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While in middle school, Spruill became involved with Future Farmers of America and 4-H. She stayed active with 4-H horse projects and FFA public speaking projects through high school and eventually became a state, and later a national, FFA officer. 

It was her national title that allowed Spruill to travel throughout the world. She did so to fulfill her official FFA duties, but as a result, she had to postpone enrolling in UGA for a year. As an FFA officer, she traveled to 38 states to train state officers, attend conferences and present leadership development seminars. She also traveled to Germany and Japan to meet fellow students and people involved in agriculture. 

"It was a lot of fun and it's always good to have an appreciation of another culture," Spruill said. 

The events that the national officers attended usually focused more on personal development and networking rather than on specific agricultural issues. Spruill said that just because it's called "Future Farmers" doesn't mean that it's just for people interested in agriculture as a career. It's good for everybody because the programs teach entrepreneurial and people skills, she said. 

"Actually, there were very few times we did anything concerning agricultural topics because FFA has become so leadership oriented," Spruill said. 

Now, she's a student at UGA and a member of the Beta Class of Sigma Alpha, the fledgling agricultural sorority on campus, and president of the National Agricultural Marketing Association. She's also just been voted a member of the 2001 Homecoming Court, even though she can't figure out how she got there. But to anyone else who meets her, it probably wouldn't be a big surprise.

Spruill isn't sure where she wants to practice law after she finishes graduate school: a government office, a large corporation or in a private practice in the agricultural heartland of the United States.

"I know I want to help support the future of the agricultural industry," she said. "But whether I help one individual farmer or 1,000, I really don't care." 

Article and photograph by Merritt Melancon, Education, Communication and Technology - Athens