CAFNR's own is State Fair Queen
by Aimee Gutshall, posted Sept. 9, 2009

After the Little Big Town Concert at the 2009 Missouri State Fair, a group of friends stood outside the Grand Stand. In the middle of the group was Samantha Wilkerson, the new State Fair Queen. There she stood in her sash, tiara, nice shirt, blue jeans, and cowgirl boots. Now that’s a real queen. 

The 21-year-old queen from Paris, Mo., is a junior at the University of Missouri. She is an agricultural business student in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR).

Wilkerson grew up in Paris with her parents and two brothers. Although she claims to be an agricultural activist, Wilkerson has never lived on a farm. Her father co-owns a rock quarry and owns cash rent land.

In her high school days, Wilkerson was a member of FBLA, choir, the cheerleading squad, and the basketball team.  Although she was not a member of the Paris FFA Chapter she was involved in 4-H for eleven years where she gained her public speaking skills and experience.

“Not being a part of FFA in high school is my biggest regret, but I was determined I was not going to be an Aggie,” she said.

Phillip Durbin, a high school classmate of Wilkerson, said that she was really outgoing and involved in a lot of extra curricular activities in high school.

“Although she was not in FFA, being from such a small town, pretty much everyone, including Samantha, had ties in agriculture,” he said.

Not long after high school, Wilkerson changed her mind and decided being an “Aggie” was not so bad after all. Her freshman year of college she came to MU as a business student. Her sophomore year she changed her major from business to agribusiness in CAFNR.

Her switch into CAFNR provided opportunities for her to be involved in new clubs and organizations, such as the Collegiate Farm Bureau and Independent Aggies (GDI). Wilkerson joined the Independent Aggies her sophomore year, and that opened many doors for her, including the State Fair Pageant. 

The Independent Aggies sponsored Wilkerson at the 2009 State Fair Queen Pageant.

“We chose Samantha because we knew she would represent the Independent Aggies in the best way possible with her knowledge and passion of the Missouri State Fair and agriculture,” said Adam Keene, president of the Independent Aggies.

One thing that came up in a meeting was having someone represent them in the State Fair Pageant. Wilkerson said when the opportunity arose, she grabbed onto it.

Wilkerson felt well qualified to be a candidate because of her ties to the Missouri State Fair. She began her first State Fair experience at 2 weeks of age. Her family has attended the State Fair yearly since she was born primarily for recreation but also for her 4-H exhibits and demonstrations. Her familiarity of the fair helped Wilkerson fulfill her State Fair Queen duties. As soon as the crown was on her head she went straight to work.

“The first thing I did was pass out ribbons at livestock shows. I felt this was the most important duty as queen because it allowed me to work with exhibitors, and without them we wouldn’t have a fair,” she said.

Wilkerson also enjoyed interacting with the highway patrol and firefighters as well as attending concerts and meeting country music stars backstage.

Wilkerson’s duties of State Fair Queen will continue as she will be attending the Governor’s conference, the Missouri Fairs and Festivals Conference, and making many appearances at county fairs across the state.
 
“All of the county fairs will really hit home. I enjoy seeing how different places run their county fairs,” she said.

Wilkerson gave credit to CAFNR for all that is has done for her so far. 

“I have gained such a broad knowledge base, from Collegiate Farm Bureau to GDI and from the economic terms from Dauve’s class that I used in my interview," Wilkerson said. “If I had not switched my major into CAFNR and joined GDI, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today.”     

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