Why did you initially decide to apply to the Agbioscience Mentorship Program (AMP)? What were you hoping to gain from this experience?
Hi, my name is Mackensi Schneider, and I signed up for the AMP program because I was really looking for mentorship and guidance that was not in my direct line of studies or careers.
Who is your mentor and how do your skills and interests align with their background?
My mentor is Amy Jo Jones, and I feel like we are very similar people, which I love. I think we’re both very sociable and outgoing people, and while we don’t have backgrounds that align career-wise, I think we definitely align personality-wise.
What have you learned from your mentor so far this year?
Amy has taught me a lot of confidence and how to make what I’m doing my own. For example, in my internship this year, she really taught me how to speak up and tell my mentors and my managers what I was looking to get out of the experience and not just accept what they were wanting from me.
What has been your favorite part of this program and experience?
My favorite part of this program was just having the constant communication and having the set questions to kind of guide our conversations.
What is something you would tell any college student or young professional that might be thinking about applying for AMP 2026?
I would advise a college student to just try everything. I think one of the things Amy has really taught and instilled in me is to not be scared to try new things. And you never know what can happen if you just try something new.
Field Atlas AMP is a guided year-long mentorship program that connects late college and early professionals to industry leaders excelling in their field. Fast track your professional journey through impactful mentorship and connection. Apply for our 2026 AMP Cohort here!
