Agricultural Economics Department Ambassadors

The Agricultural Economics Department Ambassadors are students who are selected by a panel of Department faculty for a one year term. They work 5 hours a week for the department and receive a $1500 scholarship.
For the 2008-2009 school year, the ambassadors are (left to right): Cassidy Robinson, Elm Creek, NE; Luke Beckman, Elgin, NE; Bret Herndon, Gothenburg, NE; Craig Davidson, Imperial, NE; and Tyler Ganesbom, Osmond, NE.

You can email the ambassadors at agecon4u@unl.edu

Luke Beckman
Hey everybody! My name is Luke Beckman and I am a sophomore dual majoring in Agribusiness and Agronomy. I am from the small town of Elgin, Nebraska which is located in the northeast part of the state.  After graduating from Pope John High School in Elgin I chose to pursue my college education at the University of Nebraska.  Agribusiness was my original major, but I soon realized that I wanted to learn more about crop production and plant science.  Agronomy was the obvious choice and I decided to add it to my course of study. This past summer I had the opportunity to intern with Central Valley Ag Coop in Elgin as a crop consulting intern. This position allowed me to gain experience in both the Agribusiness and Agronomy fields.  When I am not preoccupied with academics I like to spend my time going to the rec center, playing intramural sports, and just hanging out with friends.  Whenever the Huskers aren’t playing in Lincoln I like to go home and help out on the family farm.  

Craig Davidson
Howdy, I am Craig Davidson.  I am a junior agribusiness major from Imperial, Nebraska.  I am very active on campus which has given me the opportunity to meet some amazing people.  I really enjoy the social life on campus.  Meeting people with completely different backgrounds has been one of the great adventures I have had while at the University of Nebraska.  I live on East Campus in a fraternity.  The atmosphere on East Campus is one of a kind.  It is sort of like Cheers, “everybody knows your name.”  If I were to leave you with one morsel of knowledge on how to succeed in college it would be whatever you do, do it to best of your ability. 

Tyler Ganesbom
Hi, I am Tyler Gansebom, an Agribusiness major with a Banking and Finance option.  I am originally from a farm just outside of Osmond, NE, a town of about 800 people in the northeast corner of the state.  The reason I chose to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and major in Agribusiness was mostly driven by the great faculty and staff that are throughout the department.  On top of that, everyone on East Campus is very friendly giving me a great environment to make new friends and consequently know people who are in my classes which gives us the opportunity to study together.  The professors are also very friendly, know my name, and are willing to help with any questions I may have, whether it is school related or not.  I am also a member of the Ag Economics/Ag Business Club, in which many speakers come to meetings and give real life examples of how having an Agribusiness/Agricultural Economics degree may help us in the future.  I got a taste of that future last summer when I took an internship with Farm Credit Services of America.  With this internship I learned much more about what it takes to be an agricultural lender and how to interact with the farmers and ranchers I worked with.  If you don’t find me on East Campus, I am usually either hanging out with friends, playing intramural sports, going to Husker games, or back home on the farm helping with whatever needs to be completed.

Bret Herndon
Hi prospective Huskers! I am Bret Herndon, a senior Agribusiness major with an option of banking and finance. I can’t believe I am a senior! It feels like yesterday I was a senior in high school looking at the Department of Agricultural Economics. I have been involved with all kinds of things while I have been here at the U. I’ve done many intramurals sports such as flag football, softball, sand volleyball, and broomball. Currently, I am an intern at ADM merchandising soybeans and soybean meal. I am the vice-president of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) and will be competing in Atlanta, Georgia in the spring. If I could give you any piece of advice I would say get involved! Getting involved academically and socially has been the greatest decision I have made while at college. I enjoy college so much I will be here for an extra semester taking my time to graduate. So, I’ll see you here!

Cassidy Robinson
Hello, I am a Junior Agribusiness major with Banking and Finance option. I am from the little town of Elm Creek, Nebraska where I was raised on a family farm.  I didn’t start off at UNL as an Agribusiness major, in fact I started in Food Science. After taking Dr. Hanson’s Agriculture Economics class my second semester I quickly knew where my passion was at the university. After switching I realized all the oppourtunities to get involved in the department. Not only did I get to join clubs I actually work in the department as a teaching assistant for Dr. Hanson. As a member of the Ag Economics/ Agribusiness Club I participated in a protégé program this year in which I was able to spend a day learning the trade with an ag banker. I am also invloved on the CASNR week planning committee in which I get to help make plans for a very important week on campus that goes on in the spring. In my free time you’ll either find me out on a lake or kicking up my heels country dancing on Sunday nights at Pla Mor Ballroom.