Holly Enowski wears a lot of hats and even the occasional crown.

Aside from studying science and agricultural journalism at the University of Missouri, she is the reigning Miss Fleur de Lis, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta women’s fraternity, co-president of Mizzou’s Collegiate Farm Bureau and recently punched her ticket to represent Missouri Farm Bureau at the American Farm Bureau Fusion Conference at the national Collegiate Discussion Meet.

Enowski said growing up a triplet and being constantly surrounded by her two brothers helped create her competitive spirit.

“My parents raised me to work for what you deserve, and to have a strong work ethic so it just translated into competitive events with Future Business Leaders of America, the National FFA Organization and DECA,” Enowski said.

It was this competitiveness that interested Enowski in the Collegiate Discussion Meet and to compete for the title of Miss Fleur de Lis, which is a preliminary pageant to Miss America. Enowski will compete for the title of Miss Missouri this June.

“I have always been someone who is very competitive and someone who is driven by competitions,” Enowski said. “I hadn’t really found that in my other organizations at the University of Missouri, so for me, this was a really good way to be involved with Farm Bureau on a bigger scale, but also to represent the chapter that I really like to lead.”

Participants in the Discussion Meet are given a list of five pre-determined questions. At the beginning of the competition, a single question is chosen, and participants have 30 minutes to prepare opening remarks. After that, competitors discuss the topic and reach a consensus on how to solve the issue. A winner is then selected based on professionalism, politeness and the ability to build a consensus.

Aside from winning the opportunity to represent Missouri Farm Bureau at the national competition in March in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Enowski won $300 from the Missouri Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.

“It was something that I had never really done anything like,” Enowski said. “Having to get all of these people with different perspectives on the same boat, pushing the same idea, was really cool.”

Each collegiate Farm Bureau chapter in the state sent one student to represent them in the competition. Participants included students from the University of Central Missouri, Truman State University, Northwest Missouri State University, College of the Ozarks, Missouri State University and Southeast Missouri State University.

Enowski had been exposed to Missouri Farm Bureau while growing up in Eldon, Missouri. She would spend evenings reading the Missouri Farm Bureau magazine during dinner with her dad, Bob Enowski.

“I thought that Collegiate Farm Bureau would be a really good way to segue from FFA into agricultural organizations as a working professional,” Enowski said.

Enowski said she will use the skills she learned in the competition in her future career.

“Regardless of what career you have, you have to be able to talk to people and form solutions based on the problems that come up every day,” Enowski said.

As co-president of Mizzou Collegiate Farm Bureau, Enowski encourages other students to join the organization.

“I think the one thing people don’t know about MU Collegiate Farm Bureau is that there are competitive opportunities like this one,” Enowski said. “Even if you’re not interested in policy, or government, or anything in that realm, there are still competitive opportunities here that can satisfy you and give you the kind of drive and competition that you’re looking for.”

Students interested in joining MU Collegiate Farm Bureau should email the organization here.