Arissa Moyer: A Word from an MKC Summer Intern

By Arisa Moyer, MKC accounting intern

As MKC strives to share growth and success with their customers, they are also helping young men and women grow their professional careers. Through their internship program, MKC is helping students find their niche in the agricultural industry.

This summer, I am working at the Moundridge office as the accounting intern. I have been interested in agricultural finance since high school, however, I did not realize the job opportunities outside of agricultural lending. The internship program has offered me many opportunities to learn a variety of accounting skills that are applicable in the agricultural workforce. As a senior at Kansas State University, majoring in agribusiness and a minor in leadership studies, this internship is what I needed to help gain insight into the many career options.

As the accounting intern, my goal this summer is to understand and analyze financial accounting and reporting. To accomplish this, I’m working on a company fuel audit and gathering and entering account payable discounts, automated clearing house documentation and W-9 information.  In addition, I have learned how to complete daily tasks of such as keying in accounts payables, printing checks and processing customer payments.

As the summer continues, I will be completing the monthly expense reports for the summer months and distributing monthly manager reports. 

I have also been to various locations to learn how MKC uses the perpetual inventory system. I learned how to help locations keep accurate records of inventory, while catching any billing or product errors. One really has to utilize their problem solving skills to find inventory errors!

Growing up on a cattle ranch north of Emporia, Kan., my agronomic and cooperative system knowledge wasn’t very deep. So in addition to my individual project, I have been able to go to the WinField Answer Plot, tour the MKC Groveland agronomy facilities and learn how farmers are using precision agriculture today. I am looking forward to more experiences to allow me to gain a better understanding of this sector of agriculture.

After the workday is over, I enjoy checking out local restaurants and shops in central Kansas suggested by the administration office staff. It has been fun to explore rural Kansas. Everyone I work with at MKC has been so welcoming and does not mind me asking a lot of questions.  I look forward to what the rest of the summer holds!

Sincerely,

Arissa Moyer

Nathan Lanier: A Word from an MKC Summer Intern

By Nathan Lanier, MKC IT intern

For most of my life I’ve never been too far away from MKC, So when I was looking into internships I thought why not look into a company I’m familiar with. I’m Nathaniel Lanier and have the opportunity to work for MKC as the Information Technology intern this summer.

I grew up in Walton, Kan., just a few miles east of the MKC elevator. I will be starting my fourth year at Fort Hays State University this fall and am majoring in information technology and telecommunications. I love everything in information technology, including broadcasting, basic user support and network architecture. I’m currently pursuing certifications in information security, video production, network routing and switching. I currently have a certification in audio production.

Outside of basic user support and new device setup, my daily tasks are more project based. For instance, I am currently working on deploying the anti-virus software update as we move to the cloud for management, allowing MKC to open up server rack space. Also, I am helping Bill Sroufe, user/computer support specialist for MKC, initialize scales for harvest. This consists of making sure each scale gets the correct database update and has a connection to the TMA office. We also assure the printers are correctly set up. A task I worked on last week was punching down Ethernet jacks in the new offices at Moundridge. 

Another task is visiting locations to service and update specific technology. My first location call was at Lindsborg where their UPS (un-interruptible power supply) was dead and they had an issue with a phone after a company-wide phone update. Some upcoming projects consist of helping with the 50^th Annual Stockholders’ Meeting and the migration from Office 2013 to Office 365. I will also be going to the Burns location soon to help rewire the network after their office renovation is complete.

I’m already enjoying everything I’ve been doing even if it doesn’t always work. I’m getting the experience I wanted and the opportunity to work with things you normally wouldn’t at school. I like being able to observe new technologies in my work. My department is really involved and dedicated, but they also like to have fun when they work. I look forward to being more involved in supporting the company throughout the summer, and I appreciate the opportunity to get the experience that I want and need to further my education and future career.

Sincerely,

Nathan Lanier

Cassidy Stimpert: A Word from an MKC Summer Intern

By Cassidy Stimpert, MKC intern

Hey, everyone! My name is Cassidy Stimpert. I will be a junior at Kansas State University this fall and I am interning at the Manhattan location this summer. For a little background on me, I grew up on a farm in Medicine Lodge, Kan. My parents’ operation consists of dry and irrigated farm land, a cow-calf operation, alfalfa, as well as custom swathing and baling. This could keep a person busy enough to make their head spin. Being the last kid at home, for about six years now, my dad wasn’t too happy to hear I wanted to find an internship. I had to explain “ranch hand” isn’t a substantial job to list on your resume if you want to have a job off the farm. Plus, the heat just isn’t my thing! Thankfully, MKC took me under their wing and for only being a week and a half in, man, have I learned a lot!

Recently at the Manhattan location, the counter and scale specialist, Phil, retired and his replacement, Katelin, was hired. Now to make it a little more complicated, Katelin is expecting a little one in the middle of July. This is very exciting for her, but also a little scary for me since I will be taking over her position during her leave. For the past week and a half, I have been learning how to take orders for the feed mill which includes making the rations and then billing those feed orders once they are delivered. Also, I have been learning how to use the accounting software and familiarizing myself with all the different types of feed, fertilizer and merchandise we offer at our location. And let me tell you, there is a lot! Lastly, I have been learning the scale and all the different tickets that come with it. Through all of these responsibilities I have met some great people, heard so many stories, have learned so much and best of all, my fridge is completely stocked with garden veggies and homemade sauerkraut a co-worker brought me!

Sincerely,

Cassidy Stimpert

Shane Eck Graduates KARL Leadership Program

“The Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership Program helped the Class XII leaders find a way to change their world by building on their integrity, confidence, discipline, professionalism, self-development, global viewpoint & servant ethos. Our newest KARL Graduates now possess a sense to serve and follow, in order to LEAD” stated Al Davis, President of Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership, Inc.   Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership, Inc. during the Power of One Seminar, Manhattan.  “Rural Kansas, the agricultural industry, our state, nation and world need your leadership…now get to work!” 

Shane Eck, Senior Location Manager at MKC's Lindsborg location is among this year's alumni class. 

The KARL Inc board of directors, graduates and donors celebrated the commendation of the 30 newest alumni of the two-year advanced state-wide leadership training experience. The KARL Program is a two-year educational experience offering intensive study, training and travel for emerging leaders in agriculture and rural communities.

“Our new leaders participated in nine in-state seminars.  Study tours over the past two years included a national seminar entitled Blue Chip, which is an executive review of a Fortune 500 corporation’s strategic management processes,hosted by Burlington Northern Sante Fe in Ft Worth, Texas; a tour to Washington DC to study decision making on the federal level and an International Study Tour to South Africa, providing a capstone to the intensive 52 day experienced over a two year period.  

Jack Lindquist, KARL Graduate Program Director, welcomed the new alumni into the KARL GRADUATE PROGRAM, the next step in learning experiences for graduates of the KARL Program. “Now that you have completed the two-year program you are each full members of the KARL Graduate Program, a life-time appointment. As well, graduate spouses, or adult guests are able to participate with you.  The greatest benefits of the KARL Graduate Program are to: 1) support the two year KARL Program to help expand your network 2) provide life-long learning and professional improvement opportunities for your family 3) enhance quality of life experiences through cultural exchange travel opportunities and 4) to greatly enhance network development with other state and international agricultural leadership alumni and networks beyond the KARL family network”, Lindquist summarized. 

To view more information regarding the new class, alumni, the curriculum and program goals visit the web site at www.karlprogram.com.

Katie Rose: A Word from an MKC Summer Intern

By Katie Rose, MKC communications intern

Within the first hour of driving into McPherson, I was greeted with a torrential downpour and a tornado warning. Now, being from Texas and attending Oklahoma State University, I was not unfamiliar to either of these things, but my hope for the summer was it would not be like this storm, scary and overwhelming. Luckily, it has been nothing of the sorts.

As the MKC communications summer intern, I have been met with many fun and exciting projects which I cannot wait to dive further into. From working on blog posts to posting graphics on the MKC Facebook page, it has been nothing but busy and awesome. The first day I spent at the Moundridge office, I was greeted by a welcoming and friendly staff. They have all been incredibly helpful and very willing to lend a hand when needed, especially when it comes to the office printer.

My summer will include a great overview of the role a communications department plays within a cooperative. Some of the writing projects I will be working on this summer include articles and stories for the MKC Connections newsletter, blog posts, and the employee newsletter, which I will be leading for the June and July issues. I will also be expanding my design skill set, and have already been busy creating Flush Flash and Fact Friday graphics. If you happened to see the interns on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter recently, I was the one behind the camera documenting our outings. One responsibility I have not had much experience with but am excited for the opportunity to be involved with is the planning and preparation of the 50^th Annual MKC Stockholders’ Meeting in July.

I am excited to be able to work with my mentors Kerry Watson, MKC Director of Communications, and Nichole Gouldie, MKC communications specialist. They both know their stuff and I could not be happier to be under their guidance. I am also very thankful for their patience with all the questions and help thus far.

What I hope to gain from this experience, besides understanding the role a communicator plays, also is to attain a deeper understanding of this sector of agriculture and all the pieces required for it to properly function and thrive. I hope I am able to help MKC as much as they will help shape my future and skills this summer. I am very excited to see what the summer holds and what I will be able to learn from this internship experience.

Sincerely,
Katie Rose
MKC Communications Intern