CAFNR Connections Mentor

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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

Lane McConnell

Promoting Missouri agriculture is second nature to Lane McConnell because she has always had a strong connection to farming and rural life. After attending Mountain Grove High School in Mountain Grove, Mo., Lane came to the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) in 2000 and graduated in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in agricultural education with an emphasis in leadership and communications and minor in agricultural economics.

McConnell got her first job at Brownfield Farm Radio Network in Jefferson City. As the promotions and communications coordinator, she handled public relations and organized and implemented all promotional events at the farm network, including print and Web site advertising.

This June, she changed career paths and went to work with the Missouri Department of Agriculture as a marketing specialist promoting horticulture, organics, agritourism and Farmers' Markets for producers and growers across Missouri.

McConnell says she was drawn to CAFNR because of the College's impressive reputation among Ag professionals she had met through the FFA and who had attended MU.

"My freshman year in college was a whirlwind experience because I was also serving as a Missouri State FFA Officer," McConnell says. "So I was juggling that along with class and involvement in many clubs and organizations. By my sophomore year I realized I needed to focus on what really matter in my college career...and that was gaining viable work experience within the Ag industry. So, I focused my time on internships and a few clubs that I felt the most passionate about."

She completed internships with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, the Ozark Farm & Neighbor Newspaper and two with the Missouri Soybean Association by the time by her senior year rolled around. She says these internships not only helped her to find her passion for communicating about agriculture, but also gained her highly valuable contacts around the state.

"It's funny to think about now, but many of the contacts I made in college I now work with in my career," McConnell says. "It goes to show it's not always what you know, but who you know. I can't stress the importance of networking enough to college students."

McConnell says that her days at the Missouri Department of Agriculture are anything but typical, though she relishes the challenge and the chance to exercise her passion for educating and advancing the interests of Missouri's farming community.

"I don't have an 'average' day in my job, but I like that," McConnell says. "I am usually working on multiple projects at one time. One day I might be in meetings all day working on grants with multiple organizations, then the next taking three days to go and visit with farmers' market vendors, organic growers or city councils that are interested in establishing a farmers' market in their community. I do many presentations, radio interviews and take many phone calls from Missouri producers on various topics. I also develop marketing material and business plans for producers and growers in our state."

When she is not busy with her career, she enjoys the opportunity to interact and guide the next generation of agricultural professionals as media chair of the Missouri State Fair Youth in Agriculture Committee, a member of the Missouri FFA Leadership Fund and the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Youth Mentoring Program.

"I think the mentor program is one of the most valuable programs CAFNR has ever put in place," McConnell says. "I wish that this program would have been available when I was attending MU. I wanted the chance to help students prepare for their professional careers, help them find what their passions are, but mainly give back to my alma mater."

"Although Lane has become a very close friend, she continues to push me and encourage me in everything I do," says senior in agricultural journalism Tyne Morgan. "If I ever have doubts or questions about anything I do, I know I can count on Lane to help me through the situation. No matter what it is, Lane seems to always have the right answer."

McConnell's advice to students is to develop a clear idea of where they want to be and says that nothing is more important than how they feel when they go to work in the morning.

"Never be afraid to find what you are most passionate about in life and go for it," McConnell says. "Set big goals and work to attain them. Being passionate about your career will not only make you a happy, hard-working employee, but will set you on a very successful career path in the long run."

You can get an idea of some of the work that McConnell does by reading her blog, which she updates daily.