For Cheyenne Bastian-Brown, bees are her business. Recently crowned the 2024 Pennsylvania State Honey Queen, Bastian-Brown is the main promoter of the commonwealth’s beekeeping industry. She travels throughout the state to speak at schools, fairs, festivals and beekeeping meetings, educating the public on the importance of honey bees. 

Teaching others about agriculture is not new for Bastian-Brown, a third-year Penn State student studying agricultural and extension education (AEE). Nor is wearing a crown. Just a few of the numerous highlights on her resume include serving as president of the Penn State FFA Alumni and Supporters chapter; promoting agricultural education at the University, in the U.S. and across the globe through multiple internships and experiences; and being named the Troy Fair Queen and the Lycoming County Dairy Princess. 

“I've learned a lot about advocacy and how much advocacy means to everyone involved in the agriculture industry, because there are a lot of misconceptions that go along with agriculture,” Bastian-Brown said. “Knowing that I can have a part in making sure that people are properly educated is very important to me.” 

As Honey Queen, Bastian-Brown advocates for the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association. She plans workshops and activities that not only educate the public about honey bees, but also demonstrate how honey is an essential food and ingredient in many non-food products.  

“It’s very different from the other positions I’ve held because I am representing such a large commodity,” Bastian-Brown said. “When people think of bees, they usually think of honey as a food. But there’s honey cream; there’s bee pollen, which helps with allergies and energy; and there are many other products that can help with your skin or your health. It’s amazing to think about.” 

Finding her calling 

Considering Bastian-Brown's passion for and experience with agricultural education, it may come as a surprise to learn that she did not grow up on a farm or with any farming experience.  

“My mom is a nurse and my dad is a carpenter, but I grew up in a very agriculturally centered area in Bradford County, Pennsylvania,” Bastian-Brown said. “I joined FFA as a freshman in high school, completely on a fluke, for what I thought would be just a year to learn more about agriculture and what it did for us in our daily lives.” 

Her membership in the organization took hold and deepened her interest, leading Bastian-Brown to begin raising rabbits and working on local dairy farms while also putting her on the path toward her future career.  

“I started doing anything and everything that I could in FFA; I competed in career development and leadership development competitions, I went to every conference,” she said. “I overall loved agriculture and learning more about it. Through that I decided that was where my future was going to be and where I needed to stay.” 

When she applied to Penn State, Bastian-Brown initially intended to pursue a degree in political science with a goal of leveraging her networks across the state to land a job in agricultural advocacy. But, while taking a gap year after graduating from high school due to COVID, she became actively involved with the Pennsylvania FFA Association, serving as treasurer. Through that experience, she led workshops and activities with K-12 students throughout the state — many virtually and some in person.  

“In the state of Pennsylvania, we do not have school-based agricultural education for our youngest students — rather, it begins in middle school or high school,” Bastian-Brown said. “So, to me, bringing more people who are passionate about education and also passionate about agriculture who can go out and advocate in various ways is incredibly important for the future of agriculture. Because when you have proper education and proper means of allowing students to have experiences like I did in my high school, they tend to go out and do more within the agricultural industry.” 

At one of the schools where Bastian-Brown led a workshop, the teachers lauded her efforts. They emphasized how their students were gaining knowledge that they could apply in their daily lives and in their community, thanks to the information she provided. 

“I felt that I’d found my calling; I realized that I didn’t want to do advocacy work in D.C. or Harrisburg,” said Bastian-Brown. “I wanted to start at the root level with young students to make sure that everyone was educated properly on what agriculture means to us in our daily lives.” 

From there, she learned more about Penn State’s agricultural and extension education program, which would provide her with the training to become an expert educator on a topic for which she is extremely passionate.  

“I knew I wanted to come to Penn State to be close to home,” Bastian-Brown said. “And I learned that the education and resources I’d get through this program were not going to be matched anywhere else.” 

As Bastian-Brown advances in her own education, she continues to take advantage of opportunities to educate others. As a Teach Ag! Avenger with the Penn State Center for Professional and Personnel Development, she creates lesson plans and leads workshops to promote the AEE major. She serves as an Ag Advocate in the College of Agricultural Sciences, promoting her major to prospective AEE students. Last year, as a Teach Ag Ambassador with the National Association of Agricultural Educators, she worked with college students from across the country to represent and promote the National Teach Ag! Campaign. And, of course, she’s had countless interactions with the public as she has represented and currently represents the dairy and beekeeping industries. 

“The biggest thing I’ve probably gained through all of this work is knowledge, of course, but the other part is people. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I would say that it’s taken a village to educate me in what I know today about agriculture and to truly find a love and passion in it,” Bastian-Brown said. “So, finding all of those different avenues of individuals who are involved in so many different commodities, while also holding true to their own values and ethics and the things they believe in so strongly, was very important to me." 

Pair of queens 

Bastian-Brown is not the only Penn State agricultural extension and education student representing their major by wearing a crown. Her peer, classmate and friend Erica Teagarden was recently named the 2024 Pennsylvania Fair Queen. The two were recently featured on the official Penn State Instagram account.

"The agricultural and extension education major is often of interest to individuals who have a passion for educating others about topics related to agriculture and the environment,” said John Ewing, professor of agricultural and extension education who has taught both Bastian-Brown and Teagarden. “Through their role as state queens, in their specific organizations, Erica and Cheyenne are working to educate the public about agriculture. Because of their desire to help others understand the importance of agriculture, it is not surprising that these two individuals are serving in these roles and also pursuing a major that opens many doors to carry that passion into a career.” 

“One thing I took away from my first-year orientation classes was ‘when you do things with a passion and a purpose, it speaks volumes for not only who you are but also how dedicated you are to things,” Bastian-Brown said. “Erica and I both coming from the AEE major is a testament to the overall Penn State experience and how it teaches you more about who you are and what you want to do. It’s through all of the amazing experiences and activities that are offered at Penn State that we get to do these things that sets us apart from others.” 

Editor's note: Cheyenne's story is part of a new recurring feature celebrating student success by highlighting their achievements and accomplishments; illustrating how their Penn State experience helped prepare for future success; and demonstrating the University’s mission of teaching, research and outreach in action.