Lyon gains experience, connections through campus involvement

Nov. 30, 2022 | By Kourtnie Stenwall, communication assistant

Lexi Lyon knew she wanted to continue gaining agriculture experience and making connections when she arrived at Northwest Missouri State University, and that mentality is already benefiting her as she nears the completion of her degree.

Lyon came to Northwest with a goal of obtaining a degree in agriculture and the experience of working on her family’s cattle and row crop operation in Winterset, Iowa. Her interest in agriculture grew during high school through her involvement in FFA, 4H, Cattlemen’s Association and showing cows.

“I always knew it was something I was passionate about and advocated for,” Lyon said. “It’s not as typical for women to go into ag, but it is something that I am passionate about.”

Lexi Lyon graduates from Northwest this fall with her bachelor's degree in agricultural business. (Photo by Abigayle Rush/Northwest Missouri State University)

Lyon learned about Northwest through a friend she met at the Iowa State Fair and decided to tour the University campus. After learning about Northwest’s growing agriculture program, she decided to attend and has made the most of her college experience.

Lyon has served as recruitment chair for Sigma Alpha, a professional agricultural sorority, and secretary for Block and Bridle, an animal science-focused organization. She was a member of the Collegiate Farm Bureau and Cattlemen’s Association. She also continued participating in cattle and swine shows.

Lyon said the most impactful part of her education at Northwest has been the support she received from the School of Agricultural Sciences. She made valuable connections with advisors and faculty in the School who helped her pursue a career in ag business.

“I feel like everyone in the ag department knows who I am, and they make me feel like I’m not just a number,” Lyon said. “I think they’ve definitely been impactful for where I am going and me staying in ag business because I wasn’t really sure if it was for me or what I wanted to do with it at first.”

In addition to her organizational involvement, Lyon is a peer advisor, helping incoming freshmen adjust to campus life and make connections through Northwest’s University Seminar course. She also works as an event intern with Career Services and helped put on events such as Career Day and Mock Interview Day. Her connection with Career Services has helped prepare her for post-graduate life.

“Through Career Services I’ve had a lot of growth because I’ve made a lot of connections with employers, and they could help me reach out to the hiring managers,” Lyon said. “It was nice to have those connections on campus. Career Services helped me better my resume and interview skills and just knowing people and making connections.”

Lyon is on track to complete her coursework in just two and a half years and graduate from Northwest this fall with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business. She already has accepted a full-time position as a crop insurance agent at Frontier Farm Credit in Baldwin City, Kansas.

“Take advantage of all the stuff Northwest offers, all the things that Career Services puts on or other organizations that are trying to help better you,” Lyon said. “The reason you come to college is to get a job. Take advantage of the career fairs, mock interview days and the services they offer for free because as much as college is a lot of fun, at the end of the day you came here for one goal. It’s exciting to see that hard work pay off once you get that job.”