Name: Courtney Harder
Major(s): Agricultural business
Graduation year: 2015
Current job title and company/organization: Financial services manager for CNH Capital
What moment or experience at Iowa State most shaped your career path?
My first internship was through the Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative (AgEI) program (now called Start Something College of Agriculture and Life Sciences), working with forage sorghum plots in Kansas. I am forever thankful for the level of responsibility they gave me as an 18-year-old who knew nothing about sorghum. That internship shaped the ownership I took in future internships, and ultimately led to my 10-year career at CNH!
How did your involvement in clubs, internships or research opportunities at Iowa State prepare you for your current role?
The phrase "they don't teach corporate in college" says it all. The extracurriculars were where I got those "real world" experiences that were just as important as the academics!
What’s one challenge you’ve faced in your education or career, and how did you overcome it?
As an ag business grad, I was pretty green on the technical knowledge base I'd need to work in the farm equipment industry. Many of the industry professionals who spoke to us in college spoke to the importance of "never stop learning." My career path has ranged from a product specialist role, now to a finance role, so embracing the lifelong student mentality has been critical!
Fill in the blank and provide a brief explanation: “I wouldn’t be where I am today without ______.”
The Ag Entrepreneurship Initiative (AgEI) program.
Fill in the blank: “The best piece of advice I received in college was _________, and here’s why it stuck with me: _________.”
Focus on being exceptionally good at a couple things, instead of being okay at several things.