Born and raised in Holliday, Texas, Marshal Gillit has been heavily involved in agriculture throughout her life. Growing up, her family owned a cow-calf and stocker-calf operation. Gillit carried her passion for agriculture with her throughout school, participating in FFA and showing cattle across Texas. When deciding what educational direction she would go in, Gillit did not stray from her roots. In August of 2020, she moved to Lubbock to begin earning her Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications. Since then, Gillit has begun working as an intern at the FiberMax Center for Discovery (FCFD).

Working at the center, Gillit applies the things she learns in the classroom in a real world experience, using photography and graphic design on a daily basis.

“Teaching people about the industry and the history of the industry is a lot of what we do there,” Gillit said. “It’s cool seeing the evolution of the industry and how far it has come and how we continue to work to add new technology.”

Gillit said she hopes when visitors leave the FCFD, they will have a better understanding of the industry. Working with people who are outside of agriculture, gives the center the opportunity to “connect the dots.”

“It’s fun to see the lightbulb moment in people’s heads when they begin understanding how agriculture works,” Gillit said. “There’s nothing like the ag museum in Texas. It gives people a chance to learn directly about ag.”

The FCFD will be opening their new AgWorks Children’s Literacy Wing in late 2024. Gillit is optimistic that the new wing will offer Lubbock and surrounding towns an in-depth, interactive experience with agriculture.

“Lubbock is full of cotton and agriculture production, but a lot of people don’t understand,” Gillit said. “The AgWorks Wing gives kids and their parents the chance to get hands-on experience.”

Gillit says that having bosses who are Texas Tech graduates of the agricultural communications program has helped her as she makes her way through her last semester as a Red Raider.

“People like Dan Taylor love to help students with our future,” Gillit said. “They introduce us to people with similar interests and people who could help us in our future and allow us to make connections with people that we wouldn’t typically get to make connections with.”

After graduation, Gillit plans to attend graduate school and continue her path in agriculture.