RCPD Graduate Farms for Success

A successful businessman, a mentor with the RCPD STATE program, a fraternity brother, a bible study leader and last but perhaps most important was a student here at MSU.  Jason Maust was raised in Pigeon, Michigan on a map; it's on the tip of the thumb of Michigan.  When he was just 16 years old, he and his brother started a successful business partnership selling hay and straw.  They have customers all around the state of Michigan and as far south as Mississippi and east to Tennessee.  Raised on a farm, he developed an early interest in farming and agriculture.  Beginning as a student in the Agriculture Technology program, Jason started at Michigan State in the fall of 2004, when he completed that program he knew that he wanted to continue his studies here at MSU and so he entered in the fall of 2006 as a student majoring in the Crop and Soil Sciences program, which he graduated from this past May.  His father is an agronomist and Jason went to work with him after he graduated on the family's 700 acres in Bay Port, Michigan.  His degree will accentuate his work on the family's farm as a soil consultant as well as working with his father on other consulting projects. 

Jason called on the RCPD during his first year at MSU; he was struggling with reading.  Jason was born with dyslexia, a language based, learning disability.  Students with dyslexia experience some difficulties with language skills such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words.  The RCPD features many resources for students with dyslexia. Jason, in partnership with his specialist Valerie Nilson identified opportunities tailored to his needs as he advanced with his degree at MSU. "Jason is a super success story...he started out in a two year program at MSU, with Ag Tech and was then accepted into a four year program and continued to succeed." Nilson said.  The Tower Guard was a particularly important organization to Jason.   The Tower Guard sophomore honors organization takes textbooks used in everyday classrooms and records them to speech so that students who need to hear the words rather than read them can take full advantage of these services.  The Tower Guard also helps with tests and exams when necessary, reading aloud the questions so that it is easier for students, like Jason, to take exams. 

Beyond academics and the family business, Jason enjoyed a wide range of campus activities.  Working with the RCPD STATE mentorship program gave Jason a chance to give back to those who have helped over the years.  His mentee is fully engaged in the Crop and Soil Sciences program and Jason contributes by ensuring that his student remains connected with RCPD programming. "What I love about MSU is that even when I'm walking down the street, I know people, I see friends, whether from the fraternity, or Campus Crusades or classes." Jason's words are exactly what the RCPD hopes to foster in its students now and in the future.

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