Field to Film: Career Snapshots

“I feel very lucky to work in this career because of the great producers we work with and the cooperators,” Justin Chlapecka, county extension agent with the University of Arkansas said. “Working with the good people in agriculture, there’s no better option I could have chosen.” Chlapecka didn’t wake up one day and know exactly…

The daughter of schoolteachers, Maggie Jo Hansen experienced farm life on a smaller scale, selling produce to small businesses, even some fruits and vegetables to Silver Dollar City, and raising livestock. However, her parents always encouraged her to go to college. At the University of Arkansas, Maggie Jo majored in agricultural communications and agribusiness before…

When Morgan Mayer walked onto Arkansas State’s campus in Jonesboro, she wanted a life with animals, but the girl from a hobby cattle farm ended up down a different path. Morgan did not know much about row crops or think she’d pursue a career that required math growing up, but it didn’t take long for…

Trevor Freemyer, native of Stuttgart, drove by Riceland Foods Inc. headquarters most of his life – not knowing that this place would be the start of his professional career. Unsure of what career path to take after college, he sought guidance from a few influential people and landed back in his hometown as a sustainability coordinator…

In our third career snapshot, soybean farmers and brothers Greg and Ryan Bell, talk to students about what it’s like to run a farm. Ryan had no intentions of being in the agricultural industry. He chose to major in agriculture business at Arkansas State University after consulting with his family and academic advisor. Once he…

A graduate of Catholic High School in Little Rock, Chase Barnes knew he didn’t want to be stuck behind a desk working 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Although Chase didn’t have a career in mind, he started hunting for the career he did want at the University of Arkansas in their Division of Agriculture knowing…