By EMILY BENNIGSDORF
On Monday, the Beta Mu chapter of Sigma Alpha hosted a women in agriculture panel on campus. The professional sorority prides itself on furthering professional development while learning more about the industry.
The panel was an open invitation to the campus so more community members can learn from the women’s experiences in the industry and how they handled themselves.
The panel consisted of six women with multiple backgrounds. Shaelyn Akers is a Fort Hays State University alumni who graduated last year and is working at Midland Marketing as a grain marketing assistant. Holly Dickman is the water conservationist specialist for Hays. Stephani Eckroat is the executive director at Kansas Dairy, Ellis and Trego County Farm Bureau coordinator, and the current advisor of the Fort Hays State University Collegiate Farm Bureau. Megan Lambert is employed by Natural Resources Conservation Service office in Hays. Shelley Oelkers is a retired veterinarian who has her DVM and is a USDA Veterinary Medical Officer. Gerry Schumacher is from STR Cattle Consulting north of Hays.
Allison Railsback was the Sigma Alpha representative who asked the panel questions.
One of the questions asked was, what challenges face women in their particular part of the agriculture industry. The women unanimously came to the conclusion that proving that you know the product and are a reliable source is one of the most difficult parts of being in agriculture. Each panelist was able to share a story in which they had to prove themselves to someone to show they knew as much as that individual.
“Growing up with the name Gerry, everyone expects a man to walk out instead of a 5-foot-2.5-inch woman to show bulls in the pen,” Schumacher said. “You have to know the difference between the bulls, whether it is with their EPDs or with how they are structured.”
Oelker’s main advice for the night was simple.
“Learn to manage your money and make sure you are set up,” she said. “If anything happens, you want to make sure that you are able to be OK in the long run.”
Eckroat talked about how women need to take time to themselves and not let work run their lives. Once that was said, all of the women jumped on board and made sure everyone in the room knew how important their mental health was if you are trying to take care of everyone else.
“Get involved in your community. You will learn to network and meet people that will impact your life,” Akers said.
She graduated last year, so her advice hit home with this year’s seniors in attendance.
Lambert was able to share that proving yourself through actions is much more effective than verbally. She was working in an office where a male came in to get some paperwork done. She proceeded to greet him and ask if he needed help. The man asked if the other male in the office could help him instead of her. She politely went and asked her coworker to help the man who had just come in the office. Her coworker proceeded to tell the man that Lambert was the one in charge of that program and now the man who came in asking for another man will directly ask for her when he calls in with a question.
The women all told of experiences of how they handled situations and how some of them made the panel member feel small — but when you get a stubborn individual, they need to trust you and value your opinion
The panel lasted for a little more than an hour, and the tools each person was able to learn from those individuals will be taken and used later in life. The Sigma Alpha sorority was pleased with how the night went and is planning on hosting another panel in the upcoming school year.
The panel, from left, Gerry Schumacher, Stephani Eckroat, Shaelyn Akers, Holly Dickman, Shelley Oelkers and Megan Lambert. 
Members of Sigma Alpha listen intently on the information from the panel.