William Gendron
Hello
My name is William Gendron
I grew up in the Panhandle of Florida. Being near the coast, I've always enjoyed going to the beach and swimming. Part of what got me interested in agricultural economics was my passion for gardening -- I've always loved watching things grow. After completing an associate's degree at Northwest Florida State College, I knew I wanted to continue my education at the University of Florida and study food and resource economics.​Currently, I'm a senior undergraduate student in food and resource economics with a minor in international development and humanitarian assistance. My goal is to work internationally as a development economist. To reach that goal, I plan to continue my education through graduate school at the University of Florida and later volunteer with the Peace Corps. With my research, I'm particularly interested in agriculture and conflict in West Africa and the Sahel.
​
​Below you can read about some of my hobbies.
Gardening
I love gardening. It's always amazing to see the progress as plants continue to grow. I've found gardening to be very calming and soothing. Yet, at the same time, it's a fun challenge. There's always something that'll come up that forces you to learn something new.
​
My most proud accomplishment gardening was when I successfully grew a watermelon. Initially, when I planted the seeds, most of my watermelon plants died due to fungus. However, one plant remained. When the first fruit developed, I was a little too eager to try it. I picked the watermelon too early and, instead of a juicy red watermelon, I effectively had a large flavorless cucumber. Luckily, the watermelon plant produced one more fruit and this time I made sure it was ripe. It was the best feeling to enjoy the literal fruits of my labor and share it with my family.
Hot Peppers
With my homegrown hot peppers, I was able to make a nice hot sauce.
Check out the slideshow on the right
Outdoors
My hometown is known for its white sand beaches. I have always enjoyed being around water whether its swimming, diving, or just going for a walk on the beach. In one of the photos, you'll be able to see when I took a sailing class once. Being in Gainesville and away from the coast has made me recognize all that I took for granted. Whenever I go back home, I always make sure to visit the beach.