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Initial Employment Accepted by Graduate Students
Our graduates don’t just earn advanced degrees, they launch meaningful careers. The Department of Agricultural Economics at K-State has a strong track record of placing master’s and Ph.D. graduates into impactful roles across academia, government, agribusiness, finance, policy, and beyond. This page highlights the diverse organizations and institutions where our recent graduates have taken the next step, reflecting the strength of our programs, faculty mentorship, and commitment to preparing students for success in a competitive global economy.
See our graduate job placements by year:
- M.S.
- Caitlyn Alderson, Feeder Cattle Market Analyst, Cattlenomics
- Katy Doumit, Beef Supply Chain Analyst, Cattlenomics
- Kunle Jimoh, Quality Assurance Specialist II, Boston Bio Products, Massachusetts
- Delide Joseph, Ph.D. Student, Kansas State University.
- Calder McCollum. Loan Officer, GN Bank
- Maccoy Sitka, Palmer Food Services, Rochester, NY
- Corbin Smith, Associate Commodities Analyst, Smithfield Foods.
- Jenae Tilford, Business Intelligence Analyst, Sandhills Global, Department of Data Operations and Management.
- Parker Vulgamore, J.D. Candidate at Harvard Law School
- Bryston Warren, Risk Management Associate, StoneX Group Inc.
Ph.D.
- Walter Ac-Pangan, Instructor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech
- Kristiina Ala-Kokko, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Arkansas
- Merri Beth Day, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University
- Jiyeon Kim, Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State University
- Bailey Peterson-Wilhelm, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Saskatchewan
- Priyanka Sharma, Post-doctoral Fellow, Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research (I³R) at the University of Arkansas
MS
- Adetola Lamidi, Fabrication Supervisor, Cargill
- Audrey Marchek, Ranch Management Assistant, Marchek & Son, Inc.
- Matthew Melchor, Director of State Government Affairs, Nebraska Cattlemen
- Isaac Sunderland, Sustainability Specialist, Scoular
- Kaitlyn Urban, Trade Execution Associate, StoneX Group Inc.
- David Wesseler, currently in the job market
- Issac Wingert, Analyst, JBS
Ph.D.- Bolanle Atilola, Research Associate Professor, Langston University
- Justin Bina, Assistant Professor of Agribusiness, Arizona State University
- Sylvanus Gaku, Farm Financial Management Outreach Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Jaime Luke, Assistant Professor, Dept of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Michigan State University
- Raymond Thomas, Assistant Professor, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University
- Takesure Tozooneyi, Consulting
MS
- Abena Damuah. PhD Student, Kansas State University
- Alan Hinds. PhD Student, Cornell Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
- Eliyasu Osman. PhD Student, Kansas State University
- Andrew Anderson, Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas
- Lonnie Hobbs, Jr., Assistant Professor, Kansas State University
- Gerald Mashange, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Abdur Rub, Econometric Analysis Specialist, FAO at the United Nations
- MS
- Lauren Benavidez. PhD Student, Purdue University
- Luke Byers. Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent, River Valley District
- Kinzey Cott. Fiscal Analyst, Sorghum & Millet Innovation Lab
- Nash Davtyan. Data Analyst, Vulgamore Family Farms.
- John Green. PhD. Student, University of California-Davis
- Jake Hefley. Master Data Coordinator, Hiland Dairy Food
- Megan Hill. Business Intelligence Specialist, Farm Journal
- Ashling Murphy. Agribusiness Specialist, Mountaire Farms
- Amber Oerly. Senior Analyst, Fulcrum Global Capital
- Sheppard Rogers. Commodity Research & Heading Analyst, Smithfield Foods
- Hunter Biram, Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas
- Micah Cameron-Harp, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Kansas State University and then Assistant Professor at Kansas State University
- Kaitlyn Dinges-Weber, Instructional Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University
- Grant Gardner, Assistant Extension Professor, University of Kentucky
- Jody Herchenbach, Agribusiness Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska-Kearney
- Gabriela Quesada-Perez, Post-Doctoral Researcher, University of California-Davis and then Assistant Professor at University of Tennessee
- MS
- Walter AC-Pangan. Kansas State University Ph.D. program.
- Devin Brand. Extension Agricultural Economist at Kansas Farm Management Association.
- Michaela Eden. Animal Welfare Auditor at Frost, PLLC
- Bailey Hinkle. Customer Sales Consultant at WTC Communications
- Mary Kurzweil. Analyst at CattleFax
- Emily Parker. Senior Specialist Enterprise Inventory Management at Tyson Foods
- Bryn Swearingen. Agricultural Economist at USDA – Economic Research Service
- Hannah Taylor. Agricultural Economist at USDA – Economic Research Service
- Paul Aseete. Instructor at Makerere University
- Francis Tisboe. Research Agricultural Economist at USDA – Economic Research Service
- Hannah Shear. Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State
- MS
- Justin Bina. Ph.D. student, Kansas State University.
- Gabriel Blairfontinelle. FCS Stone.
- Meghan Brence. Relationship Manager, Northwest Farm Credit Services.
- Claudia Hissong. Public Policy Implementation Coordinator, Kansas Farm Bureau.
- Tori Laird. Economist, Kansas Department of Agriculture.
- Catherine Ofori-Bah. Ph.D. student, Kansas State University.
- Raymond Thomas. Ph.D. student, Kansas State University
Ph.D.
- Abigail Adaku. Lecturer, Department of Agricultural Economics and Business, University of Ghana.
- Amer Al-Sudani. Post-Doc, Louisiana State University.
- Sandra Contreras. Economic Instructor, Georgia Military College
- Manzamasso Hodjo. Post-Doc Fellow, K-State University, Feed the Future Innovation Lab
- Minyoung Jun. Visiting Professor, Kyunghee University, Suwon, Korea.
- Munsu Kang. Associate Research Fellow, Africa and Middle East Team Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP).
- Juhee Lee. Postdoctoral Scholar in the School of Public Policy (SPP) at the University of California, Riverside and then Assistant Professor at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- Florence Lwiza. Lecturer, Makerere University, Uganda.
- Patalee Mallika. Post-Doc, University of Kentucky.
- Noah Miller. Research Agricultural Economist, USDA-ERS.
- James Mitchell. Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas.
- Donghyun Moon. Associate Research Fellow, Africa and Middle East Team Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP).
- Agness Myzyece. Lecturer, Iowa Wesleyan University.
- Kazi Tamim Rahman. Professor & Head, Department of Agricultural Economics Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Bangladesh
- MS
- Whitney Bowman. M.S. Commodity Research & Hedging Analyst, Smithfield Foods, Smithfield, VA
- Emily Carls. M.S. Illinois Farm Business Farm Management Association, Springfield, Illinois
- Amanda Clymer. M.S. Farm Credit Services of America, Omaha, Nebraska
- Jared Cullop. M.S. Farm Loan Officer, USDA FSA, Emporia, KS
- Xijian Hao. M.S. Sales Manager, Beijing Enterprises Clean Energy Group.
- Pedro Masi Godo,. M.S. Financial Analyst, Ag Econ Department, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
- Luke Minnix. M.S. Minnix Farms, Scott City, KS
- Matthew Myers. M.S. Loan Officer, Banner Capital Bank, Beaver City, NE
- Allison Pitts. M.S. North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, North Caroline State University, Raleigh, NC
- Vivian Simmons. M.S. Student. PricewaterhouseCooper, Inc. IL
- Trevor Tyree. M.S. Product Specialist, Tyree Ag, Inc. Kinsley, KS
Ph.D.
- Kayode Ajewole. Ph.D. Research Agricultural Economist, USDA-Economic Research Services
- Ralph Armah. Ph.D. Research Fellow, Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana, Legon
- Bowen Chen. Ph.D. Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign and then Director of Global Economic Analysis at Bunge
- Elliott Dennis. Ph.D. Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
- Youngjune Kim. Ph.D. Senior Research Associate, Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, University of Missouri – Columbia, Columbia, MO
- Pacem Kotchofa. Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow Socio-Economist, International Research Institute (ILRI), Senegal
- Tebila Nakelse. Ph.D. Policy Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations, Rome, Italy
- Oladipo Obembe. Ph.D. Post Doc, South Dakota State University, SD.
- Madhav Regmi. Ph.D. Assistant Professor, New Mexico State University, NM.
- Becatien Yao. Ph.D. Research Associate, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.
2018
M.S.
- Tanner Aherin, Analyst at Cattlefax
- Micheal Apamaku, Veterinarians Without Borders
- Hanna Ruder, Risk Management Analyst at Dairy Farmers of America
- Emilie Herbst, Sales Analyst Associate at Cargill Feed
- Paul Leiva Lanza, Management Trainee at JBS
- Jayce Stabel, Stabel Family Farms
- Candice Gatson Smart, Research Analyst at Kynetec
- Nathan Smart, Research Analyst at Kynetec
- Lucas Sedbeck Ph.D. Program at the University of Wisconsin
Ph.D.- Weldensie T. Embaye Post Doctoral at McGill University
- Emrah Er, Research Assistant at Ankara University
- Michael Lindbloom, Visiting Assistant Professor at Elmhurst College
- Frank Nti, Agricultural Economist, USDA FAS
- Nicholas Pates, Post Doctoral at the University of Kentucky
2017
MS
- Cody O'Brien, Landmark National Bank
- Christian Torrez Galeano, CattleFax
- Candice Wilson, Washington, D.C.
Ph.D.- Melissa McKendree, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University
- Nicolas Quintana-Ashwell, World Bank, Technical Specialist, Global Water Practice. Research Scientist, University of Wyoming
- Steven Ramsey, Assistant Professor. New Mexico State University
- Ana Claudia Sant'Anna, Post Doc. The Ohio State University
- Shuang Xu, California
2016
MS
- Logan Britton, U.S. Grains Council, Washington, D.C., Graduate Fellow in Economics and Policy Analysis
- Brian Highfill, Cargill
- Claire Newman, Research Assistant, University of California-Davis, California
- Henry Ott, Frontier Farm Credit. Emporia, Real Estate and Chattel Appraiser
Ph.D.- Xia Shang, Data Scientist Econometrics, Monsanto
2015
MS
- Kassie Curran, IT Support Analyst, Cargill Meat Solutions
- Michelle Estes, Smithfield Farmland, Associate Category Planner.
- Adam Hancock, Informa Economics Washington Office. Consultant specializing in the analysis of goverment policies, programs, and regulations.
- Claire Luensmann, Cargill, Feed Associate
- Hannah Miller, Ameriprise Financial Inc.
Ph.D.- Brady Brewer, University of Georgia, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.
- Elizabeth Canales, Roll Global, Strategy Consultant
- Melissa Lynes, Oil and Energy, U.S. Energy Information Administration, Washington D.C. Industry Economist
2014
MS
- William Calis, Topcon Precision Agriculture, Business Development Analytics Specialists
- Garret Lister, Innovative Livestock Solutions in Kansas, Risk Management Trainee
- Cooper Morris, Rabo AgriFinance in Kansas, Credit/Relationship Analyst
- Brian Sancewich, University of Florida, Post Doc
- Dustin Shearer, Gordon L. Brown and Associates, Inc. in Pennsylvania. Engineer in Training
Ph.D.- Graciela Andrango, National Institute of Agricultural and Livestock Research of Ecuador (INIAP)
- Veronica Pozo, Utah State University, Assistant Professor
2013
MS
- Nathan Clarke, Extension Agricultural Economist, K-State Research and Extension
- Matthew Herrington, Chicago Mercantile Exchange
- Caitlin Lowe, Opportunity International
- Rebecca Manes, Kansas Legislative Research Group, Research Fellow
- Brett Pendell. Commodity Hedging Analyst, Smithfield foods
PHD- Sam Funk, Chief Economist, United Soybean Board
- Bryon Parman, Assistant Professor, Mississippi State University
- Levi Russell, Assistant Professor, Texas AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M University
- Alexi Thompson. Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Indiana University of Pennsylvania