PDP Accelerate is a one-day program led by Michael Hoffman of Igniting Performance Inc. and hosted by Professional Dairy Producers and Dairy’s Foundation. It’s an interactive, reflection-based session designed to help agricultural interns strengthen professional communication, leadership, and presentation skills to help them stand out in their upcoming careers.

Honestly, I almost didn’t go. I do typically take advantage of every opportunity to connect and learn something, priding myself in being a lifelong learner, but with my internship wrapping up soon and a full schedule of tasks to get done before then, it felt like one more thing to squeeze in. I assumed it would be just another typical networking event. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The energy in the room was different. This wasn’t a business card swap with stiff introductions.

One of the most powerful takeaways for me was a simple quote: “It’s not how you feel about someone, it’s how you feel about yourself when you’re with them.” Who the quote is attributed to has slipped my mind now because of the weight its words held. It hit me hard. It reframed how I look at relationships, both personal and professional. It made me realize how important it is to pay attention to not just who we’re with, but who we become around them.

Another concept that stood out was the “the power of three,” the framework of organizing ideas into segments. Past, present, future and first, second, third would be a couple examples. I’ve heard it before, but it settled deeper this time. I also reflected on how often I doubt my own expertise, thinking someone else could say it better. This experience reminded me to trust myself more.

Leadership, communication, and self-awareness were major themes of the day – and I walked away at 5 o’clock having a new perspective on all three. I learned that no one is naturally great at them, and we will never be able to perfect these skills, but practice and growth goes a long way. These concepts weren’t always something new or I had never heard before, nor were they all that abstract – they were real, applicable tips I could take with me and use right away.

What also surprised me was the range of people I connected with. I met attendees who were still in high school and others who had helped organize the whole event. Every conversation brought something different, and that reminded me just how valuable community and dialogue can be.

Looking at it now, I’m glad I went. What I thought would be a simple networking opportunity turned into a day of meaningful growth, inspiration, and clarity. If you’re ever on the fence about going to something similar – go. You might not always leave with something life-changing, but sometimes you will.

To any future agricultural interns, if you get the opportunity to attend PDP Accelerate, take it. From someone who almost passed it up: it turned out to be a very valuable day of my internship.

Samantha Stamm

Samantha Stamm is the 2025 Hoard’s Dairyman editorial intern. She co-owns and manages an Angus seedstock and commercial cow-calf operation with her family in northeast Kentucky. Stamm earned a master's degree in agricultural communications from Oklahoma State University and a bachelor's degree in agribusiness with a dual major in animal science from Morehead State University.