CALS Influence Stories

Mississippi State students are sharpening their skills and opening doors to the future through a wide range of competitive internships and prestigious scholarships.

Helena Agri-Enterprises, a leading international provider of crop inputs and agronomic services, recently provided five MSU students unique and rewarding internship experiences. These students are part of Helena's highly selective internship program, emphasizing hands-on experience and leadership development in the agricultural industry.

"When I first interviewed for the internship, I explained that I didn't grow up on a farm," said Mayes Prescott, a junior agronomy major from Myrtle. "My agricultural knowledge has been from my degree program. I expected to be dismissed immediately. Instead, they encouraged me. From the first day, people I'd never met were pouring their knowledge into me and answering every question I had. I’ve truly learned something new every single day."

In addition to Prescott, these students participated in Helena internships in varying locations: Brennan Cherene, a senior in agricultural science from Delhi, Louisiana, worked in El Reno, Oklahoma; Cole Senn, a senior in agricultural science from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, assigned to Bruce, Mississippi; Cobby Ware, a junior in agricultural engineering from Madison, performed in Yazoo City; and John Warfield, a junior in agronomy from Lake Village, Arkansas, worked in Lamesa, Texas. The students immersed themselves in day-to-day operations: collecting soil samples, shadowing custom applicators, conducting inventory audits, and even participating in Helena's business-challenge projects.

“Some of our best interns have come from Mississippi State, and it’s no surprise. The programs in MSU's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences produce sharp, well-rounded students who are ready to hit the ground running,” said Harris Nicholson, a 2023 MSU agribusiness graduate and former three-time Helena intern from Madison who now is employed at the company’s Clarkton, Missouri, location. These students were not the only ones who recently gained vital hands-on experience.

Dalton Whitt, a weed science doctoral student, was named the recipient of the prestigious Dr. Will D. Carpenter Distinguished Field Scientist Graduate Assistantship.

Stationed at MSU’s Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, Whitt conducts research under the direction of Dr. Jason Bond, a weed science research and extension professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences.

The assistantship made possible through a $500,000 endowment funded by Bayer—the global agrochemical and biotechnology corporation—supports graduate students engaged in weed science research.

Whitt, a Greenville native, developed an early interest in weed science through hands-on summer work at regional agricultural research stations, including Corteva Agriscience in Stoneville.

Whitt holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Delta State University and a master’s degree in agronomy from MSU. His research focuses on Italian ryegrass, a primary winter annual weed in row crop systems across the Southeast.

Support from scholarships, industry partnerships, and endowed positions provides critical funding for research and offers students invaluable real-world experience. Hands-on internships and academic mentorship help prepare the next generation of agricultural scientists to tackle complex challenges and make meaningful contributions to the field.

“We are so appreciative to our agricultural industry partners for the opportunities they provide to help train the next generation of agricultural leaders,” said Dr. Scott Willard, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “Our hands-on approach to learning in the classroom and the field is complimented by professional experiences provided by industry where students can put their classroom learning to work.”