Scholars
program promotes networking and real-world experience
Sean Comstock, posted Oct. 25, 2006
CAFNR
is sponsoring the upcoming John Brown and Dickinson Scholars
program which is an opportunity for current Mizzou students
to experience first-hand the challenges and opportunities
that face agribusiness today. Selected applicants will have
the chance to meet with several leaders in the agribusiness
industry from Jan. 7 through 13 in either Kansas City for
Dickinson or St. Louis for Brown, to better understand real-world
aspects of the field according to CAFNR Career Services Director,
Stephanie Chipman.
Members of the John Brown program will be assigned to an agribusiness
firm and accompany them throughout the week, allowing personal
contact with business executives to gain perspective on interaction
with other associates in the field. Anheuser-Busch, Monsanto,
Bunge and TC Jacoby are some of the businesses attending.
Lectures will be held in the evenings, along with agribusiness
associates attending to help students integrate what they
learned in the classroom with experience from the field.
Participants of the Dickinson program will take a tour of
the Kansas City Board of Trade and the Federal Reserve Bank.
Students will then partake in a project-based tour of agribusiness
affiliates in the Kansas City area and are encouraged to meet
with Mizzou Alumni and hosts of the program in the evenings.
A few companies that are sponsoring the event include Premium
Standard Farms, Bank Midwest, Cargill and John Deere.
Applicants must be of sophomore standing with at least 45
credit hours, have a minimum 2.5 GPA, and be available for
the entire week of the program. While the program is primarily
targeted towards the agricultural field, any student may apply
and attend the event. Applicants must have completed the Agricultural
Economics 1041 and 1042 courses by Dec. 2006.
Intern for the programs and former participant of both conferences,
Laura Bolte, commented on her time spent in the scholars program.
“There is so much more out there than I was aware of.
I was given the opportunity to talk with professionals about
their career path and see what their position really entails.
I learned a lot about what I want to do and what kind of company
I would like to work for,” said Bolte.
More information can be found at the HireMizzouGrads
Web site.
