SIDNEY — A new Ohio State University 4-H extension educator has been hired for Shelby County.
Cassaundra Dietrich, a native of Urbana, Ohio, gained experience for her new position in a variety of projects during her time as a first-generation 4-H youth. Throughout her 11 years in the program, Dietrich showed rabbits, horses, a scramble hog, her mixed-breed dog, and a market goat at the Champaign County Fair. She also completed several non-livestock projects, including cake decorating, creative writing, food science, fine arts, and fashion. Additionally, Cassie traveled to the Ohio State Fair to compete a number of times and was crowned the Champaign County Fair Queen in 2006. Obviously no stranger to 4-H and fair, Dietrich was also involved in Junior Fair Board and served as a 4-H Camp Counselor for every year that she was able.
After developing a passion for agriculture, fair and education during her youth, Dietrich decided to study agricultural communications and animal science in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Science at The Ohio State University. Dietrich graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2009 and went on to work in a handful of professional capacities, including marketing, communications and graphic design.
After a stint of living in Rome, Georgia, Dietrich and her husband, Bud, returned to their hometown of Urbana, where they currently reside with their two children, Gavin, 6, and Eloise, 4. After some encouragement from her undergraduate educators, Dietrich returned to Ohio State in 2014 to get her master’s degree in agriculture and extension education.
While studying for her master’s, Dietrich focused her research on understanding consumers’ attitudes toward modern agriculture practices (such as cage systems, confined animal feeding operations, vaccine and antibiotic use in production animals, and more). She has also spent a great deal of time trying to understand how particular organizations can strengthen their relationships with target audiences through more effective forms of communication. Dietrich graduated in May 2016 and stayed at Ohio State, accepting a position in the College of Education and Human Ecology as a graphic designer and event planner for their fundraising unit.
In her “free” time, Dietrich likes to go to sporting events and be active outside. Her son, Gavin, plays ice hockey, so the family follows the Columbus Blue Jackets. An OSU Buckeye fan, Dietrich is involved the Urbana Youth Sports organization, where she serves as secretary on their board and also directs the spring baseball and softball programs.
Dietrich currently has 11 laying hens and a Nigerian Dwarf goat residing in her backyard. She also has a yellow lab, a yorkie-poodle mix, and a guinea pig.
