As a senior at the University of Missouri at Columbia, Libby Martin is already looking to help solve problems in the production agriculture industry through the development of veterinary medical technology specific to cattle production.
Martin is working to solve the problem of calving ease and efficiency in an effort to make calving season easier for producers and yield lower mortality rates in herds. She is currently awaiting the completion of the patent process for her idea.
“In my three years at Mizzou, I have come to find that this university is a place where anyone with any interest can flourish and grow,” says Martin. “Mizzou continues to mold to my interests and provide me with the best opportunities in and outside of the classroom.”
The California, Mo., native will complete the UM System Entrepreneurial Scholars and Interns Program as she develops her business ideas and sharpens her professional skills. As part of the program this fall, she will complete 6 hours of coursework related to entrepreneurship.
Martin graduated from California High School in California, Mo., in 2014. She is the daughter of Lori Martin and Ronnie Martin and is currently pursuing a degree in Animal Sciences as a pre-veterinary student at the University of Missouri. She is also pursuing minors in entrepreneurship, business and agricultural leadership.
While shadowing a large animal veterinarian in the summer of 2015, Martin began to think about how she could solve some of the problems that the production agriculture industry faces.
After speaking to her advisor about her business idea, Libby got in contact with Entrepreneurship Alliance Director Greg Bier. The EA is an initiative at MU that allows students to forge a network and gain real-world experience with successful entrepreneurs.
“Within a matter of weeks, I met with professors and was given many opportunities to explore all that Mizzou had to offer in terms of entrepreneurship and business… The EA inspired me so much that I decided to take it to the next level. Applying for ESIP is exactly what I needed to begin the process of potentially launching my own startup,” she says.
Having grown up on a farm, Martin has always been passionate about agriculture.
“Since high school I knew that I wanted to pursue veterinary medicine… Mizzou has top notch educational programs in many degree areas,” says Martin. “I applied to one school, Mizzou. There was never a doubt in my mind that I would wear black and gold.”