Fifth-generation farmer, grad student, data analyst, sustainable farming advocate. Hayden Schaumburg also manages 15 beef cows. As the first student to complete the new nonthesis Master in Agricultural and Applied Economics (MAAE) program, Hayden will graduate with both a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s degree from the Agricultural and Consumer Economics (ACE) department in just four years.
Despite being the first MAAE graduate, Hayden Schaumburg was not the best high school student. He explained how that all changed his freshman year in ACE, “It makes a big difference when you’re studying something you’re really passionate about. I’ve always been interested in math and science, and agriculture touches those two subjects quite a bit. I’ve always been very proud of being a fifth-generation farmer. The sense of carrying on that tradition means a lot to me.”
Growing up on a family farm that grew corn, soybean, and livestock, Hayden knew he had a heart for farming. However, he wanted to make a big impact on sustainability and success of farms as businesses. Hayden knew he could achieve both dreams by working at the intersection of farming, technology, and sustainability while preparing himself to be leader in his field.
“I’ve always been outdoorsy, but humans have changed the world in an irreversible way. I want future generations to enjoy the earth as past generations have – move ahead in a way that’s sustainable. I’m interested in how cover crops, water management, agtech and carbon sequestration can make a huge impact on sustainability in agriculture.”
Those passions landed Hayden’s first internship, then first job at Granular in Research Park. Now, Hayden works as a Data Analyst, using technology to improve farming practices for farmers and the land. Hayden’s current role at Granular enables him to do that, but in an unexpected way. “When I had started the position a couple years ago, I had hoped to work more like closely with producers and talk more one on one. But the more that I’ve delved into my work I found that I’m much better at and more interested in the analysis side of things, especially in the quantitative methods that we learn in this graduate program.”
“Be open minded and never settle.”
The MAAE is a way for Hayden to move further in his career while honing his quantitative and statistics skills. It makes him more competitive in the job market ahead of other graduates in ACE, allowing him “to bring more to the table and understand some concepts on a higher level than my peers”.
Hayden’s advises students starting out to “be open minded and never settle.”