Name: Belinda Brain 

Hometown: Muscatine, IA

Major and Graduation Date: Horticulture, Spring 2024 

Favorite ISU Class: There were so many good ones! But, since I can’t write down my entire class list, I will say my top ones were Hort 330 with Dr. Haynes, Plant Pathology with Dr. Peters, Bio 355 with Dr. Wallace, and Agron 206 with Dr. Hornbuckle. 

Job Title and Company/Organization/School: Outreach Coordinator; Quad City Botanical Center

Major Job/Position Responsibilities:  My main job as the outreach coordinator is working with our new mobile classroom, the Plant Discovery Bus, which is a retrofitted city bus equipped for programming. I am in charge of coming up with curriculum, leading lessons, coordinating with schools, doing outreach events, and more. I also help with our on-site educational field trips, adult classes, events, pop-up programming, and seasonal displays as needed.

What do you like most about your job/position? No two days are the same! One day I am hand feeding a praying mantis “super worms” and the next I am teaching students about where chocolate comes from. “Never a dull moment” is the saying in our office! I have a lot of interests, so finding a place where I get to explore and work with so many different things is really special. 

What advice would you give to current students pursuing a career in Agriculture and Life Sciences?  The “Internships are the most important thing” advice they tell you at orientation is so true, especially the part where you have to reach out to those places and keep in contact. I knew about the job I have now because I had interned for them for a summer, and I kept coming back to volunteer, reached out with questions, etc. Even a casual check-in or two throughout the year can really help keep you in mind for later.