Texas A&M policy internship program becomes family affair

Jaime Castillo might not have earned a degree from Texas A&M University, but he is raising a family of Texas Aggies because of a chance meeting with interns from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Agricultural and Natural Resources Policy Internship Program, ANRP.

In 1996, Castillo left Hatch, New Mexico, for Washington, D.C. He had just accepted a position as an agriculture aide for U.S. Rep. Joe Skeen ’50 and needed a place to live. Skeen pointed him toward an apartment complex near the Capitol South metro stop that had become known as the “Texas Embassy,” a gathering place for ANRP interns.

There, Castillo met Lowell Randel ’94 and Josh Grahmann ’97. One was already working in agricultural policy; the other was an ANRP intern just arriving in the city.

“We established a very strong friendship,” Castillo said. “That was my first introduction to Texas A&M. Being a native of New Mexico, I had never really heard much about the university until then.”

The trio grew close quickly. They spent late nights talking agriculture, politics and tradition, and when Castillo returned to New Mexico to get married, both Aggies were in the wedding party.

“The kindness those ANRP Aggies showed me 30 years ago created an entire generation of Aggies in our family,” Castillo said.

Their connection is almost as old as the program itself. As ANRP marks 35 years, the Castillo family illustrates one of the program’s greatest strengths: the power to connect students to the Aggie Network and, in their case, inspire new generations of Aggies.

A generation of Aggies

The friendships Castillo built through ANRP opened the door for his children to attend Texas A&M.

“At the core of what encouraged our kids to come here was definitely the friendships we established with Aggies as a result of ANRP,” Castillo said.

That path began with Cameron ’23, who studied agricultural economics and completed his ANRP internship in Austin. The youngest Castillo, Brennan ’28, is a sophomore in agricultural communications and journalism. And in the middle stands Greyson ’25, who grew up hearing about the program long before he ever set foot in College Station.

“I’m pretty sure I knew about ANRP before I knew about Texas A&M,” Greyson said.

For him, the program was never just a professional opportunity, it was the reason his family became Aggies.

Carrying the family’s story forward

The program that introduced his father to Texas A&M in Washington, D.C. and launched his brother’s internship in Austin became the program Greyson hoped to pursue himself. When he arrived on campus in 2021, he carried that history with him and began building his own foundation in Aggieland.

He joined the Corps of Cadets, studied animal science and served in student councils.

“My big takeaway from the Corps was discipline,” he said. “It was about being a follower first. Taking what you experience and trying to be better for when you become a leader.”

Greyson specifically credits two Aggie mentors who shaped his growth: retired Lt. Gen. Randy House ’67, a former student in the Department of Agricultural Economics, who taught him persistence and the dignity of hard, physical labor while working on his ranch; and Russell Cross ’72, Ph.D., former head of the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, who sharpened his thinking about food systems and public service.

“Working on Gen. House’s ranch taught me persistence and how important it is to work hard no matter what, and Dr. Cross pushed me to think about how to approach problems and serve with integrity,” Greyson said. “Moments with them shaped my Aggie story.”

Finding his place in agricultural policy

Mentorship and experience provided a new level of self-confidence and direction for Greyson.

His interest in policy grew during an agricultural policy class when guest speaker Jeff Nunley ’88, executive director of South Texas Cotton and Grain Association and a proud donor of ANRP since its inception in 1990, described what it meant to “stand in the gap” for farmers.

“It dawned on me that I want to be involved in agriculture even though I wasn’t in production agriculture myself,” Greyson said. “Someone has to represent the farmers and ranchers in America properly. That light bulb went off, and I realized maybe it’s in D.C., maybe it’s in policy.”

Through ANRP, Greyson interned with the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, NCFC, working directly under two more Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences former students, Lisa Van Doren ’98 and Mary Armstrong ’09.

“My first aha moment was realizing how close you can be to policy-making decisions even as an intern,” he said. “NCFC gave me the chance not just to watch but to engage with good work.”

That experience led to his next step. This summer he accepted a full-time position as an associate with Combest, Sell and Associates, a bipartisan agriculture-focused firm in Washington.

“I wouldn’t have had that opportunity if not for ANRP,” he said.

A legacy still growing

While Greyson builds his career, Brennan is making her own mark at Texas A&M.

“In just two semesters she’s already found her independence and involvement,” Jaime said proudly.

Brennan jokes about the family’s presence in the program: “I’ve got to be honest. I’m not sure ANRP can handle another Castillo.”

For Jaime, the pride is less about where the story began and more about what his children have carried forward.

“Seeing each of them find their own way at Texas A&M and through ANRP has been incredible,” he said. “I may not be an Aggie graduate, but watching my kids embrace the values and opportunities of this university makes me feel like part of the family. You don’t have to be a graduate to have the Aggie spirit.”