DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Darrell Banks
Darrell Banks
For Darrell Banks, no day is ever the same.
“Some days I’m in the office planning events and programs, and other days I’m at a 4-H club meeting, shooting sports practice, or preparing 4-H’ers for a grilling contest,” Banks said.
As an Extension 4-H agent in Lowndes County, Banks looks forward to every day because he gets to be a part of shaping young people for the future.
“My favorite part of this job is helping kids that come through our Extension office door leave more accomplished and knowing there is something for everyone to do in 4-H,” he explained. “I get to help them try new things, perfect their skills, and watch them develop into outstanding leaders and citizens.
“One of my proudest moments was seeing one of the first kids that I coached in 4-H shooting sports graduate from high school,” Banks said.
Although Banks was never sure exactly what he wanted to do, he knew that he wanted to stay close to the field of agriculture and that he loved working with young people.
“Working as an Extension agent allows me to combine the two things that I’m most passionate about and turn it into a career,” he said.
He encourages others who enjoy agriculture and helping young people to think about a career with Extension.
“This is the perfect job to combine the two and make a rewarding career,” Banks said. “But you also need to be a good communicator. You need to know when to speak and when to listen. During my 10 years of service with Extension, I have learned that sometimes people just want someone to listen in a supportive way.”
Banks said working for MSU has been a blessing for him and his wife.
“It is a very lovely family-oriented university, and we currently have two sons attending State,” he said. “Our daughter is a graduating senior at Starkville High School, and she plans to enroll here in the fall.”
The Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Spotlight Employee profiles are provided by the Office of Agricultural Communications at Mississippi State. For more information, please click here.
