UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Kyle Love doesn't have the stress other seniors do about searching for a job after graduation. Thanks to connections he made through Penn State's Ag Career Day, he's already been hired for a job in his chosen field, agronomy.
After he graduates this spring, the Mercer native will begin his career with Monsanto as a district sales manager. "I'll get to work with farmers and offer advice on how they can improve their corn yields, which is something I'm really passionate about," he said.
Love will work in either the Midwest or Western sales territory with Monsanto, working in the exact field that corresponds to his plant sciences major and agronomy minor in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
But Love's success story didn't come easily. He worked hard throughout his college years to rack up great internships that would help him stand out when it came time to get a job.
"I took advantage of the Ag Career Day, and it got me two great internships that put me in an excellent position to obtain a full-time role," he explained.
Love attended the career fair during his sophomore year of college, when he met and interviewed with Dow AgroSciences. The following summer, he worked for Dow doing hands-on jobs, such as managing seed-corn fields in central Iowa.
"Dow treated me so well, giving me the same respect as they would a full-time employee. I'm so grateful for the time I spent with that company," Love said.
During his junior year, Love again attended the career fair, this time connecting with Monsanto, the company that would become his future employer. It offered him an internship in its U.S. Row Crop Sales division in central Kansas, which he accepted.
"One thousand students across the country applied for the Monsanto internship, and only 40 students were selected. Out of those 40, two Penn Staters, including me, were selected from interviews we had at the Ag Career Day," he said.
The internship with Monsanto was a success, and after interviewing at the corporate headquarters in St. Louis over the summer, he was offered a job. "I never would have been considered for the full-time job without the internship with Monsanto," he said.
Love encourages any Ag Sciences student to attend the career fair, which he says is an invaluable benefit to being a Penn State student. "Employers are looking for you — for your specific job interests and passion for agriculture. It can't hurt to just check it out," he said.
Ag Career Day will be held this year from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 20 at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Interested students can learn more about the plant sciences major here.