completing her year of work experience to earn her CPA license .
At Truman State , Rachel was a member of Delta Sigma Pi professional business fraternity where she held a number of leadership positions and participated in events to help
Rachel Echternacht
herself grow both professionally and personally . She attended several leadership conferences across the country , learning from professional speakers . She also assisted with a variety of community service events including Relay for Life , Up ’ til Dawn and Junior Achievement .
Rachel was selected to join Beta Gamma Sigma , a business honor society reserved for students with a GPA in the top 7 percent of the incoming junior class . Through her involvement , Rachel represented Truman State ’ s collegiate chapter at a Global
16 HEARTBEAT | WINTER 2017
Leadership Summit in Orlando , Florida .
While in college , Rachel received two internships with Monsanto ’ s finance department .
“ The first was with their consolidations and external reporting teams where I helped prepare their 2015 third quarter financial statements as well as corresponded with Monsanto leadership across the globe for projects in India , Mexico , Canada and Switzerland ,” she explained .
In her second internship with Monsanto , Rachel worked with the company ’ s program management team where she helped analyze data to identify areas where their marketing programs could be simplified and standardized .
“ While my classes were helpful in preparing me for the real world , the extracurricular activities I was involved with were truly what helped build me into the person I am today ,” Rachel said . “ The experiences I had with Delta Sigma Pi allowed me to grow as a professional . I learned many things about the business world and business etiquette through the organization that I would never have learned in a classroom .”
Additionally , Rachel said her internships were crucial to her current role . “ Through the internships , I was able to do real work and proved that I was capable beyond the classroom . It also gave me perspective into what kind of career I would like to pursue , such as starting my career in private accounting instead of working for an accounting firm .”
Currently a cost analyst in Monsanto ’ s crop protection division , Rachel resides in Creve Coeur .
CALEB HEID - HARRISONVILLE Caleb completed his undergraduate degree at MU in May 2016 with a degree in biochemistry . He received minors in biology and agriculture leadership . He ’ s currently pursuing a master ’ s degree in genetic counseling through the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City .
At MU , Caleb worked for the Office of Disabilities as a test proctor where he helped students with varying degrees of ability take tests in a controlled setting .
“ Sometimes , I simply provided a distraction-free environment for students with ADHD and other times I took a more active role such as reading for patients who were blind or writing essays for students with neuromuscular disorders ,” Caleb explained .