Meet Brenna Chism - Growing for Real-World Impact
Expected graduation year: Spring 2027
Hometown: Olathe, Kansas
Brenna Chism is not your average agronomy student. Yes, she loves all things soil, plants and weeds, but her passion for agriculture also lies in the people who will consume the products. She imagines a world where every person has access to the nutrition they need to thrive and, for her, that starts with plants.
Brenna cultivated her ambition for agriculture through a series of experiences that began in high school. It started with two internships at K-State Olathe, where she engaged in hands-on fieldwork and learned about cover crops in the Horticulture Center, and then worked in a food safety lab. In college, she participated in a summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at the University of Iowa, where she applied scientific principles to crop management, comparing the use of drones and proximal sensors. This summer, she will further her education and expertise by working with biofuels in Great Falls, Montana, for a company named Sustainable Oils.
Her early classes in agronomy introduced her to topics including biotechnology and crop improvement. These concepts sparked a dream of working in nutritional crop improvement, which led her to declare a secondary major in dietetics. By exposing herself to both disciplines, she can blend agronomy and dietetics to research how plant genetics can directly influence human health.
Chism’s dual majors have laid the groundwork for her real passion of plant breeding through biofortification, which is improving the nutritional value of crops through agronomic, fertilization, breeding techniques or biotechnology. Because of the technical nature of this work, she’s already immersed herself into undergraduate research that will set her up for success in the future.
She collaborated on an undergraduate research project in weed science, in which she studied how to utilize safeners, specific chemicals applied alongside herbicides to reduce crop damage.
“Safener research is pretty new worldwide, with a lot of prior research on safeners coming from European countries, particularly Germany. There's not a lot of research being done in the U.S. yet, so for K-State to be taking the lead in researching those efforts is pretty big,” said Chism.
She has also led dietetics research by assessing the availability of nutritious foods in rural areas. Through this project, she visited a small Kansas town to directly engage with the community and gain a firsthand understanding of their access to healthy food options. Next, she wants to focus on continuing her education in and experience with the protein quality and micronutrient profiles of both wheat and grain sorghum.
Building relationships across campus
Chism’s learning and involvement do not stop at her classes. She’s involved in food access programs both on campus and in the Manhattan community through Konza Student Table and the Flint Hills Food Recovery program, which give her a greater understanding of the nutritional needs of people across a spectrum of ages and stages, as well as a larger professional network. This connection to food insecurity led to Chism’s current involvement in the university-wide Risk Management Fellows program, which is housed in the College of Business Administration.
Her Risk Management Fellows cohort has been introduced to professionals from various companies, including many outside agriculture, who mitigate and optimize risk in their industry. The program gives students the opportunity to learn firsthand through real-life situations with real companies. In addition to guest speakers, they take field trips to companies to gain hands-on experience.
Chism has found interdisciplinary opportunities to be a big part of her K-State story, and the best example of this is her involvement in the K-State Pride Marching Band. She gets to use her musical talent while developing relationships with a wide variety of students and growing as an individual and campus leader.
“The adrenaline rush of running onto the field for the very first home game of the season is so special, and I love it so much,” said Chism. “ Marching band also teaches a very important lesson of working hard to get what you want. It teaches you to adapt, be flexible and work as a team. It's such a good experience, and I'm so glad I did it.”
Finding her place
If that wasn’t enough, Chism is also a teaching assistant for five classes and leads a weekly crochet group that makes and donates items to non-profit organizations in Manhattan. She’s using every second of her time at K-State to make the most of her college experience and encourages others to do the same.
“In marching band, Dr. Wimmer would always say, ‘If you want a seat at the table, you’ve got to go meet some people first. You have to want it,” said Chism.
Chism wants it. She has sent countless emails seeking opportunities. She’s built relationships with mentors and peers across campus and throughout the Manhattan community and taken advantage of every opportunity to get involved and grow. She’s found connections between people and ideas that many miss. And, all of it has led her back to her love for helping people.