We are thrilled to announce the arrival of Hope Nelson, a recent alumnus of our Master of Agribusiness (MAB) program and a new academic program specialist for the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics (FRE). 

After earning her bachelor’s degree in plant sciences, Hope Nelson entered the industry before deciding to become a double-Gator in CALS through our online Master of Agribusiness program.  

“I chose to pursue the MAB program to learn concepts and skills that would help me go far in the agribusiness industry,” Nelson said. “I already had a strong science background from my bachelor’s degree, but I knew that I needed further business education to develop myself professionally and get the jobs that I wanted.” 

In this new role, Nelson will serve as a connector – fostering engagement with industry and opportunities for networking with our online Master of Agribusiness students. She will also be in charge of organizing major keystone events for FRE such as our annual Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference.  

“I am especially excited to work with our MAB students and help them get as much value out of the program as I did,” Nelson said.    

In addition to serving as a liaison between our students, alumni and industry, Nelson will be working with Kevin Athearn to create new USDA RMS cabbage production budgets. 

This grant-funded extension work will have Nelson engaging actively with producers to produce valuable resources for decision-making, and utilizing the skills developed through her MAB capstone project on the economic feasibility of potato irrigation systems. 

“Not only did I gain skills in accounting, economics, and risk management, but I also got experience in project management and communication that I can directly translate to future professional projects,” Nelson said. “I’m looking forward to using those skills and contributing to Florida’s agribusiness industry!” 

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