Major: Animal Science with a Production/Management option
Minor: Agribusiness Entrepreneurship
Anticipated Date of Graduation: May 2016
Why did you decide to come to UNL?
Not only is UNL part of a family tradition, but UNL is simply the best fit for me! The Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program was really attractive to me as it is a unique and elite program that I wanted to be a part of. Overall though, the passion for agriculture could be felt resonating around campus when I would visit. I knew since the first day of my freshman year that I made the right decision joining CASNR and this is a place that I want to be!
What is your favorite thing about UNL?
It really comes down to the people. People make an experience complete. And when you're surrounded by people with strong goals, similar passions, and have that fire in their belly, it's really easy to like where you're at.
What is your favorite class you have taken so far and why?
EAEP 101 - This is the introductory course of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program taught by Tom Field. It has by far been my favorite course simply because it was life changing. This is a course that deals with your real life, not based on theories. The materials presented really get you to think about things from a different angle and aids in your process of developing and conquering your "Big Idea". I feel as though I have put together the best toolbox possible to start my own business in the near future.
What are your plans post graduation?
That's the million dollar question. I do have hopes to someday vertically integrate my beef cattle operation and market a value-added, premium beef product directly to restaurants and individuals all across the Midwest. I also have interest in expanding the auctioneering work that I started doing 2 and a half years ago after I graduated from the World Wide College of Auctioneering. Time will tell what I end up doing following graduation, however.
What's life like outside of school?
While not busy being involved with organizations on campus aside from academia, you can usually find me being engaged with my fraternity, Alpha Gamma Rho, or back home on my family's diversified farm in northeast Nebraska. This is where I run my own value-added beef cattle operation and alfalfa hay business. It takes a balance working to build my livestock operation while being involved at school and keeping up grades, but since coming to college, there's been a continual burning passion that helps drive me. And I've found it to be a lot more valuable when I can tie what I'm studying to real-life scenarios that I'm dealing with in my operation from day-to-day.