As Katie Miltenberger, a recent graduate from West VirginiaUniversity, prepares to turn the page to the next chapter in her life, she reflects on her journey that was deeply shaped by her lifelong involvement in West Virginia 4-H.
Originally from Fort Ashby, West Virginia, Miltenberger is a graduate of the John Chambers College of Business and Economics, with dual bachelor’s degrees in finance and accounting. She’s set to begin a career in tax accounting at Deloitte, one of the world’s leading professional services firms.
Miltenberger got here by not only being a diligent and well-performing student but also by having a robust service and leadership resume. Her commitment to community and her skills in leadership and interpersonal relations can be attributed to a lifetime in the West Virginia 4-H program.
“I’ve been in 4-H my whole life. My mom is an Extension agent, so I was basically born into it—I’ve been a member ever since I was old enough to join as a Cloverbud,” Miltenberger said. “4-H has really been the aspect of my life that I have put the most time and energy into all throughout my youth, so it has been fun being able to carry that into my college experience as well.”
Those early experiences led her to seek out opportunities to be engaged on campus at WVU. She quickly filled her time with extracurricular activities, serving as the treasurer of the WVU Collegiate 4-H Club, the president of the Women in Business Club, and a member of both a sorority, Alpha Phi, and a business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi.
One of the most powerful experiences during her time at WVU was the opportunity to attend the Women’s Leadership Conference at the Greenbrier three years in a row. Being a member of the Women in Business club allowed her to attend her first year, and stepping into a leadership role allowed her to build a relationship with the conference organizers and secure spots for Women in Business members in the future.
This conference brings together like-minded women who strive for success in business all across West Virginia, offering valuable educational and networking opportunities.
“One of the biggest takeaways from this conference is that there are so many like-minded women in our state that are such powerful leaders who are really going to make a difference in the future of our state,” Miltenberger said. “It’s also very cool to see all the good things that are going on in West Virginia. There are a lot of things in West Virginia that need attention to resources, but there are just as many people willing to step up and help with those issues and challenges.”
Because of the skills she learned at this conference, in 4-H and throughout her college career, Miltenberger was awarded the 2025 Outstanding Student Organization Leader award for her role as president of the Women in Business club.
Both the Women’s Leadership Conference and her experiences in 4-H worked together to play a key role in shaping her confidence and drive as a student leader. Her involvement in 4-H not only strengthened her leadership abilities but also expanded her network and interests in meaningful ways.
“The wonderful thing about 4-H is that it's everywhere. It has given me so many opportunities to go to camps and meet people in West Virginia, but also to travel all throughout the U.S. for different events. I got to make friends and be around youth my age from all over the country who all have that 4-H piece in common. The friends and connections I've made are definitely my favorite part.”
Miltenberger’s love for travel and learning about the world around her began at a young age, with her first memories of travelling being at state 4-H camps. 4-H has taken her all over the country, from Oklahoma for livestock judging to Atlanta, Georgia, for 4-H Congress. During her time in the WVU Collegiate 4-H Club, she was able to attend the National 4-H Collegiate Conference in both Tennessee and Montana, and even had the opportunity to host that same conference in Morgantown the next year.
These opportunities instilled in her an appreciation for different places and cultures, which led Miltenberger to pursue study abroad during her time at WVU. She participated in a spring break study abroad trip to Italy, which she credits with opening her eyes even more to the beauty all around the world.
Because she had such a great time abroad, Miltenberger now plans to join another short-term study abroad program this summer before diving into her new career. She will travel to Kenya on a WVU Extension faculty-led trip that covers business and agriculture.
Miltenberger looks forward to her future with excitement and reflects on her time in 4-H with love and pride.
“Honestly, 4-H made me the person that I am. From a young age, it made me get comfortable with stepping outside of my comfort zone and meeting other people. It got me excited to learn about all the different opportunities that are outside of my small 4-H club in my hometown,” said Miltenberger. “You step into leadership roles as a young person in 4-H, so it really set me up to be prepared for that later on. 4-H exposed me to so many career paths, opportunities, hobbies and interests and things that really inspired me and showed me that all these opportunities were available to me in the future.”
To learn more about 4-H activities in your community and keep up with the latest in West Virginia 4-H news, follow @WestVirginia4H on Facebook and @wv_4h on Instagram.
If you want to learn more about WVU Extension, visit extension.wvu.edu or follow @WVUExtension on Facebook, YouTube, X and Instagram.
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slk/06/17/25
MEDIA CONTACT: Sydney Keener
Communications Specialist
WVU Division for Land-Grant Engagement
304-293-8986; Sydney.Keener@mail.wvu.edu