Rachel Moten

"Come prepared to work hard, network with your professors and students and be open-minded to exploring different opportunities outside of your comfort zone." This is the advice of agricultural journalism student Rachel Moten, AgJ '10, from Chicago.

Moten, who describes herself as gregarious, ambitious and spiritually focused, said she enrolled in the Agricultural Journalism Program because it combines a top journalism education with an excellent school for agriculture.

"Being an AgJ major also gives me early hands-on experience pertaining to what I'm majoring in," Moten said.

She has taken advantage of such hands-on opportunities as the AgJ Program's Field Reporting course, which included an intensive, three-day reporting trip around Missouri.

She has interned with Michigan State University's natural resources department and a writing position with MU International Programs. She completed a workshop at MU in summer 2006 in which she converged broadcast and print media on a story about a program involving African-, Hispanic- and Native Americans.

On campus, Moten is a member of Target Hope, IMPACT and the National Association of Black Journalists. Although she hasn't declared a sequence in journalism, Moten said she is considering agribusiness or international agriculture as a minor.

Moten plans include owning a television station where agriculture is the topic of discussion. She also wants to start a Christian mentoring program for young adults.