5 questions with Katie: Meet an ACM alumna

Five Questions with Katie

Katie Plumski
Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education, Communication and Marketing, 2014
Communications Manager at Hormel Foods
Minors: International Agriculture and Animal Science in CFANS

Describe your current job. What does it look like on a weekly basis?                   
I manage internal communications for Hormel Foods, a Fortune 500 company. In this role, I strategize, write and execute communications for our 20,000 inspired team members around the globe.

What do you most enjoy about your current role? 
I love that I get to work with all other areas of the company to help them bring their projects to life through communications to our team members.

What made you choose CFANS and the major? 
I knew I was interested in communications, but I wanted to stay close to the agriculture and food industry. It was a perfect fit!

What was the best or most rewarding part about being an ACM student?
I enjoyed that we got so many opportunities to meet people who were out working in the industry. Many of my classes and clubs had guest speakers and field experiences that allowed me to ask questions and learn more about potential career paths. Ag Ed Club was a very natural fit for me, and the International Agriculture Club was a great way to broaden my perspective on the agriculture industry. Both clubs gave me opportunities to hold leadership positions and to travel.

How did your experiences in the major help you in your career?
The breadth of skills and topics covered prepared me well to work on a corporate communications team. I focus on internal communications but I support all functions of our broader team, so it was really helpful to come in with an understanding and basic skillset for each area. My advice to students considering the major would be to get to know the staff and faculty. They are there to help you and they are genuinely interested in your success. Plus, they have great connections that might come in handy someday!