Alumni Spotlight
Name: Reilly Dickerson
Current Title: Hunting Operations Manager
Organization: The Burge Club
Majors: B.S. Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management (2023)
K-State College of Ag is proud to recognize alumni from all departments who continue to pursue their passion in their respective fields. It is through experience that we continue to grow as individuals and stewards of the industry. Through those experiences, we hope to be a continued resource for the next generation of K-State students to lean on for advice and continue to build our network!
Why did you choose K-State?
I chose Kansas State University because it offers the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management (WOEM) program, one of only two programs in the nation. I'm originally from Virginia, but I went out and visited K-State in high school and fell in love with the town of Manhattan. K-State’s College of Ag hosts Ag Experience Days where you get to follow a student for the day, and they take you around campus so you can get a good picture of what student life is like. During my experience day, the student took me to his fraternity and went through his average college day. I connected with that and thought it was neat to experience what college at K-State was like. And honestly, the hunting in Kansas is great, so I wanted to spend four years there. I don't regret my decision at all, it was a lot of fun.
Why would you encourage students to pursue their undergraduate or graduate degrees at K-State?
K-State's community and atmosphere offer you the big school feel with that small school relationship with your professors and classmates. The student body at K-State is incredible. Everyone's so happy and kind. It all plays a big role in creating that K-State family environment.
I believe all the professors, especially in those smaller departments, truly care about your education and want to push you past graduation to start your career.
If you're a K-State student and know what you want to do, or even have the slightest idea, all the resources are there for you. It's just a short email, phone call or Google search away from connecting yourself. So while at K-State, take advantage of all the resources the university provides because there's something out there to help everybody reach their goals.
Who is one professor, faculty member or staff person who impacted you, either during your time at school or in your career?
A professor who had an impact on me during my time at K-State was Drew Ricketts, an associate professor in the WOEM program. The guy knew the ins and outs of the sporting clays world and did not just sit there in front of a whiteboard and show you. He was there, walking you through every step. His ability to connect with students and to make it truly a hands-on experience, I appreciate that, and we still connect today. I still reach out to him, looking for future recruits to bring on board here or just general questions about things I haven't learned yet.