Pierson said his experiences on the Hotz farm paired with what he is learning in the Ag Program at MCC have been everything he could have hoped for and more. “I’m really grateful to have the opportunity to be there,” Pierson said. “Everything you learn, it’s really great because you can directly take it and put it into work. There’s no better way to learn than hands-on.”
Rachel Paustian
For sophomore agribusiness management major Rachel Paustian, harvest time equals family time. The youngest of seven, her family owns a farm in Dixon, Iowa, where they care for a farrow-tofinish swine herd, marketing 22, 000 hogs each year, and produce sweet corn. Growing up, caring for the hogs and bringing in crops was a family affair. “At times it can be stressful because you have different views of how to do things. But other than that, it’s pretty nice working with your family. I especially enjoy working with my brother since we’re so close. We always joke around and do fun things while getting the work done.” Paustian said as a kid, she had no plans to enter the family business, but as she got older she couldn’t help but be drawn to it. After all, her family has been farming in Eastern Iowa for more than 40 years.
Rachel Agriculture Programs at MCC: Agribusiness Management Farm Business Management Agriculture Equipment Technician Starting Fall 2019 Turf and Landscape Management
Visit eicc.edu/agprograms to learn more!
“I liked it a lot because it gave me an idea of where the food we eat comes from and what the by-products of pigs are used for, like in makeup, stuff like that. It’s very interesting.” She said the sense of pride and feeling of accomplishment you get from farming is also something pretty special.
collecting soil samples and mixing chemicals, and she will get to do another internship this year.
“It is a lot of hard work, but it really gives you a good feeling. You start off and think ‘man this is a lot of work,’ then it’s time to harvest and you get to see the outcome and how well it turned out.”
“I love going to Muscatine,” she said.
Plus, food just tends to taste better when you’ve raised or grown it yourself.
She said the program is also “dadapproved,” as he attended MCC’s Ag program too.
“The sweet corn…it’s way better than any of the other corn I have had from stores!” Paustian said she has enjoyed being in the program at Muscatine Community College because the hands-on experience is allowing her to explore all of the career options in the field. She has already completed an internship at Liqui-Grow, where some of her duties included
“The instructors are amazing. They help you in any way possible and the classes are really fun to be in.”
“I’m so glad I chose this school. I don’t think I would have chosen any other college to go to.”
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Fill out that FAFSA!
orry for shouting, but we wanted to make sure we got your attention. If you, your daughter or son, are planning to attend classes next year, it’s important you complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). It’s required of all students filing for financial aid and by most colleges for their college scholarships. The great news, really, is the federal government has made some changes over the last couple of years to improve the system. Those include moving the date students can begin filing to October 1 (you used to have to wait until January) and you can use last year’s tax information instead of waiting until this year’s tax forms are completed. That means you can file the FAFSA earlier and, in turn, learn what your federal financial aid eligibility is much sooner. In addition to all that, the government has announced a new app called myStudentAid is now available in the Apple Store and Google Play, making the form available on your phone. If you’ve filled out the form previously, you’ll notice the FAFSA website has changed. That was done to accommodate use on cellphones and tablets. Everyone is encouraged to file the FAFSA and determine their eligibility for financial aid. Many people are surprised to learn they are, indeed, eligible.
learn more... eicc.edu/fafsainfo THE Community's College | MAGAZINE
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