Alumni Spotlight
Name: Jancey Hall
Current Title: Director of Outreach and Programs
Organization: Kansas Soybean
Majors: B.S. Agricultural Economics ’13
K-State College of Ag is proud to recognize alumni from all departments who continue to pursue their passion in their respective fields. It is through experience that we continue to grow as individuals and stewards of the industry. Through those experiences, we hope to be a continued resource for the next generation of K-State students to lean on for advice and continue to build our network!
Why did you choose K-State?
Choosing K-State came very naturally to me because I am a fourth-generation Wildcat. My mother actually grew up in Manhattan, as did her parents. My great-grandma lived a few blocks away from campus, so growing up, Manhattan was always a second home to me. Throughout high school, we were always on campus for FFA events, so it felt like the natural fit.
I didn’t really know what I wanted to be when I grew up, but K-State and the College of Agriculture felt like home because I’d spent so much time connected to it.
What was something that set the K-State College of Agriculture apart?
What stood out to me about the College of Agriculture was its hometown feel. Although I came from the only town with a stoplight in our county — we had only 2,000 people — Manhattan felt like a large city. Within the College of Ag, I would see the same people because we were all on the same side of campus. You’d run into the same people over and over, and you got to know them, and you saw them as part of your routine. The professors were incredibly hands-on, always had their doors open and held a lot of office hours. If you were walking down the hallway, you could stop in and ask a question. That creates that small, hometown feel while still being on a mid-sized campus. That really just builds that community naturally.
What advice would you give your college self?
I honestly don’t know what advice I would give to my college self now that I’m 13 years out of it. I think one of the beautiful things about college is that there are always ways to engage more, develop deeper relationships and do more. I could certainly have done those things, but it’s also a time in your life when your brain’s not fully developed, and that’s such a beautiful thing. I made mistakes, and I also had good successes. I took some things too seriously and other things not seriously enough. But I think it helped shape me into the human I am today. Going through those various experiences has allowed me to learn a lot of things the hard way, but I've learned how to learn, how to develop relationships and succeed in general.
You have had the opportunity to employ K-State students as interns over the years. What have you seen in current students that gives you confidence in the future of agriculture?
The energy and passion that these students bring to our organization every summer is amazing. The lens that they look through, the perspective they give us and the way they question things is unique. Sometimes, I think that, as older generations, we’re uncomfortable with questions and questioning the way things have always been done. It’s so cool to see how they take things from their unique angles and ask questions that help us add more value to our programs and the work we’re doing.
How do you stay connected to agriculture and rural Kansas outside of your job?
The predominant way I stay engaged in rural Kansas, outside of my role with Kansas Soybean, is through the Kansas Sampler Foundation and as a member of their Kansas Explorers Club. They host the Big Kansas Road Trip, where every spring and fall they choose a different community to explore, host events and do different things there.
In addition, it’s just about getting out, exploring and appreciating the state we live in. We live in a really cool state, and it’s really fun to explore and experience the natural beauty. People often complain about traveling through Kansas because you can see for miles, but I think it’s the most incredible state because you can see for miles. I was in Missouri last weekend, and I got out of the car, and the first thing I said to one of my friends was, “You have too many trees. You can’t see anywhere.” From the roads in Kansas, you can see the cattle, buffalo and the crops growing. When you go to the small towns, you run into unexpected people who are just a joy and a delight to be around.
How has your experience in agriculture changed your perspective of the world?
I think the coolest thing, and what has helped me to understand agriculture and the world better, is the work of consumer engagement that I do through Kansas Soybean. Right now we’re working primarily with dietitians, but we’ve also worked with online influencers. It’s so cool to bring those folks from various walks of life to farms in Kansas to sit down around a table and have conversations.
This isn’t uniquely a Kansas or American thing either. It’s a worldwide tradition where we celebrate and we engage over food. If you get married, if you have a baby, if you have a birthday, if you get a promotion — food is involved in all the celebrations as well as the heartbreaks, sorrow, funerals and the really bad days.
Food becomes personal, and farmers make it possible. This allows agriculture to have an immediate connection with everyone, giving us a great advantage.