4 minute read
From Farm Kid to Manager, Alumnus Succeeds
FROM FARM KID TO MANAGER, ALUMNUS SUCCEEDS
Steve Mette, a self-defined "farm kid," is using the Ag Production associate degree he earned at Lake Land College as the purchasing and logistics manager at South Central FS in Effingham.
In this position, Mette is in charge of all of the logistics of the company’s purchasing practices, including fertilizer, anhydrous, propane, chemicals and other necessary items for operation.
“I work with a good group of people at a good place,” Mette said. “A lot of times that’s the most important thing in being successful.”
Born and raised on a livestock farm in Teutopolis, Mette said he always felt a connection to farming and was thankful for the opportunity to take a few Ag Business classes at the Lake Land College Kluthe Center during his senior year of high school.
After taking a year off to work at a local dairy farm, Mette’s wife convinced him to enroll in the Ag Production program at Lake Land.
“I knew people that had gone to Lake Land, and I always heard good things about it,” Mette said. “Just from being a farm kid, I think Lake Land really opened my eyes to the world of opportunities out there for me.”
Mette continued his education with a bachelor’s degree in Plant and Soil Science at Southern Illinois University Carbondale then joined the workforce. With concepts and techniques he learned throughout his educational journey still useful in his career, Mette said his time at Lake Land was “invaluable.”
“Lake Land is a great place to get a good education where you can really learn a lot about your field,” Mette said. “I have a lot of good friends from when I was at Lake Land, and I still use a lot of the core base knowledge that I learned there to this day.”
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Mark Niemerg, Agronomy Instructor/Farm Manager
Agronomy Instructor/Farm Manager Mark Niemerg came to Lake Land as a student with no intention of becoming a teacher ten years after graduating from high school.
“As I was going through college, I had many classmates tell me as I was explaining something they didn’t get in class that I helped them understand it and that I should be a teacher,” Niemerg said. “I initially scoffed at the idea, but as time went on I started to think maybe teaching could be the right fit for me.”
Niemerg has now taught at Lake Land for more than 25 years and said he “still enjoys every day of it.” He also makes a point to answer as many students’ questions as possible, and if he does not know the answer immediately, he finds it for them.
“What makes Lake Land great compared to any four-year school or community college, is that our instructors have real-world experience,” Niemerg said. “We are there to help our students. We are not there just to deliver the information; we’re there to teach you, so that’s what really sets us apart.”
Not only are students able to choose from multiple degree and certificate options, those in the program will have the flexibility and assistance necessary from instructors to build knowledge and skills in ways that are applicable to them.
Sharing advice to those thinking of attending college, Niemerg said it is important to remember that every school has its own personality.
"Think about where you are most comfortable and where you think you’ll find the most support. Cost is important, certainly, but that shouldn’t be the only factor you consider. It’s about what you learn and how you learn it.”
ONLINE BONUS
Online Bonus Watch Mark's full interview and learn about the Agriculture at Lake Land at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJHnhu-7rMs.
AGRICULTURE AREA OF STUDY
Agriculture Transfer
Agriculture Business
Agriculture Production & Management
Crop Production
Diesel & Ag Power Technology
Horticulture
John Deere Tech
Livestock Production
Pre-Veterinary Medicine
Agriculture Exploratory Area of Study
LEARN MORE
For more information or to get started in an Agriculture Area of Study visit lakelandcollege.edu.
