MiKayla is a student at the University of Missouri – Columbia, where she is pursuing a Plant Science degree with an emphasis in Crop Management. MiKayla hopes to become a Crop Consultant after graduating in May 2019. Her current college GPA is a 3.39 on 4.0 scale. MiKayla graduated from Hermann High School with a 4.12 GPA.
Extracurricular Activities:
Organizations and Offices Held:
Mizzou Agronomy Club 2017-2018
Member
Reporter and Social Media Chair (current)
The Agronomy Club consists of Plant Science, Soil Science, ASM majors and many more. They try to get their members active in an Agronomy scene. They bring in speakers from different companies such as Monsanto, Pioneer, ADM, etc as well as professors who talk about different parts of the Plant Science community. They go on tours, such as a tour of Monsanto in the spring. Also, they go to a regional conference, SAES, which MiKayla will be attending this spring. The Club does volunteer work and volunteer their time to CAFNR for learning days at University farms. As a small group, they try to do as much as they can in the Agriculture and Plant Science community.
CAFNR Week Steering Committee 2016 & 2017
Member on the Philanthropy subcommittee in 2016
Account Executive (serve as one of the heads of the committee) in 2017
We put on a week that is for students of CAFNR (College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources) to help bring everyone together. We put on fun events such as Mud Volleyball, Trivia Night, Comedy Night, a Concert at the Blue Note, a CAFNR Alumni Bonfire, and many more events. This is to try to bring all of our college together which is kind of a hard task because there are so many different fields within our college. These fields include Animal Science, Biochemistry, Division of Applied Social Sciences (Agricultural and Applied Economics, Agricultural Education and Leadership, Rural Sociology, Science and Agricultural Journalism), Food Systems and Bioengineering (Agricultural Systems Management, Bioengineering, Food Science, and Hospitality Management), Plant Sciences (Breeding, Biology & Biotechnology, Crop Management, Horticultural Science & Design, and Turf grass Science), and the School of Natural Resources (Atmospheric Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Fisheries and Wildlife, Forestry, Soils Sciences, and Parks, Recreation and Tourism). Needless to say this committee takes some hard work and dedication trying to figure out ways that we can get all of these different aspects of CAFNR together. We had an amazing CAFNR Week 2017 and were commended on the outstanding job by faculty, staff, students, and Deans of our college. It is such an exciting committee to be on and a prestigious one at that. There is an interview process which MiKaylahad the privilege of helping conduct. As we like to tell everyone it is just like FFA Week but on a much larger scale for thousands of students. This year MiKaylawill be helping the CAFNR StuCo put together another great week for our great college.
Mizzou Collegiate CattleWomen 2015-Present
Member
As a member of the Mizzou Collegiate CattleWomen we bring education about the beef industry to others on campus and around the state. We attend conferences put on by the Missouri Cattlemens Association. At those events we set up booths where we educate on different parts of the cattle industry. One of our biggest events that we put on ourselves is Meet Your Meat. This event is held in the middle of campus on Lowery Mall. We bring in a tame show steer/heifer and the Missouri Cattlemens Association brings in a food truck and grills beef steaks for sandwiches to sell. We do this because so many people have no idea where their meat from the store is coming from. We also set up tables and walk around talking to anyone who has questions. This is a great experience for me because the beef industry is also something MiKaylaam passionate about along with the crop industry. This is because she has grown up on both a beef farm and a row crop farm.
Hermann FFA Chapter 2011-Present
Member
Secretary: 2014-2015
Chaplain : 2013-2014
Assistant Reporter : 2012-2013
All through her high school career MiKayla was heavily involved in FFA. Of course, once MiKayla graduated she wished she was even more involved. Not only was MiKayla an officer but she was involved in different competition teams. In her freshman year she was on the Knowledge Team. In her sophomore year she was on both the Parliamentary Procedure Team (Chairwoman) as well as the Entomology Team. The Entomology Team went on to state. During her junior year she was on the Poultry Team, which was a very interesting time to say the least especially since she hadn't ever had anything to do with chickens and neither did her teammates. Finally, during her senior year she was on the Farm Management Team which she excelled on. They made it all the way to state placing 6th overall. This is one reason MiKayla decided to minor in Agriculture Economics. She is still a member of the Hermann FFA Chapter and has just recently received the American Degree which is the highest award/honor to receive in the FFA Organization. MiKayla thanks FFA for helping her decide the path that she chose to pursue in college. She also thanks Mrs. Vedder for her Greenhouse class where MiKayla got hands on experience with different plants than she did on the farm. Thanks to her and her research project, MiKayla decided that she wanted to be in the Plant Science field instead of the Medical field. FFA is one of the reasons that she is in the Agriculture field today.
Big Spring Busy Beavers 4-H Club 2004-2015
Member
President: 2013-2015
Council Representative : 2013-2015
Treasurer: 2012-2013; 2009-2011
Reporter: 2011 -2012
Help with Volunteering for Arts & Crafts Project Group
MiKayla has always been involved in 4-H. She was in as many project groups as she possibly could. These included Cake Decorating, Arts & Crafts, Photography, Woodworking, Welding, Baking, Foods, Hams, Beef, etc. Throughout all of those years she would put as many projects in the fair as she possibly could. Along with the projects she was dedicated to her club. MiKayla held an office from 2009 until she graduated in 2015. MiKayla is still helping with the Arts & Crafts project group. She hopes to be able to help volunteer with other project groups as well.
Class of 2015 Treasurer 2011-Present
Nominated to be Class Treasurer in 2011
Voted in from 2012-2015
MiKayla was in charge of collecting class dues all throughout high school. Along with dues, in her junior year she was in charge of heading a portion of the prom committee. Since she was elected again her senior year she will always will be the Class of 2015's Treasurer. Along with that, she will be helping put together the class reunion in 2020.
National Honor Society 2012-2015
Member
While MiKayla was a member of the National Honor Society in High School, they volunteered for many things around the community. They helped clean up along roads and offered their time for other events around the town.
Basketball 2011-2015
Junior Varsity Team Captain Sophomore Year
3rd Place State team Junior Year
Through MiKayla’s basketball years she was able to learn the value of patients and teamwork. These have both helped her in college where they work more and more on group projects and understanding bigger, broader aspects. She misses playing basketball but goes back as much as she can to support the team at their games.
Honors and Awards:
University of Missouri – Columbia
Mizzou CAFNR Dean’s List (Fall 2015 & 2017, Spring 2017)
FFA: Chapter Leadership Award-2012 & 2014, Chapter Scholarship Award-2012-2014, Star FFA Chapter Farmer Award-2013, State FFA Degree-2015, American FFA Degree-2016
Community and Other Activities:
School. Church, and Community Activities:
MiKayla has been active in her schools, church, and community over the years. Within high school MiKayla was very active in different clubs such as FFA and National Honor Society. She also played basketball all four years of high school. During her freshman year she travelled to Joplin to help paint a house that had been built after the homeowner's home was destroyed by the tornado. So far, in college, MiKayla has been involved in the CAFNR Week Steering Committee, Agronomy Club, as well as Collegiate CattleWomen. With these clubs she has been very active and busy with weekly meetings. During CAFNR Week MiKayla was on a mud volleyball team as well as attended all other events during the week. With Collegiate CattleWomen, MiKayla was a part of the club's Meet Your Meat event every year. They bring in live show heifers, a ribeye lunch, and activities to help those who may not be familiar see first hand where their food comes. In 2018, the Agronomy Club is going to have a day where they go and help at the Food Bank put together bags for the less fortunate. MiKayla has participated in church activities through the St. George Catholic Church parish. These things include cooking for the Smorgasboard, cleaning tables and filling drinks at Fish Frys, and helping set up the nativity scene for advent. MiKayla has helped volunteer for many things within our community. Some of them include running the clock and concessions for St. George School, working concessions for Hermann Middle School and High School, volunteering in the Art classroom during summer school, setting up for the Wurstfest judging for the Hermann Chamber of Commerce, and numerous other times for events around town.
Work Activity:
While pursing her educational degree, MiKayla works at the MU Greenhouses to help with her expenses. MiKayla goes home every weekend to help on the family farm and around the home. She helps feed and work cattle (tag calves & cows, help give medications, pull calves, move cattle, etc.). She also helps cut wood for the furnace. She helps with housework/chores such as cleaning and laundry. She also runs equipment such as tractors, cultivators, rippers, the planter and the combine.
