Name: Austin Knight
Major: Agronomy
Graduation year: 2020
Current job title and company/organization: Director of technical assistance, AgSpire
What moment or experience at Iowa State most shaped your career path?
Participating in the Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative (AgEI) – now called Start Something College of Agriculture and Life Sciences – at Iowa State was an eye-opening experience. While the agronomy department instilled a foundation of systems thinking, the AgEI program taught me how to pair that science with an entrepreneurial mindset. I was constantly challenged to identify market gaps, deliver value and think outside the box. Cultivating that dual focus has allowed me to seamlessly combine technical agronomic expertise with business strategy to support producers across the country.
How did your involvement in clubs, internships or research opportunities at Iowa State prepare you for your current role?
During my time at Iowa State, I wanted to absorb as much as possible by pursuing a broad range of experiences. I completed internships spanning seed sales, seed production research, an ag startup and consulting. Each role taught me what I excelled at and, just as importantly, helped me clarify my career focus. Exploring these different facets of agriculture gave me a holistic understanding of how the ag industry works.
What’s one challenge you’ve faced in your education or career, and how did you overcome it?
Graduating at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic meant entering a highly uncertain job market where many companies were hesitant to hire new graduates. Navigating that landscape required flexibility. I stayed on part-time with my final internship while leveraging my network of peers to land a second part-time opportunity. While juggling two part-time roles right out of college wasn't my original plan, it paid off: by the end of that summer, both companies extended full-time job offers.
Fill in the blank and provide a brief explanation: “I wouldn’t be where I am today without ______.”
...the connections I made with peers and professors at Iowa State. The agricultural sector feels incredibly small. The number of times I’ve been hundreds of miles away from Iowa and crossed paths with a former classmate or a professional connected to the university is remarkable. The relationships built at Iowa State follow you wherever you go.
Fill in the blank: “The best piece of advice I received in college was _________, and here’s why it stuck with me: _________.”
The best piece of advice I received in college was to ask genuine questions to find creative solutions. When I first heard this advice, its full impact didn’t sink in. However, throughout my career, I’ve seen time and again that solving complex problems starts with critical thinking and asking pointed, thoughtful questions. Clients and colleagues place an immense amount of value on individuals who approach challenges with genuine curiosity and a desire to understand and solve the problem at hand.