Davis\u2019 journey started in high school through the FFA, where she discovered her passion for leadership and agricultural advocacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI took every agriculture class my school offered \u2014 not just because I loved the content, but because I had incredible teachers,\u201d she says. \u201c They saw something in me before I saw it in myself. Their encouragement is a huge reason I chose agricultural education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That decision has grown into much more than a degree path. During her time at NC State, Davis has immersed herself in student life and service. From leading the FFA Alumni and Supporters at NC State club<\/a> as president to joining the Horticulture Club<\/a> and the university\u2019s chapter of Ducks Unlimited<\/a>, her campus involvement reflects her drive to make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But her advocacy doesn\u2019t stop there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the 2023-24 North Carolina Watermelon Queen, she served as the face of the state\u2019s watermelon industry, traveling across North Carolina and beyond to connect with growers, educate consumers and promote local agriculture. She even had the chance to represent the state\u2019s farmers on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBalancing my coursework with the responsibilities of the crown wasn\u2019t always easy,\u201d she admits. \u201cBut my professors, especially Associate Professor Joy Morgan and Professor Travis Park were incredibly supportive and understanding. They\u2019ve been instrumental in helping me manage both roles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That support extends beyond logistics. Faculty like Michael Parker, associate professor in the Department of Horticultural Science, have also played an inspirational role. Currently enrolled in HS 421(Temperate-Zone Tree Fruits: Physiology and Culture), Davis says Parker\u2019s hands-on approach to teaching and his \u201cwillingness-to-learn\u201d mindset, even after decades in the field, demonstrates the kind of educator she strives to be one day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne thing he says often is that he doesn\u2019t mind planting a trial that ends up with a few dead trees. Because without failure, there\u2019s no opportunity for growth,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s stuck with me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Davis\u2019 studies in the classroom and her focus in agricultural and extension education have broadened her knowledge of the industry and helped her discover a passion for agricultural communications, an area she was able to deeply explore through her marketing work with the North Carolina Watermelon Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As she moves forward, she sees herself teaching agriculture at the high school level in North Carolina, following in the footsteps of the mentors who changed her life. But she\u2019s also keeping the door open to future opportunities that blend her interests in advocacy, creativity and connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs long as I\u2019m working in agriculture and making a difference \u2014 whether it\u2019s in a classroom, through communications or something I haven\u2019t even thought of yet \u2014 I know I\u2019ll be fulfilled.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n From student to queen to future educator, Davis\u2019 story is a testament to the transformative power that agricultural education can have \u2014 and to mentors who believe in their students long before they believe in themselves.<\/p>\n This post was originally published<\/a> in College of Agriculture and Life Sciences News.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n By Ashlin Austin<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not many college students can say they\u2019ve juggled classroom assignments with media interviews, farm visits and a royal title \u2014 but that\u2019s just another day in the life of NC State University\u2019s own North Carolina Watermelon Queen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Haylee Davis, a senior majoring in agricultural education<\/a> with a minor in horticulture, agriculture is more than a career path, it\u2019s a calling. Set to graduate in the fall of 2025, she\u2019s made it her mission to educate, advocate and inspire the next generation of agriculture enthusiasts, just as her mentors once did for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Davis\u2019 journey started in high school through the FFA, where she discovered her passion for leadership and agricultural advocacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI took every agriculture class my school offered \u2014 not just because I loved the content, but because I had incredible teachers,\u201d she says. \u201c They saw something in me before I saw it in myself. Their encouragement is a huge reason I chose agricultural education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That decision has grown into much more than a degree path. During her time at NC State, Davis has immersed herself in student life and service. From leading the FFA Alumni and Supporters at NC State club<\/a> as president to joining the Horticulture Club<\/a> and the university\u2019s chapter of Ducks Unlimited<\/a>, her campus involvement reflects her drive to make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But her advocacy doesn\u2019t stop there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the 2023-24 North Carolina Watermelon Queen, she served as the face of the state\u2019s watermelon industry, traveling across North Carolina and beyond to connect with growers, educate consumers and promote local agriculture. She even had the chance to represent the state\u2019s farmers on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBalancing my coursework with the responsibilities of the crown wasn\u2019t always easy,\u201d she admits. \u201cBut my professors, especially Associate Professor Joy Morgan and Professor Travis Park were incredibly supportive and understanding. They\u2019ve been instrumental in helping me manage both roles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That support extends beyond logistics. Faculty like Michael Parker, associate professor in the Department of Horticultural Science, have also played an inspirational role. Currently enrolled in HS 421(Temperate-Zone Tree Fruits: Physiology and Culture), Davis says Parker\u2019s hands-on approach to teaching and his \u201cwillingness-to-learn\u201d mindset, even after decades in the field, demonstrates the kind of educator she strives to be one day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne thing he says often is that he doesn\u2019t mind planting a trial that ends up with a few dead trees. Because without failure, there\u2019s no opportunity for growth,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s stuck with me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Haylee-Davis-FFA2-1024x576.jpg\")
![\"a](\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Haylee-Davis-Watermelon-Field-1024x576.jpg\")
![\"a](\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Haylee-Davis-Garey-Fox2-987x1024.jpg\")
![\"a](\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Haylee-Davis-Watermelon-987x1024.jpg\")