K-State College of Agriculture -- An Inside View

LOUISVILLE!!

Green chips…black cows…green jackets…these are a few of my favorite things about the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) in Louisville, KY.  On November 12 -14, I traveled to  Louisville to attend the NAILE as part of my responsibilities on the National Junior Angus Board of Directors.  I arrived in  Louisville a few days later than the rest of the junior board, since I was in Nebraska at the International Collegiate Meats Judging Contest.  So by the time I arrived on Monday, I was excited to see the rest of my team members.  The NAILE is always an extremely busy, but fun livestock show.  Between working in the ring, helping at the Angus Foundation booth, and mingling at all the different banquets it seems like you never stop moving.  Below is a picture of Dana, one of the girls on the junior board with me, and myself before the Monday night banquet.

This year was a lot of fun for me since I was able to see a lot of people from Kansas State.  There are quite a few other students that are on junior boards at K-State, so it is always great to run into them.  While I was in  Louisville, I also learned that Crystal Young a current K-State student will begin working at the American Angus Association after graduation in December. She will be working with Creative Media which is a new communications department that the American Angus Association has just opened. Congratulations Crystal!!  Besides livestock shows, judging contests also take place in Louisville.  The Kansas State Livestock Judging Team placed second overall and had the high individual.  Great Work!!  It is hard to believe that this show is jam-packed with so many K-Staters and so much fun.  Green chips…black cows…green jackets…only 11 more months until next year!

Mark it on your Calendars!!

Get excited everyone, because April 19th, 2008 is going to be a day to remember in Manhattan, KS.  I know this seems like a long time away, but it will definitely be here before we know it!  What is going on in Manhattan this day?  Well for starters, KSU will be holding its 30th annual All-University Open House.  This year I am serving as the Student Life Exhibits Chair, and will be helping coordinate all displays set up in the Student Union.  Open House is a great day to learn about many of the activities and organizations at K-State.  The majority of campus groups will have displays set up, and every College will have it's own programming for you to enjoy.  How about a fashion show from the College of Human Ecology?  Or watching a diet coke geyser set-up by the Food Science Club?  Also, you can enjoy entertainment such as live bands, the Marching Cobras and much, much more.  I highly encourage everyone to come see all the excitement going on.  This year Open House will last from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The reason Open House is being cut short this year is to make sure everyone has time to travel to the other main event in Manhattan that day... the Spring Football Game!  As always, family fun can be found in the parking lots outside of the stadium in "Willie's Fun Zone."  Then at 6 p.m. head on into Bill Snyder Family Stadium and cheer on the Wildcats!  It will be a very exciting and enjoyable day to be in town.  I hope to see everyone there, so mark it down on your calendars now!

K-State Proud,

Tyler

Traveling the “Golden” Countryside “Harvesting” Invaluable Experiences

   
This summer, I had the opportunity to intern with Golden Harvest Seeds, a seed company that sells corn, soybeans and alfalfa for field crops.   Its main focus, however, is not selling seed but educating the consumer about their products and helping them make better decisions to improve their operation.  Golden Harvest is located in Waterloo, Nebraska, which is just outside Omaha.
     I began my summer and my internship experience by moving to Omaha on May 15, 2007.  The first few days on the job included training and orientation.  I learned about the company, what I would be doing all summer, and the products Golden Harvest provides to its customers.  I was also informed about my summer project.
    While I was doing this internship I traveled across the Midwest and met with several farmers.  I helped plant test plots in Illinois, assisted with a few plot days in northeast Nebraska, and traveled to Ohio for two weeks to do dealer recruiting.  I learned an immense amount of information over the course of the summer, and enhanced my communication skills. I was able to network and meet a lot of people and gained knowledge about agronomy and the sales industry.  On the last day of my internship, I gave my summer project presentation to a group of sales and marketing leaders in the company. 
    This internship was awesome! I recommend doing at least one while you are in college.  Interning allows you to determine if you are a good fit in the chosen industry, and future employers also want to see an internship experience on your resume. This internship provided me with insight about corporate agriculture and allowed me to determine if sales is the right path for me.  These things were goals of mine before I left for Omaha, and I’m glad I was able to accomplish them.

~Melissa

Part-Time Jobs

Many college students look to obtain additional knowledge and career skills by working part time while going to school. At K-State and around Manhattan there are many different part time job opportunities. These jobs are categorized into two categories, on and off campus.

Many students are employed by Kansas State University. On campus jobs can vary from a lab assistant, doing research for extension personnel, working at one of the livestock units, being an administrative assistant, working for Housing and Dinning. Andy Stickel, junior in Animal Sciences and Industries, works under graduate students doing research in ruminant nutrition. Last spring he spent many hours working side by side with a graduate student gathering information on protein synthesis and degradation based on muscle biopsies at the beef unit. Other students work for various administrative offices within the College of Agriculture answering phone calls, compiling data, and running various errands. The opportunities are endless when looking for an on campus job.

Students also take advantage of being in a prosperous town and work at various Manhattan businesses. Off campus jobs also vary greatly from working at a restaurant, being a teller at a bank, an office assistant at a lending or law firm, cashier at a retail store, or farm hand on a local farm. Morgan Gauby, junior in Agribusiness, works at the Farm Service Agency office assisting with paperwork to secure government money for various offices across Kansas. Phil White, senior in Agriculture Communications, works at a radio station announcing the late Friday traffic reports. These off campus jobs are just a few examples of opportunities that offer essential job skills for future careers.

One may be wondering how students like these obtained such great learning opportunities outside the classroom. There are several ways students learn about potential job opportunities. The first is K-State offers a job fair at the beginning of the fall semester that brings in many on and off campus employers to campus to recruit students. Also, your academic advisor is a great start to getting ideas of potential jobs or places to look for jobs in your interest area. Finally, the KSU student newspaper, Collegian, and departmental postings are also great places to find a job. Although a job is not a required part of a students curriculum, it is a great way to gain knowledge and skills and earn a little extra cash!

Go Cats,

Kristen