student Council where I got to share what we were doing while also learning what all the other clubs in the college were doing.

What is a favorite Penn State memory?

One of my favorite times were both my study abroad experiences. I did two short-term study abroad programs, including one to Paris and one with the Ag Advocates to Ireland. Both of those really impacted the direction I wanted to go with my career by introducing me to agriculture across the world.

With being an Ag Advocate, I was in charge of Ag Day one year. My now wife and I were co-chairs of Ag Day. That event really brings the ag community together on campus, showcases what’s going on in the college and connects Ag with the larger University community. I think working on that really helped develop my leadership skills.

How has your Penn State education influenced your career or life?

My education set me up for success. Food science prepared me for different changes in life, including researching, making sure you have all the information you need, the ability to be agile. I’m not doing anything with food science directly right now. However, I always loved traveling. Once I found out about the INTAG minor and did the study abroad to France, I realized I wanted to go down that road. While in France, I met someone from the Foreign Agricultural Service and realized I could represent U.S. agriculture and live abroad. I thought that would be awesome.

In addition, through the INTAG group, there was an alumna who came back to campus to speak to my class about what she did with FAS. She ultimately helped me get in the door with the FAS. I always encourage students who visit me here to keep in touch. Penn State taught me to pivot, try new things, and put me in a good place to be successful in the real world.

What are one or two of your proudest accomplishments in which your Penn State education played a role?

I would say the first one is being elected as the president of the Washington, D.C. alumni chapter. I led that group for three years and moved up through the various positions. That was really fulfilling. I got to meet so many alumni in the area. There’s something like 30,000 alumni down here. I enjoyed trying to connect with them, connect back with the University and work with the Alumni Association to support our athletic teams. We also did a lot of community service projects, fundraising, networking and professional development projects.

Early in my career I did work with people in developing countries. I traveled to Pakistan and Haiti on various projects. The projects in Haiti revolved around helping them with insect issues and helping them learn to process products for export, for example. Now, I work to help U.S. businesses grow and succeed. It is incredibly rewarding to not only help U.S. agricultural and food companies but to also help people in countries less fortunate than us here in the U.S.

What has been the best advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t be afraid of change or trying something new. I thought I was going to do food science and work for Hershey’s or Ben & Jerry’s. Then I found this international realm and tried a whole bunch of different types of jobs from capacity-building to policy and now marketing. I love it. I’d say to definitely take your chance on something if you think it might be something you’d really love.

Lauren’s dad also told me to find a job that pays you to travel. I’ve definitely done that. Through work I’ve traveled to 14 countries and numerous U.S. states. This year, I’m adding to my list by going to Thailand and the Dominican Republic, and I’ll be going back to Germany.

Why are you proud to be a Penn State Ag Sciences alum?

I’m proud to be an Ag Sciences alumnus because I received a world class education. I love talking about Penn State. My desk is decked out in Penn State décor. I’m Penn State through and through and even married a fellow Penn Stater.

I’m also proud because of all the alums that came before me who did great things. I want to carry on that legacy of Penn State producing great people who do amazing things. I see the way the college connects back to the community through Extension. I’m so proud of that and want to carry that on. I’m always recruiting for Penn State and always trying to help current students. We have a bunch of Penn Staters where I work so I’m always trying to recruit more to join us. I know we’ll get good employees from Penn State and the college.