Posted: August 8, 2024
For Penn State alumni and lifelong friends MeeCee Baker and Jeff Conrad, 4-H played a pivotal role in their lives as youth in Pennsylvania. With the goal of opening doors for young people in the county where they grew up and inspiring others to support 4-H in their own communities, Baker and Conrad created an endowment to cover the membership fees in perpetuity for all youth who want to participate in 4-H in Juniata County.
Baker and Conrad
Baker, a 1982 agricultural education graduate, and Conrad, a 1983 graduate in agricultural business management, grew up in Juniata County and met through their participation in 4-H. They both credit their experiences in 4-H with charting the course of their lives, including helping to finance their education and exposing them to the wider world outside their rural community.
Prior to creating the Juniata County 4-H Membership Fund endowment, Baker and Conrad had been making annual gifts to cover the 4-H membership dues but wanted to do something more permanent.
“4-H was a big part of our lives, and it gave us our start to our agricultural careers,” Baker said. "Giving youth in Juniata County the opportunity to participate was important to us. I also want this to be something that lives on after we’re gone."
Conrad echoed Baker’s sentiments, but also added, "Working in business, I like things that are permanent. This endowment is permanent and should allow leaders to better plan and focus on other fundraising priorities."
Baker and Conrad both pursued careers involving agriculture. Baker, who started out as an agricultural education teacher, is the president and CEO of Versant Strategies, an agricultural government relations firm in Harrisburg. She continues to live in central Pennsylvania on the farm where she was raised. Conrad, who grew up on a dairy farm, has lived and worked in Boston for the last 30 years. After retiring from the Hancock Agricultural Investment Group, he started his own investment firm called AgIS Capital (Agricultural Investment Strategies), which manages capital for institutional investors by acquiring and managing large farms producing almonds, walnuts, pistachios, wine grapes, apples, and more.
When Baker and Conrad were growing up, there was not a membership fee to join 4-H like there is today. However, they both recognize the fee could be a barrier for youth who would otherwise want to participate in 4-H.
"Coming from a farming family with limited opportunities off of the farm, 4-H programs meant so much to me and gave me access and exposure off the family farm that I wouldn’t have had otherwise, like trips to Penn State, programs at the state capital, 4-H camp, and more," Conrad said. "I can't stress how important that was as a teen."
Baker agreed, saying, "I'm very grateful to 4-H. It's essential we strengthen 4-H and 4-H programming. I remember being so proud of the projects I did, and it always made me want to do more. Learning how to do something breeds confidence. Confidence breeds success. Success breeds continued success. I'm hoping an endowment like this removes a barrier for kids from all backgrounds so they can get out of the house, do something special, connect with others, develop skills and confidence and find a career path."
Baker and Conrad also hope their gift inspires others to consider doing something similar in their own counties and communities. With 4-H programs in every county across the state, they both would be thrilled to see their gift replicated by others.
The pair was excited to learn of one effort currently taking place in neighboring Perry County. The local granges hold a chicken BBQ, which raises enough money to cover 4-H membership dues for youth in the county.
"I'm thrilled to have gotten to this place where I, along with MeeCee, can do something like this," Conrad said. "4-H was very important in my early years. While I've lived in Boston for decades now, I remain an advocate for rural America and 4-H. It's important to bring the next generation through 4-H so they, too, can be advocates."
"The gift from Dr. Baker and Mr. Conrad will help to provide learning and leadership opportunities to youth in Juniata County," noted Josh Rice, Penn State Extension assistant director for 4-H youth development program. "They were able to take the impact that 4-H had on their lives and pay it forward for all future 4-Hers in Juniata County."
Businesses or individuals interested in making a similar gift to support 4-H in their county can contact Lauren Steinberg (lxs229@psu.edu), senior director of development in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
