All About Timing

As a December graduate, I get a lot of questions from employers and younger students looking for advantages and disadvantages of finishing school early.

An advantage to early graduation can be a smaller financial burden. I saw an opportunity to pay for one less semester of tuition and really had trouble turning the idea down. I came in as a freshman with 19 hours of college credit, so I didn’t have to cram or anything to get it done.

Some people told me it would help me find a job because fewer people look for jobs in the winter. Others told me it would hinder my job search because fewer companies would be looking for new employees. As it turns out, neither side was right or wrong when I graduated nearly 50 days ago. With our economy, I found a lot of companies weren't hiring, regardless of the season.

Luckily I had considered grad school and since I was graduating in December, I felt it would be an easy transition to start the following January. This ended up working perfectly for the program I chose, Agriculture Education. Staring mid-year allows me to student teach the following spring and finish my masters in a year and a half.

All that said, there is still no right or wrong answer. Spoken like a true politician, I can easily say the best route depends on each student's individual situation. While graduating early can give you a jump start on your career and save you a few bucks, you do miss out on a little of the “college experience”.

Take time to consider your options and find out what fits best for you. Get advice from others, but listen to your personal needs and wants in life. Making this choice can be as personal as the decision you made when choosing a major.

-Taryn Dameron
Agricultural Education, graduate student
Agricultural Journalism, December 2008 graduate

To find out what education and experience you need to land your ideal career, consult the team at CAFNR Career Services. It's never too early to begin your career search!

Resources Galore!

With a lot of recruiters heading to campus to meet CAFNR students, it’ll be time to practice handshakes and small talk. Before it’s time to dust off your business suit and shine your shoes, you need to take advantage of what CAFNR Career Services has to offer.

Sign-up for HireMizzouTigers.com today! Take some time to set up a profile and upload your resume so you can take full advantage of the resource that will help you connect with employers.


Already on HireMizzouTigers.com? Now’s the time to do some research on employers visiting campus February 25. Follow these instructions to see who’s registered for the fairs so far:

1. Login to HireMizzouTigers.com
2. Click on Career Fairs/Workshops (button along horizontal navigation bar at top of page)
3. Select 2009 Agriculture and Life Sciences Quest or 2009 Hospitality Fair
4. Click on button in middle of screen to find employers registered for the events
5. Select individual listings to learn more about each employer

Take it to the next level by searching for information about these companies on the Web. Not only will it help you determine your interest in the employer, but it will impress the recruiting staff when you have background knowledge about their organization.

Be sure to check back frequently, as companies continue registering for the events! Don't forget to mark your calendar to attend February 25!

Research: Leading Students to Success

I’m sure everyone has noticed the fenced off field of crop plots which seems to be randomly and most inconveniently stuck in the middle of east campus. I would even assume most of you know this random plot is known as Sanborn Field and realize it has some real significance to our University.

However, I am willing to wager that not many students could give a really solid answer as to what that significance is. After some quick research I found the history of Sanborn Field is pretty cool. Now rather than cursing the extra walking distance as I trudge by it in the cold, I’ve developed a deeper understanding and respect for part of our university’s history. If you were fairly observant you might have seen the 100 years plaques set up around the field.

In fact Sanborn Field was put in place in 1888 only three years after the original Academic hall was constructed and only 18 years after we became the state’s land-grant university. This makes it the third oldest experimental field in our country and the oldest west of the Mississippi. Along the side of the field there is another sign which is positioned over plot 23. It was from this plot that Dr. Benjamin Duggar identified a golden mold which was later named streptomyces aureofaciens. This organism was responsible for the production of Aureomycin, one of the most popular antibiotics since Penicillin. Then in 1965 it was declared a National Historic Landmark solidifying its place on our campus.

Today, the field continues to serve as a test plot for soil treatments, erosion, and cropping systems and provides a valuable teaching resource for numerous CAFNR students each year. So the next time you walk by the College and Rollins intersection you will know why there is a field seemingly placed in the middle of campus and perhaps like me you have a greater respect for one of the pieces of history which has helped shape our great University.

-Christopher Perry
Junior, Animal Sciences

Visit CAFNR to learn more about resources available to students. It's time to take advantage of everything college has to offer!