CAFNR Connections Mentor

CAFNR Connections

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Publications

Dec. 2007: Vol. 2, No. 3
June 2007: Vol. 2, No. 2
April 2007: Vol. 2, No. 1
Dec. 2006: Vol. 1, No. 4
Aug. 2006: Vol. 1, No. 3
June 2006: Vol. 1, No. 2
Feb. 2006: Vol. 1, No. 1

Karla Klingner

For Karla Klingner attending MU, and the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources in particular, was not so much an option as it was a family tradition. In fact, she might not ever have been born if her paternal grandparents had not been students at the University in the 1930s.

As a child growing up in Unionville, Mo., Klingner’s family made regular trips to Columbia to watch MU athletics teams in action or visit with her great-uncle Clarence, a professor of agricultural economics.

Despite the fact that that her decision to attend MU was, at least in part, based on heredity, Klingner says she is happy that she went to MU for a number of reasons.

"MU was the right fit for me; a perfect stepping-stone," Klingner says. "The career placement office made the extra effort to prepare students for job interviews and other realities they would face when they go job hunting. The great working relationship between students and advisers gives students the extra edge they need and helps to prepare them for life beyond college."

Klingner received a bachelor’s of science in Agricultural Education with a minor in Agricultural Economics in 1998. She immediately entered the MU School of Law after graduation and received her law degree in 2001.

Although her schoolwork was always her primary concern, Klingner also participated in a number of extracurricular activities, including Agriculture Student Council and the Collegiate Farm Bureau, while maintaining a job in the Career Office during the school year and internships at Norman Robert Associates, an agricultural marketing, public relations and marketing firm, and Missouri Pork Producers between semesters.

Upon receiving her law degree, she worked as a private litigator before she started her present position as a legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond who she advises on agriculture, water, biotechnology and education policy.

Klingner says that beyond the actual education, the opportunity to meet people and create long-lasting relationships was the most important part of her academic experience.

"The contacts you make in college will continually cross your path," Klingner says. "Having those relationships to fall back on is very beneficial."

Klingner stresses that students and new graduates who are looking for work should be honest.

"The most important thing is for you to be yourself," Klingner says. "Don’t give answers you think employers are looking for. Being honest will guarantee a good fit. Remember that the interview goes both ways."

Meagan Perry, a senior in soil, environmental and atmospheric sciences, met Klingner when she went to Washington, D.C., to talk to Capitol Hill staffers about the agricultural economic baseline that MU’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) had run for 2006.

"Karla is a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable person," Perry says. "She also took the time to get to know me on a more personal basis. We found that many of the things that I am involved in at Mizzou and CAFNR, Karla was as well when she was a student. She has been a wonderful mentor to me, keeping in touch, both professionally and on a personal basis. I have called her many times asking her opinion and advice on what my "next step" should be in my career development. She is always very motivating and helps me to think there is no limit to what I can accomplish."

Ashley Lyon, a senior in agricultural economics, worked with Klingner during her internship in Washington, D.C.

"Karla is one of the most giving and kind people that I know," Lyon says. "She is highly motivated and always has a lot of energy and positive attitude. Working with Karla was wonderful. Karla always goes out of her way to make everyone else feel comfortable and important. She is always willing to answer questions and help in any way. She has been a wonderful mentor and has prepared me well for a career in agriculture policy."

Klingner wanted to become a mentor because she wanted to give something back, or as she puts it, she wanted to "pay it forward."

"The mentoring program is a great program that didn’t officially exist when I was in school," Klingner says. "It is so important to be active and help those who are coming up. I have been so blessed with great mentors and I wanted to do the same for others."

Besides stressing the importance of networking, Klingner tells students that they need to be mindful of how the world is changing and to look beyond their own shores. According to Klingner, up-and-coming students need to develop a deep understanding of global markets and learn as much as they can about foreign languages and cultures by taking advantage of study abroad programs.

"In a global marketplace you will need to have these skills," Klingner says. "You will need to understand what motivates people of other cultures to do what they do if you want to be successful in today’s business and political environments."