Sneath happy with college choices

Growing up Elly (Blasi) Sneath always knew two things about her college education: that she would go to Pratt Community College and that she would major in something agriculture related.

Sneath said that she has never regretted either.

“It was a great experience,” she said about going to Pratt. “I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. The professors were wonderful and I made friendships that will last a lifetime.”

Sneath said she always knew she would go to PCC because she is from Pratt originally so always knew it what it had to offer.

As far as going into agriculture, Sneath said “ag was what I knew and what I wanted to be involved in. It’s my background.”

Sneath graduated from PCC in 2004 with a degree in animal science. She then went on to Kansas State University where she received her degree in animal science there, as well. She is now working at the Kansas State Research and Extension Office in Meade County as an Ag and Natural Resource Agent.

In her job, Sneath said she still frequently refers back to the information she learned in college.

“I have many PCC reference items sitting on my desk and refer back to them often,” she said. “I can’t say that about my K-State material.”

Sneath said there are many advantages to starting out at a smaller school.

“With it being a smaller college you were able to branch out and try things that you wouldn’t have been able to at a larger school,” she said. “It was nice to have so many options of things to get involved in and not have to pick and choose.”

One thing that Sneath said she appreciated while she was at PCC was that she was on a first name basis with all of her instructors. She said because she had that relationship with the advisors she could work with them easier one-on-one and felt it was easier to learn in their classrooms.

“It is still nice knowing I had that relationship with my instructors,” she said. “I know I can still call them up and they will remember me. I don’t think any of my instructors would remember me from K-State anymore.”

Even though Sneath always knew where she would go to school, she said picking a community college was the right choice and thinks that all high schoolers should look into them before picking a college.

“Before picking a school all students need to consider looking at a community college,” she said. “They are great options as far as cost and they are also good stepping stones, especially for small-town kids.”