Fawn L. Kurtzo

Portfolio2014

Table of ContentsCreative Resume

Statement of Qualifications

Professional Philosophy

Work Samples Writing Design

Photography

Equine

P. O. Box 152Parthenon, Arkansas72666

C (870) 754-9092 fkurtzo@email.uark.edu

lathat Kid & Co

Agricultural CommunicationsUniversity of ArkansasDale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life SciencesAgricultural Education, Communications and TechnologyCommunications ConcentrationBSA Graduation Date: May 2015

Writing: Public relations feature stories, news stories and press releases.Graphic Design: Advertisement design, full-page layouts, electronic announcements, branding of the Walton Arts Center production department including: safety manual, signage, callboards, Arkansas Music Pavilion Technical Manualand performace collages. Daily explaination of design principles asteaching assistant for Graphic Design course (4000 level). Photography: Advertisement of sales for equine, leatherworks and livestock; understanding of principles, terminology and equipment. General: Audience analysis, Microsoft Office, Adobe Suites, website design, search engine optimization, public relations, interviewing, promotional videography, campaign development, sales, instructing, research and public speaking.

Communications Skillset

Collegiate Farm Bureau club member, Arkansas Farm Bureau member, Agricultural Communicators of

Tomorrow club member: PresentNational Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow

competition awards include: 1st place short personality profile feature story, 1st place food photo, 4th place

animal photo: August 2014received high regard from D.E. King Equine Program Director, Nancy Jack for training practice: April 2014

featured equine specialist for RFD-TV series Southern Tails and Trails: October 2012

Arkansas Horse Council member, Arkansas Equine Foundation member: 2005- present

Dean’s Office Communications AssistantDale Bumpers College •Fayetteville, Arkansas •August 2014- PresentParking, Facilities, Local Crew, Production AssistantWalton Arts Center • Fayetteville, Arkansas •March 2013- August 2014Groom Rico Enterprises •Hogeye, Arkansas •February 2013- April 2013Equine Behavior Specialist • Sole Proprietorship2005- Present

Work Experience Awards and Activities

Fawn Lee Kurtzo

P.O. Box 152Parthenon, Arkansas72666

C (870) 754-9092 fkurtzo@email.uark.edu

C urrently a senior at the University of Arkansas, “Home of the Razorbacks” located in Fayetteville. My hometown of Parthenon is located in the most rural, yet renowned, county in Arkansas.

Newton County is home of America’s first national river, which visitors often refer to as “The Buffalo”. In 2003 equine enthusiasts along the Buffalo National River began calling upon me for farrier services as well as my ability to start a young colt. By 2006 my journey to learning communication skills was well underway, because training the horse is far from the hardest part in satisfying clientele. Having a specialized skill of horsemanship was the kick-start of my path to understanding communication skills. I became a teacher for owners seeking to understand my practices, which eventually led to conducting private lessons to young children, peers and even adults. By the age of 16, I was well on my way to taking over my mother’s equine services by managing a +30 clientele base for farrier work and training. Along with dedication in schoolwork, my demeanor and equine skills earned a full-ride scholarship to Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri to study Equine Science the year of 2008. Though the burning desire to pursue a well-rounded agricultural degree pulled me back to the home state for the following sophomore year; within the next few months I had given volunteer seminars across the state of Arkansas, was commonly featured in the Horseman’s Roundup magazine and filmed once for RFD-TV’s Southern Tales and Trails series. Spending the past decade as a professional in the equine realm taught me how imperative communication skills are, not only in horsemanship – but every facet of success. Professors have shown me the ropes of: up-to-date software and technology, campaign marketing along with approaches and evaluation, leadership skills, conducting presentations, and evoked my awareness of available resources throughout to maintain adaptability. My dream is to begin the Flathat Kid & Company enterprise to aide equine enthusiasts by education, creating connections and promoting awareness for the equine industry through publishing on a mass media scale.

Fawn Lee Kurtzo

References Position Contact Method Relation to Reference10 + years co-involvement in equine expositions and 4-H competitions2 + years as mentor, instructor and supervisor

10+ years family friend, 1+ years supervisor

5+ years equine involvement and projects

Steve Jones

Leslie Edgar

Valorie Jones

Nancy Jack

University of Arkansas Equine Extension Specialist (1994-2014)University of Arkansas Assistant Professor (2007-present)Walton Arts Center Artist Services Manager (2010-present)D.E. King Equine Program Director (2000- present)

(501) 733-0016

(479) 263-0408ledgar@uark.edu

(870) 504-0087vjones@waltonartscenter.org

(479) 575-8423njack@uark.edu

lathat Kid & Co

A Bit About Me

Relation to Reference

I am an active member in the Arkansas equine industry, horses are my passion — from crib to career. Raised by a trainer, farrier and hippotherapist, my single mother introduced me to the extensive disciplines and societal uses of the equine realm from the get go. For the past two years I’ve submersed

myself into all forms of media, with sole intention to better the equine community, both locally and afar. I’ve developed a promotional skillset deemed number one in the nation according to the National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow competition of 2014 and chosen by the Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, as the communications assistant to Robby Edwards, Director of Communications.

R aised among all forms of equine facilities and disciplines in a clientele setting, due to my mother’s sole-proprietorship as a farrier, trainer and hippotherapist - I value education. I believe that lack of information and/or understanding causes issues in the equestrian industry and with proper

channels of media the issues could be evaded, locally and internationally. I began my collegiate career as an agricultural communicator to better the community by becoming an effective educator of the public. Professionally, I have a goal to be adaptable, resourceful and effective in directing a positive change such as rekindling a societal respect for equine practices. I believe that the youth of the milllenial generation with increasingly common medical conditions such as Attention Deficit Disorder and Autism can greatly benefit from equine interactions; I’ve seen the proof from my mother’s work as a hippotherapist. Being raised in a rural community I was able to play an important role in child development through teaching riding lessons, teaching farm management and best husbandry practices. I am most comfortable when I contribute back to society and evoke a positive change through education.

F. Kurtzo & C. SpencerArkansas Farm Bureau Internship

Bumpers College Professional Development Class

You’re Going ‘Wherewithal’ Your Skills?

There comes a time in students’ academic careers in which they will have to take the knowledge gained from years of studying and apply it to the real world, at a real job, in real situations. This may be intimidating to students with little to no experience in real world circumstances.

Internships provide the option of a preparatory step for students to gain this experience without the repercussions of a full time job; participating in an internship just makes sense.

Arkansas Farm Bureau [ARFB] offers the preparatory opportunity to interested students through paid internships, a chance for students to showcase their skills. Each spring ARFB offers two positions to work in the state office nestled within the capital city for students studying agriculture.

Lindsey Emerson, 2013 public relations intern, endorsed this opportunity for undergraduate students.

“It was a great experience I definitely recommend to other students,” Emerson reflected. “Everyone was helpful and great to work with, it was good to get some of what I call ‘real life experience’.”

According to Steve Eddington, vice president of public relations for ARFB, students have the opportunity to apply for two separate internships– one in public policy and one in public relations.

“One intern splits time between our public policy, commodity and regulatory affairs,” Eddington explained. “The second works with our public relations department.”

In past years, students of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences [Bumpers College] at the University of Arkansas have not only completed internships with ARFB, but also followed the experience into a full-time job with the organization.

Former Bumpers College agricultural communications student, Mollie Dykes, cheerfully described her internship experience as “bar-none” when comparing her involvement at ARFB with previous internship experiences.

“I didn’t feel like an intern,” Dykes reflected. “I felt like I was one of the staff members.”

Dykes, who completed the public relations internship in 2012, also mentioned that the experience provided her with skills needed to enter the career field upon graduation. Dykes accepted the full-time position of public relations assistant for Arkansas Farm Bureau in May of 2014.

Although the organization offers internships within specific departments, projects may be uniquely constructed to incorporate students’ interests.

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Emerson, was allocated a project during her internship that showcased her academic strength in graphic design; Emerson double-majored in agricultural communications and agricultural business at Bumpers College. “I was assigned to a project constructing a consumer directory focused on common concerns with issues such as organic versus non-organic products, GMO’s and the impact of family farms,” said Emerson.

Shortly after her completion of the internship, ARFB printed and distributed multiple copies of Emerson’s directory at events such as local fairs in the state.

Although this was a summer long project, Emerson felt it was well worth the effort. She described the help received from members of the organization as gratifying.

“Everyone was super helpful throughout the entire process,” Emerson stated. “I learned a lot and they had a lot to teach.”

ARFB’s internships are available to students every summer and require that students report daily to the office in Central Arkansas.

“I did have to find housing for the summer,” explained Emerson about relocated to Central Arkansas during her internship. “I was able to move in with a friend of a friend who lived in the area.”

Although relocating may pose a challenge for some students such as Emerson who was based in Northwest Arkansas during her collegiate studies; the organization schedules interviews at Bumpers College to accommodate students interested in the internships while attending school.

“After I went through the application process, Steve Eddington came to campus and conducted interviews for the position,” said Emerson; stating that she received news of her acceptance for the position within a few weeks after interviewing.

“It was a very straightforward process and easy to complete,” Emerson described about the experience.

To learn more about these opportunities, students should express interest to faculty members of their agricultural college; interviews are conducted early in the spring semester for open summer positions.

“Information on the internships is shared with the universities in the state that offer agriculture degrees,” stated Eddington.

The first-hand knowledge an internship with ARFB can provide for young enthusiastic agricultural advocates is a stable building block in a student’s career, according to Dykes.

“This internship went above and beyond making sure I was well prepared to enter the agricultural industry,” said Dykes.

Enjoyed and held in high regard by Emerson, she recommended this experience to agricultural students in order to gain some real life experience.

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“It was a great internship– I had a great time at it,” Emerson explained. “It isn’t very often that you can say ‘I had a great time at it’ when referring to a job, but this truly was great.”

Proven throughout the experiences of previous interns like Dykes and Emerson, this organization steers true in its overall mission and the experiences interns face as they represent the organization. The Arkansas Farm Bureau extends the opportunity to put the skills of an agriculturally based student to work in exchange for career experience, reputation building and endless networking gains – not to mention it all makes cents!

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Design

Photography

Equine