Stepping into your growth zone

Reagan Koester's professional headshot

Name: Reagan Koester

Hometown: Wadesville, IN

Major: Agribusiness (Agribusiness Management Concentration)

Why did you come to Purdue: Purdue was an easy choice! Growing up in a Boilermaker family, I heard countless stories about the family atmosphere, lifelong friendships, supportive faculty and staff and the amazing athletic events and development opportunities this campus offers! Purdue and the College of Agriculture have truly not fallen short and feel like home away from home!

Favorite Purdue tradition: Nothing is better than ending an event, big moment, commencement or huge athletic win… by listening to “Hail Purdue!”

Koester accepting an award from Mung Chiang

Top three influences at Purdue:

  1. Student Activities and Organizations Office (shoutout to Margie Jones and Martia King)!
  2. The Purdue Board of Trustees, Dr. Beth McCuskey and Dean Katie Shermishien
  3. The lifelong friends and support system this campus has provided!
Top five memories of your time at Purdue: 
  1. Being a co-host for the Purdue Agricultural Economics Podcast
  2. Playing 1v1 against Purdue Pete and knock out on the basketball court at Mackey Arena after a Student Life Advisory Board meeting
  3. Meeting my boyfriend on the football field during the pregame of the Ball State season opener
  4. Studying abroad twice and expanding my agricultural knowledge while making lifelong friends
  5. Giving a keynote speech to students at Purdue Northwest
Places you have been as a Purdue student: 
  • Spain & Portugal - Maymester Study Abroad
  • Ireland - Spring Break Study Abroad
  • Naples, Florida - Purdue For Life Alumni Event
  • San Jose, California - Men’s Basketball Sweet 16 & Elite 8 appearances
  • Rome, Italy - Spring Break visiting a sorority sister who was studying abroad!

Koester posing with group on a bridge in Italy Koester presenting Corteva's seed product development process

Favorite club/organization: Rising Professionals and Old Masters

Favorite student-led event: Ag Week

Favorite Purdue event: The Boilermaker Ball

Favorite place to study: Purdue Memorial Union

Favorite thing about CoA: The advisors, faculty and staff! They are truly the best of the best when it comes to supporting students and fostering a family environment!

Favorite class: AGEC 331: Principles of Selling in Agricultural Business

Favorite professor: Jay Akridge

Class you are excited to take your senior year: AGR 490: Advanced Ag Leadership

Three biggest accomplishments at Purdue: 

  1. Serving as the Student Trustee on the Purdue Board of Trustees
  2. Being named the Outstanding Freshman and Sophomore in the College of Agriculture
  3. Being selected for Mortar Board

Something about you that is not listed on your resume: I enjoy running, and I completed my first half marathon this past summer.

Koester with friends and Purdue Pete at a football game

Future plans: I’m interested in building a career in the agricultural industry, focusing on opportunities where I can support the people and businesses that keep it moving while building strong relationships and making a meaningful, positive impact on the agricultural community.

Advice for underclassmen: Don’t be afraid to say YES and step into your growth zone. College is a time to explore new opportunities, try unfamiliar things and build connections with people you might not otherwise meet. It’s through stepping outside your comfort zone, making new friends and taking chances that you start to understand who you are and how you want to make an impact. I never would have imagined giving a 20-minute memorized keynote in front of a room full of inspiring students, but that moment became an opportunity to grow and, hopefully, leave a positive impact on others.

The biggest takeaway from Purdue: My biggest takeaway from Purdue is that the most rewarding experiences come from paying it forward, giving back and serving others. The moments that have meant the most to me here haven’t just been about opportunities or achievements, but about the people I’ve met along the way and the relationships that have shaped me. Purdue has shown me that personal growth is deeply connected to community. It happens when you invest in others, step into leadership and choose to show up for people in meaningful ways. More than anything, I’ve learned that success is most fulfilling when it’s rooted in connection, service and a commitment to helping others grow alongside you.