Legacy Ag Credit Introduces Students to Careers in Ag Lending Through Job Shadow Program

SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas - Legacy Ag Credit recently welcomed three students to its Sulphur Springs office for the association's inaugural Job Shadow Program, a three-day experience designed to introduce young people to career opportunities within agricultural lending and the Farm Credit System.

Held July 20–22, the program gave participants Tyler Reynolds, Jesus Sanchez and Chloe Groves an inside look at the many people and departments involved in serving Legacy Ag Credit's borrowers.

The students began by following the "life of a loan," shadowing loan officers, loan administrators, credit analysts and loan closers to see the lending process from the initial customer conversation through closing.

The experience expanded beyond lending on the second day as students participated in a management roundtable, where Legacy leaders shared the often-unexpected career paths that led them to their current positions. Participants also learned about careers in accounting, marketing and collateral evaluation before traveling to Neal Farm in Saltillo for a firsthand look at a poultry operation.

"Our goal was to give these students more than an opportunity to simply observe people doing their jobs," said Brittany Bessonett, Marketing Manager for Legacy Ag Credit. "We wanted them to ask questions, understand how the different roles within our organization work together and discover career opportunities they may not have known existed."

The program concluded with a hands-on challenge that asked the students to put what they had learned into practice by becoming "Loan Officers for a Day."

Working as a team, the students reviewed a sample loan application and customer financial information, evaluated the request, identified strengths and potential risks, prepared a loan narrative and ultimately presented their recommendation to a Legacy Ag Credit loan committee. After answering questions and supporting their recommendation, the students received the committee's decision: their loan was approved.

The impact of the experience was also reflected in career-interest surveys completed at the beginning and end of the program. Before meeting with Legacy employees, Reynolds and Groves identified accounting as the career that interested them most, while Sanchez selected loan officer. At the conclusion of the program, Sanchez remained interested in lending, while Groves selected credit analyst and Reynolds selected collateral evaluation/appraisal.

"Young people are often under tremendous pressure to know exactly what they want to do with their lives before they've had an opportunity to experience many of the careers available to them," Bessonett said. "One of the most encouraging things our students heard throughout the program was that many of our employees didn't start their careers knowing how to do the jobs they have today. Careers develop through experience, learning and sometimes taking an unexpected path. I think that message resonated with them."

Throughout the program, Legacy employees shared their professional experiences, answered questions and provided students with insight into both the technical and relationship-driven aspects of agricultural finance.

Legacy Ag Credit developed the Job Shadow Program as part of its continued commitment to supporting the communities it serves and introducing the next generation to opportunities in agriculture, finance and rural lending.

About Legacy Ag Credit

Legacy Ag Credit, ACA is a member-owned agricultural lending cooperative serving Northeast Texas. As part of the nationwide Farm Credit System, Legacy Ag Credit provides financing for agricultural operations, rural real estate, country homes, recreational property and other rural financing needs while supporting the communities and industries it serves.