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In her words, Ohio Wesleyan University student Callia Barwick ’24 is “passionate about promoting and supporting the agricultural industry.”
Barwick’s long-term goals are to become an attorney, move to the nation’s capital, and work either for the U.S. Department of Agriculture or for a law firm that focuses on farm-related issues. To help achieve her goals, the Canfield, Ohio, resident is pursuing a double-major in history and pre-law.
“I knew that I wanted to help as many people as I could, so I decided that the field of law was for me,” Barwick says.
Before she becomes a lawyer, however, Barwick hopes to support the agriculture industry in another role: as the 2021 National Miss United States Agriculture Queen. She already has been named both the Mahoning County and the Ohio queen, and she will compete for the national title in June in Florida.
“Growing up, I was a member of Ohio 4-H for 13 years, where I showed horses, dogs, goats, and many miscellaneous projects,” Barwick says. “I also was a member of many state boards, as well as a camp counselor, a 2019 Ohio 4-H Teen Hall of Fame inductee, and the 2018-2019 Mahoning County 4-H Queen.
“With all of this,” she says, “I knew that I wanted to continue my passion for promoting agriculture, so I applied for the title of Mahoning County Miss United States Agriculture. With this title, I was able to compete for the title of Ohio Miss United States Agriculture.
In addition to promoting Ohio’s agricultural industry, Barwick also seeks to promote both women in agriculture efforts to bring agricultural education into the inner cities. These will remain her priorities as she competes for the national crown.
“I just want to showcase to any girl that it is possible to accomplish anything once you put your mind to it,” she says.
While Barwick spent much of her life paving the path that led to her Ohio agriculture crown, her journey to joining Ohio Wesleyan and becoming a Bishop was more of a quick – and fortuitous – detour.
“It was early February of 2020, and I was just not happy in where I was at with the colleges I had gotten accepted to,” she recounts. “It just so happened, though, that I was driving home from a job shadowing of an education attorney within the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and then I saw the sign for Ohio Wesleyan University.
“After doing some research, I knew that this was the school for me, and I applied that night, five days before the deadline,” Barwick says. “After coming here, I have never second-guessed my decision at all. I love the atmosphere of the campus and all of the amazing people who are here.”
Though she’s only been a Bishop since August, Barwick says already has “so many amazing memories.”
“One of my most memorable moments has been being a part of the Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops Cheer Squad,” she says. “Even though our seasons have looked different, this squad has been amazing and has been one of my many highlights of this campus.”
As she cheers for the Bishops, OWU will be rooting for Barwick as she seeks to claim the National Miss United States Agriculture crown. Good luck, Callia!