Recent Ph.D. Graduates

 

2024

Two of the three Emerging Scholars at the 2024 meeting of the Southern Agricultural Economics Association annual meeting are Oklahoma State alumni. Pictured are Brian Mills now at Mississippi State and Logan Britton now at Kansas State.

 

• Ashley Beeler, SASI, North America

• Chellie Hogan Maples, Agricultural Economist, American Farmland Trust

 

2023

• Ryan Loy, Assistant Professor, Extension Economist, University of Arkansas
• Christina Biedny - Senior Analyst, AECOM

 

2022

• Whoi Cho – South Korea military
• Yejun Choi – Postdoctoral researcher, Texas Tech University
• C. Alejandra Mendoza Ruiz – Postdoctoral researcher, University of Kentucky
• JeongSeung Kim – Research Fellow, Korean Rural Economic Institute
• Miyeon Son – Postdoctoral researcher, Purdue University
• Joo Hun Han – Postdoctoral researcher, University of Arkansas
• Tori Marshall – Extension Specialist, University of Tennessee
• Davood Poursina – Postdoctoral researcher, Oklahoma State University

 

2021

• Kayla Hildebrand - Vice President at Lead Business Analyst, Citi, Texas

 

2020

• Logan Britton - Assistant Professor at Kansas State University
• Jessica Richard - Livestock Economist at Arkansas Farm Bureau

 

2019

• William E. Maples - Assistant Professor Mississippi State University
• Brian Mills - Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University
• Devon Meadowcroft - Postdoctoral Researcher at Pennsylvania State University
• Bart Niyibizi - Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls
• Pedro Machado - Director of Research Development and Innovation at Xtra Factors Inc. Ephrata, PA
• Brian P. Mulenga - Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute at Lusaka, Zambia
• Aaron Ates - Managing Economist at Berkeley Research Group LLC, College Station, TX
• Ryan Feuz - Postdoctoral Fellow at Utah State University

 

2018

• Jacob Manlove - Assistant Professor at Tarleton State University
• Mark Buda - Senior Lecturer at University Putra Malaysia
• Candi Ge - Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
• Ruoye Yang - Shanzi University, China

 

2017

• Trey Malone - Assistant Professor at Michigan State University
• Clint Neil - Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech
• Eunchun Park - Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University

 

2016

• Josh Maples - Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University

 

2015

• Nathan Thompson - Assistant Professor at Purdue University
• Cortney Cowley - Economist at Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City: Omaha Branch, Omaha NE
• Choolwe Haankuku - Risk Management Analyst, Huntington Bank, Columbus, OH

 

2014

• Amanda Weaver - Resource Planning Analyst at Golden Spread Electric Cooperative Inc., Amarillo, TX
• Brandon McFadden - Assistant Professor at the University of Florida

 

2013

• Yoonsuk Lee - Assistant Professor at the Department of Agricultural, Kangwon National University

 

2012

• John Mann - Assistant Professor at Michigan State University
• Frederic Ouedraogo - Assistant Director of Economics at AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association
• Brenna Ellison - Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois
• Andrew Griffith - Extension Livestock Economist at the University of Tennessee
• Mallory Vestal - Assistant Professor at West Texas A&M University
• Brian Williams - Assistant Extension Professor at Mississippi State University

 

2011

• Jongsan Choi - Assistant Professor at the Department of Agricultural Economics, Chonbuk National University
• Inbae Ji - Assistant Professor at the Department of Agricultural Economics, Dongguk University
• Chris Boyer - Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee
• Emmanuel Tumusiime - Researcher at Economic Justice at OxFarm America

 

2010

• Kate Brooks - Extension Livestock Economist at the University of Nebraska

 

"I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to earn a Ph.D. from the Department of Agricultural Economics at Oklahoma State University. My time in the department has made a lasting impact on my career path and my personal development. The training I received under outstanding researchers and teachers equipped me with the necessary skills for a career in academia. The relationship across faculty, extension personnel, staff, and students in the department reflected a family environment with the department. I am proud to call myself a poke!"

 

Dr. Christopher Boyer

Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Tennessee Ph.D., Agricultural Economics, 2011

 

The Ph.D. program at Oklahoma State University has a long tradition of successful graduates. For example, Per Pinstrup Andersen (1969) is professor emeritus of Cornell University and past AAEA president. James Richardson (1978) is regents professor and Texas AgriLife research senior faculty fellow at Texas A&M University. C.S. (Bill) Herndon (1984) is assistant vice president, Mississippi State University. Other past graduates are faculty members at University of Illinois, University of Missouri, Mississippi State University, Louisiana State University, Purdue University, University of Tennessee as well as other universities. 

 

Past Ph.D. students have been successful in private industry as well. For example, Mark Teague (1995) is chief risk officer of Barri Financial Group, Vladimir Lukin (2000) is a lead scientist at American Express, and Lonnie Hamm (2003) is principal and head of systematic trading for Range Capital in London. Other past students have taken prominent roles in public institutions such as Ambassador Richard T. "Dick" Crowder (1967) who served as chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative and as undersecretary of agriculture for International Affairs and Commodity Programs and Terri Raney (1986) is with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome.

 

Successful graduates are scattered throughout the world. For example, four former students have positions at the Korean Rural Economic Institute. Emilio Tostão (2006) is dean of the Faculty of Agronomy and Forestry Engineering of the University Eduardo Mondlane in Maputo, Mozambique. Other former students are faculty members at universities in Zambia, Jordan, Turkey, China, Indonesia, Australia, and many other countries.

 

Recent Positions Taken by Master's Graduates

• Grain Merchandiser, CGB Enterprises, Inc.
• Economist at Kansas Farm Management Association, Northeast Region
• Noble Foundation
• Associate Business Development Manager, Simmons Foods, Arkansas
• Associate Bank Examiner at Farm Credit Administration
• Business Analyst Bethlehem Shared Services, Pennsylvania
• Extension Agricultural Economist, Kansas Farm Management Association, SE, Chanute, KS
• Professional Services Consultant, Cerner Corp, Kansas City
• Managing Director- Financial Analyst Manager, Rabo AgriFinance
• Grain Merchandiser CGB Enterprises, Inc., St. Louis, MO
• Relationship Analyst at Rabo AgriFinance
• Northwest Area Agricultural Economics Specialist at OSU
• Partner at FSW&B CPA’s-PLLC
• Farm Management Economist, Kansas State University
• Cattle Procurement, JBS
• Turf and Ornamental Sales Representative, Dow AgroSciences
• Accountant/Analyst, Koch Industries, Inc.
• Credit Officer, CoBank
• 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator, Purdue University
• Relationship Manager, Rabo AgriFinance
• Founder and Executive Director, Center for Entrepreneurship and Leadership in Haiti
• Commodity Buyer, Kalsec
• Economist, Cargill
• Marketing, Specialist, ADM Alliance Nutrition, Inc.
• Merchandiser Gavilon Group, LLC
• Farm Loan Officer USDA Farm Service Agencey
• Loan Officer Oklahoma AgCredit
• Extension Economist KSU
• Credit Analyst InterBank
• Assistant Bank Examiner Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
• BancFirst Commercial/Consumer Loan Officer Assistant VP
• Sales Management Seaboard Foods
• State Specialized Agent, Beef and Forage Economics
• University of Florida/IFAS Extension Associate Account Marketing Manager
• Certified Angus Beef
• Ohio State Majority Intern
• Sales Specialist, Tyson Foods
• Client Success Partner, Gartner
• Associate Account Marketing Manager
• Certified Angus Beef
• Ohio Senate Majority Intern
• Oklahoma Farm Bureau
• Law School
• ConocoPhillips

 

"One thing that sets the Oklahoma State Agricultural Economics department apart from other institutions is the distinguished faculty. The faculty are well-known within both academics and private industry, and it was a privilege to have studied under these professors."

 

Name: Kristen Kovalsky
Company: Publix Super Markets

Position: Senior Purchasing Analyst

Location: Florida

M.S. Agricultural Economics, 2012