SEMO Agribusiness Graduate to Study Agricultural Law, Return Home to Support Local Farmers

Hendley graduated this spring with a degree in agribusiness: industry from SEMO's Department of Agriculture. He has been accepted to the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he plans to study agricultural law before returning to southeast Missouri.

"I want to come back to Bloomfield and help local farmers with succession planning and agricultural regulation," Hendley said.

At SEMO, Hendley found opportunities that connected his academic interests with real-world experience in agriculture and policy.

"I am very proud of the opportunities SEMO offered me in their different student organizations," said Hendley. "Through the Collegiate Farm Bureau, I was able to compete for Farm Bureau Ambassador, and represent Missouri Agriculture in Washington D.C. I also competed in The Discussion Meet competition and was able to represent SEMO as the state champion, and compete in Portland, Oregon earlier this year. These opportunities were only available because of the great connections and experiences SEMO's Agriculture department have offered me."

Hendley said those experiences helped prepare him for the next step in his education and career.

"Without SEMO, I wouldn't have been able to make the connections that will last far beyond graduation," he said.

While his time in the classroom and in competition shaped his professional goals, Hendley said some of his most memorable moments came from the campus experience itself.

He recalls attending his first SEMO football game as a sophomore, where a late comeback and an introduction to Redhawk pride surprised him.

"The energy was ecstatic. The crowd was huge. We were losing most of the game to UT-Martin, but our spirits were never down. In the last quarter, SEMO made two incredible touchdowns and tied the game. We ended up going into triple over time, and our kicker making an OVC record kick to win the game," said Hendley.

"I had never seen that kind of energy before," he said. "It was a once-in-a-lifetime game."

As he prepares for law school, Hendley said his goal remains focused on supporting the agricultural communities that shaped him.

At Southeast Missouri State University, students in agriculture gain hands-on experience, industry connections and the preparation needed to lead and serve in communities across the region. Learn more at semo.edu/agriculture.

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