Agricultural Business Student Spotlight: Hannah Hieber

Fresno State senior Hannah Hieber is expanding her focus past the equestrian arena this summer into an exciting internship with HMC Farms in Kingsburg.

The Los Angeles native is busy working in the Kingsburg produce company's marketing, sales and shipping departments to give her practical experience to tie in with her agricultural business degree, which she plans on receiving in the spring of 2023.

She will also be one of the varsity equestrian team's top returning riders in the Western category in the upcoming fall and spring seasons. She enjoyed individual event wins last year vs. TCU, Oklahoma State, UC Davis & Baylor, as well as two MOP honors for the Bulldogs, which ended the 2021-22 season ranked eighth nationally.

Learn more about Hieber's background and a potential MBA career path in this recent interview. 

 

Q: Why did you choose to attend Fresno State, and why were you drawn towards your degree area?

Hieber: "I decided on Fresno State because their program is very hands-on, and I liked that I could continue to compete with horses as a student-athlete while pursuing my degree. I was drawn to the agricultural business degree for the broad spectrum it covers. Agricultural careers go beyond just farming. There are many different routes that can be pursued such as marketing, HR, accounting, research, sales, and many more." 

 

Q: Which classes and faculty members have had the biggest influence on you at Fresno State?

Hieber: "Some of the biggest influences during my career here at Fresno State come from Professor Jan Edwards and Professor Lynn Williams. While Professor Edwards was in the MCJ department, she showed me a whole new perspective to the world of marketing. She also led me to find strength, determination, and pride in all my work both inside and out of the classroom. Professor Williams (from the agricultural business department) opened a whole new discussion to the impact of agriculture in which I had never before thought of." 

 

Q: What was your background in agriculture before you started at Fresno State?

Hieber: "My family has been involved in the equine industry for three generations. Throughout my life, my parents have owned and operated an equine breeding facility." 

 

Q: Talk about any internships you have had while at Fresno State.

Hieber: "I have have had two internships, the first was with The Collegian (student newspaper), and my second, and current one, is with HMC Farms." 

Hieber: "With The Collegian, I was the general sales manager specializing in media sales. Within this, I was responsible for making a personal budget, contributing to a group budget, designing creative concepts for clients, managing a team of students, and much more. Within this role, there were a variety of different clients I worked with anywhere from a restaurant, to entertainment facility, to colleges." 

Hieber: "Within HMC Farms, I am a marketing intern, and so far have been involved with creative content for social media, helping the sales department, organizing deliveries, handling shipping, and weekly marketing evaluations. Within this role, there is much more to come which I am very excited for." 

 

Q: How did these internships help you professionally, and what skills did you develop you can apply to your career?

Hieber: "Within these internships, I have grown professionally in many ways. I have learned through improving communication, experience of work, project management skills, networking, and much more. I have also significantly improved my understanding of marketing strategies and improved my development of creative concepts." 

Q: What have been some of your most memorable experiences as an intern?

Hieber: "One of the most memorable events of my internships was making my first sale. This gave me a sense of confidence, excitement, pride, and a surge of determination. A second memorable experience was attending a photo/video shoot for a plum variety. This was an experience that allowed my first hands-on experience to that environment." 

 

Q: Have you overcome any challenges to get where you are today that have shaped who you are?

Hieber: "One of the biggest challenges, faced not only by myself, has been the COVID-19 pandemic. I was in my freshman year at Fresno State when we first made the transition to online classes. This was a drastic change for not only students, but also professors. Although these times have and continue to be difficult, they have helped me grow as a person. It has allowed me to find my passion for marketing, improve my technology skills, and find a new sense of worth and determination." 

 

Q: What's your potential next career step, and how do you plan to use your degree eventually?

Hieber: "Once completing my undergraduate degree, I plan on continuing my education at Fresno State through the MBA program. I then plan to go into a marketing career within the equine industry."