As a high school student in Salem, Mo., Nick Wesslak was an active member of his local FFA chapter. That experience not only introduced him to the University of Missouri, it also showed him an interesting career path – one that he is now serving in with MU Extension. Wesslak earned two degrees from Mizzou – a bachelor’s degree in…
Experiential Learning ⋅ Page 1
Endless Educational Opportunities
Industry tours allow CAFNR students to connect with professionals
As part of ensuring student success, the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) offers its students numerous opportunities to connect in meaningful ways with industry professionals. Those interactions come through a variety of programs, from CAFNR-sponsored experiences to degree-specific trips. Recently, CAFNR students met with a variety of professionals through the Agribusiness Career Connections Program, Dickinson Scholars…
Finding the Perfect Degree
Memphis Bancroft said she has fallen in love with the food science and nutrition degree
When Memphis Bancroft made the decision to pursue a food science and nutrition degree at the University of Missouri she didn’t realize the real-world application of what she was studying would be so immediate. When Bancroft chose the degree program her mother was on a very restrictive diet due to a colon cancer diagnosis. “With the effects of surgery we…
An Incredible Experience
Sophie Cunningham Classic offers students a look at organizing a high-profile event
In early December, high school girls basketball teams from three states took part in the inaugural Sophie Cunningham Classic, a three-day shootout in Columbia created by women athletes for young female athletes. The Classic allowed those athletes to take center stage and allowed Cunningham to give back to the community where she dominated opponents on the court as a high…
A Tasty Experience
Food science and nutrition students spent the fall semester developing a variety of barbeque sauce flavors
A capstone course within the food science and nutrition degree program, the Food Product Development (F_S 4970) class allows students to integrate the various disciplines of food science to create new food products. Andrew Clarke, an associate professor, has taught the writing-intensive course for more than two decades – helping to lead students on a journey that begins with them…
Senior Spotlight: Remi Levinson
Levinson will graduate with a degree in hospitality management
For Remi Levinson, the hospitality management degree program at the University of Missouri offered her exactly what she was looking for. Levinson has always had an interest in planning events – and saw the hospitality management program as a great opportunity to build on that interest, as well as give her additional insights into one of the largest industries in…
Senior Spotlight: Michael McLaughlin
McLaughlin will graduate with a degree in plant sciences
Michael McLaughlin’s first visit to the University of Missouri was an unofficial one, but that’s all it took for him to realize that MU was the place he needed to be. McLaughlin, who was 14 years old at the time of the trip, was visiting his cousin and saw numerous spots across campus. It was the final stop that sold…
Senior Spotlight: Marlon Guzman
Guzman will graduate with a degree in parks, recreation and sport
Marlon Guzman hasn’t had the typical finish to his collegiate career. Guzman has spent his final semester at the University of Missouri on a different continent, participating in an internship with Wilderness Patagonia, a travel company located in Bariloche, Argentina. The internship has given Guzman an opportunity to combine his interests in natural resources, sustainability and tourism. And while the…
Senior Spotlight: Caitlin Kimes
Kimes will graduate with a degree in biochemistry
The Rocky Mountain Tigers alumni chapter is one of the University of Missouri’s largest out-of-state chapters, including more than 600 active alums living throughout Colorado. It’s a group that helped lead Caitlin Kimes to Mizzou. “My parents are both graduates of MU, but I wasn’t really sure that I wanted to go that route,” Kimes said. “I knew that Mizzou…
Senior Spotlight: Adam Slayton
Slayton will graduate with a degree in agriculture
Early in his college career, University of Missouri senior Adam Slayton was encouraged to take chances. He took that advice to heart and spent his time at MU soaking up opportunities to gain real-world learning experiences. Those experiences, many of which came through internships, opened the door for Slayton to land — and start — a full-time job; all before…