Olivia Bondurant, a rising senior in Ag Business Management, is using her knowledge and passion for agricultural finance at her internship with First Bank & Trust Company in the Agricultural Lending Department.
Bondurant has always known she wanted to pursue a career in ag finance and agrees that her time with First Bank has solidified this passion for her. Going into her internship, Bondurant expected to spend most of her time shadowing but was pleasantly surprised to have so much hands-on experience.
When asked if her internship has influenced her to try something new in her academic career, Bondurant said, “Ag lending is a full circle thing, so you have to be well-rounded and know that classes matter. Making connections and having contact with mentors is so important.”
Her key takeaways from the internship include knowing where things come from and the options available for customers.
“Understanding people’s backgrounds brings you wisdom,” Bondurant said. “Banking is about helping people, and you always have to think: How can I better help someone else?”
Bondurant’s advice for students pursuing a career or internship in ag finance is to “remember integrity is everything. Who you are as a person is a big deal. Take advantage of every opportunity, even if you don’t think it’s fun at the moment, and soak up all the experiences you can.”
To learn more about our Ag Business Management major, visit our Undergraduate Programs page.
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