Ag-cited for the Summer
My name is Aaron Sloan, I am one of the loan officer interns for the summer of 2022. I was born and raised in the piedmont area of North Carolina in Statesville. Graduating from Statesville High, my postsecondary education continued locally at Mitchell Community College where I obtained my associates degree. I then continued on to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where I will graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration in August of this year.
Recently my spare time has been taken up with studying, playing tennis, or spending time with friends. However, I am looking forward to being back at home and getting to spend time out at the barn with our horses. Having a mom and dad who both rode when I was young it was pretty much inevitable for me to take up the hobby as well.
Aside from horses, agriculture runs deep in my roots coming from a strong farming family. My grandparents started with a small dairy in Hiddenite while also having their hands in beef cows and raising tobacco. Most of my family has always had, and still continues to have, a hand in the everyday operations of the farm. A couple of my uncles went on to begin their own endeavors continuing what my grandpa had started and taught them.
When I decided on a major, I was always fairly certain the direction I wanted to go, being to Farm Credit. Having always been familiar with Farm Credit and hearing great things from employees about what a great place it was to work added to my excitement. Agriculture is one of the few industries that makes a ripple throughout the world effecting people around every corner. Getting to be a part in supporting that through this internship opportunity is impelling.
At orientation, CEO Vance Dalton was sure to not only address the mission and financial basics of the Farm Credit system but also the three, or really four, F’s of the values surrounding Farm Credit: faith, family, Farm Credit, and fun. This really assured me I was where I was supposed to be this summer as these values are also the values I was raised by. Putting your faith above all else followed by your family, your work, and making some time for the fun things in life. I consider myself fortunate to get to have the opportunity to grow my skills as a professional while helping farmers and hardworking people.
I am writing this account on my third day here at Carolina Farm Credit and I am already floored by how much I have learned through the online educational platforms used by Carolina Farm Credit. I’m fortunate to have a great mentor that has already walked me through some of the ins and outs of lending as well as the programs used for the approval and submission of a loan. I am looking forward to getting to spend the summer in this position working with such great people here at the Yadkinville branch.