Mergen gains real-world experience through internship, coursework leadership opportunities

In search of a college that felt like home, Mattilyn Mergen decided on Northwest Missouri State University after making connections with faculty and staff and discovering a program that combined her interests in agriculture and advertising. 

This spring, she graduates from Northwest with a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural media and will begin her career with BTC Bank as a marketing assistant.

“Choosing Northwest was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” Mergen said. “It’s where I found my love for agriculture and media, friendships and confidence to chase my career goals. I’ll always be thankful for the experiences at Northwest that prepared me for life after college.”

Growing up on her family’s farm in Green Ridge, Missouri, Mergen’s childhood was largely influenced by agriculture, especially as she became involved in high school FFA.

“My interest in advertising and marketing was inspired largely by my mom, who has always been one of my biggest role models,” Mergen said. “I’ve always looked up to her, and I remember sitting in my junior-year business class, genuinely drawn in by everything we were learning about advertising and marketing. That was when I realized how much I enjoyed the creative and strategic side of the industry.”

Mattilyn Mergen (Photo by Lilly Cook/Northwest Missouri State University)

During each of Mergen’s campus tours at Northwest, she felt instantly connected with the community and supported by faculty.

“The agricultural department at Northwest is truly one of a kind,” Mergen said. “You’re surrounded by faculty and staff who know your name and understand your interests. You aren’t just a number to them, you’re a person, a future professional and someone they genuinely care about investing in.”

On campus, Mergen jumped in, getting involved with Sigma Alpha sorority, Delta Tau Alpha agricultural honor society, Block and Bridle, Knacktive, Agriculture Ambassadors and a student employee position with Student Account Services.

During the past year, Mergen served as public relations chair for Block and Bridle, an animal science organization that promotes agriculture through livestock shows and community service events.

“Block and Bridle has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone, kind of learn a whole new world of agriculture, and also it’s really fun just to get to design for them and be kind of creative all the way around,” Mergen said.

Last summer, Mergen connected with the director of Brownfield Ag News at the Missouri State Fair and secured a fall internship with the company. She says her courses and experience in agriculture helped her secure the opportunity, which eventually led to a spring internship with the company, too.

“The agricultural department gave me both industry knowledge and hands-on experience that prepared me to speak confidently about agriculture in a professional setting,” Mergen said. “Through my coursework, I developed skills in marketing strategy, content creation and communication that directly applied to the position.”

Mergen says her experiences at Northwest helped her to grow not only as a student but as a young professional.

“Instead of just talking about strategy, branding and content creation in class, I’ve been able to actively participate in brainstorming ideas, creating content and understanding how campaigns come together from start to finish,” Mergen said. “Knacktive has given me hands-on experience that makes me feel more confident and prepared to step into my career, especially in roles related to marketing, advertising and agricultural communications.”