"I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot
I’m ‘a get a scholarship to King’s College
I prob’ly shouldn’t brag, but dag, I amaze and astonish
The problem is I got a lot of brains but no polish"

Every young, enthusiastic student needs a mentor to help refine them into a prepared professional. This is the type of relationship that can be found between George Washington and Alexander Hamilton and portrayed in the Broadway hit, Hamilton. In “My Shot,” Hamilton sings about wanting the opportunity to prove himself and he is confident that he will be successful. However, he admits that he’s “got a lot of brains but no polish.”

Having a mentor can help polish the potential of a bright student. Mentors can help refine soft skills by coaching students on how to handle themselves professionally. They can provide feedback and perspectives to help students understand how to improve and stand out.   

For Alexander Hamilton, George Washington was the mentor who encouraged him to control his enthusiasm and be rational. Washington knew that Hamilton had the potential to be a leader, but he didn’t want Hamilton to make the mistakes that he had made. He wanted Hamilton to gain the respect of others before moving into higher leadership positions.

Mentors can also offer career advice and help students build a network in their industry. They have the experience and knowledge of their own career path to help provide students with some guidance as they make career decisions. Additionally, they already have a professional network and can introduce students to others in their industry to help them begin building their own network. Mentors may be able to find opportunities that a student otherwise wouldn’t know about.

Jonah Messinger, a freshman in Agricultural and Biological Engineering with a concentration in Renewable Energy, was able to find a mentor through his summer internship.

Messinger interned with the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) in Washington, D.C. In this position, he reached out to solar companies and financing groups that might join the association. He also represented SEIA at the Tipping Points conference hosted by the Atlantic Council and the Ecologic Institute’s respective fellows programs.

David Murray is the one who interviewed and hired Messinger. Murray quickly became his mentor by incorporating Messinger into the work of the association. He also helped Messinger actively pursue learning experiences to grow professionally. This has helped Messinger build valuable contacts in the solar industry and allowed him to maintain a professional relationship.

“When looking for a mentor it is important to research important people in your field of interest and actively pursue them,” says Messinger. “A mentor can be such a valuable resource if you show the initiative to learn.”

The Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) is continuing their Young Leader Scholarship Program to benefit students with an interest in agriculture. The program is designed to expose future agriculturalists to the crop protection industry and future career opportunities. Recipients will benefit from networking with MACA members for potential job opportunities, receiving a monetary scholarship, and participating in the MACA Annual Meeting in Des Moines in September.

Applicants must:

• be sophomores or juniors with and educational focus on agriculture
• have secured a summer internship (2018) within africulture, preferably within the crop protection industry
• have a 3.0 minimum GPA
• plan to attend the MACA Annual Meeting September 4-6, 2018 in Des Monies, Iowa
• give two presentations on campus after attending the MACA Annual Meeting

If you are interested in applying, please contact Jean Drasgow (jdrasgow@illinois.edu) for the application.

“A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.” – Unknown

Employer: Alachua County Board of County Commissioners

Position: Horticulturist

Position Type: Full-Time Job

Handshake ID: 1097096

Employer: Mile High Youth Corps

Position: Energy & Water Corpsmember

Position Type: Full-Time Internship

Handshake ID: 1096650

Employer: Mercy Home for Boys and Girls

Position: Overnight Youth Care Worker

Position Type: Full-Time Job

Handshake ID: 1102067

Employer: National Pork Board

Position: Veterinary Intern

Position Type: Full-Time Internship

Handshake ID: 1101243

Employer: Cargill

Position: Project Management Intern 2018

Position Type: Full-Time Internship

Handshake ID: 1099058

Employer: Schreiber Foods

Position: Formulations Intern

Position Type: Full-Time Internship

Handshake ID: 1103187

Employer: DuPont Pioneer

Position: Agronomy Sales Intern - Northwest Iowa

Position Type: Full-Time Internship

Handshake ID: 1101617

Internship Essentials

November 2, 2017

4:00 pm - 4:50 pm

1002 Lincoln Hall

International Student Career Meetup: Managing Personal & Family Expectations

November 2, 2017

4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

213 Conference Room, The Career Center Interview Suite, 616 E Green St.

AgCareers.com Military Virtual Career Fair

November 9, 2017

*Register Here

Global Career Opportunity: Internship Abroad

November 9, 2017

4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

1002 Lincoln Hall

Fall 2017 Express Career Advising Drop-in Hours:

Monday: 9:00 am - 11:00 am & 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Tuesday: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Wednesday: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm 

Thursday: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Mock Interviews (must make an appointment in Handshake).

Career exploration appointments by request.

https://meetme.so/JeanDrasgow