College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

22 years ago, Larry Zink and David Schweikhardt, started a dinner that would become an annual tradition for seniors and alumni of the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource, Economics (AFRE) at Michigan State University (MSU). In AFRE, undergraduate students can major in one of three majors, Agribusiness Management (ABM), Food Industry Management (FIM), and Environmental Economics and Management (EEM). Students in these majors take many courses throughout their educational career, but as seniors they all take AFRE 410, a senior seminar series, where this annual AFRE Etiquette Dinner takes place each fall semester.

AFRE 410 was built around the idea that it would be a career planning class for the seniors. The course provides students with opportunities to not only prepare materials for job applications but also helps set them up for life success. Several guest speakers and panels visit the class to discuss financial planning, benefits packages, mortgage vs. rent, and of course job interviews.

Zink shared, “When this started, students were taking interviews that were typically flyouts. All of sudden they were doing lunch and dinner events with potential employers, but the students were often unsure how to navigate these situations. So, we created the AFRE etiquette dinner.”

This event has been supported by AFRE’s industry partners over the years which have also hired many of AFRE’s undergraduate students. The dinner has ranged in size from 90 to nearly 200 students in attendance, along with representatives, often alumni of the program, from various businesses.

AFRE Senior, Elizabeth Othmer shared, “I think the etiquette dinner was a great way to practice being professional without feeling pressured to be perfect. Talking with alumni made it easier to ask questions and gain honest advice, which helped me feel more confident about starting my career after graduation.”

Zink works each year to get an industry guest at each table so that both students and industry reps can benefit from the experience and network.

“I'm always telling people how valuable the etiquette dinner is—both for students and for our organization,” Kate Henry of Dan Henry Distributing Company shared. “We've seen firsthand how many young professionals lack basic dining etiquette knowledge, and it can be truly uncomfortable for them when they're unsure about something as fundamental as which glass or bread plate is theirs. Beyond the practical benefits, we genuinely enjoy the dinner as a chance to connect with emerging talent from the program and build relationships with people from outside our industry.”

AFRE Senior, Cristian Estrada echoed the statements of Kate Henry, "The value of a dinner like this is that it gives students the chance to meet and talk with industry professionals from a variety of careers. It really opens our eyes to the different path we can take, whether in food marketing or other areas. It helps better understand the opportunities that are out there after graduation."

While the dinner is an extremely popular networking opportunity among both the students and industry partners, it is also an educational opportunity that offers the seniors some professional development. AFRE Alumnus, Jasper Cunningham returns each year to walk the attendees through navigating formal and informal dining settings that the students will encounter in their job searches and interviews.

AFRE Senior, Harleen Gill shared, “During dinner, I learned not only about proper etiquette but also that a career is not a straight line, with many changes in terms of role, personal life, and goals. Seeing professionals who were long in their careers share how they adapted and grew reminded me that flexibility and continuous learning are key to long-term success. This experience showed me the value of networking and being open to guidance in the future.”

Lacey Hadley, a senior in AFRE, also added, “The AFRE 410 dinner was such a great opportunity to connect with alumni in the food and agriculture industry. It was interesting to hear about their different career paths and how they got to where they are today. Talking with them gave me a better idea of what to expect after graduation and how I can start preparing for my own career.”

Beyond the dinner, AFRE 410 continues to prepare seniors to put their best foot forward upon graduation. Zink acknowledges that the students have many questions about what’s next after college and he strives to give them all the resources he possibly can. He does this through creating countless networks and connections between students and alumni, with one example being a 22-year tradition that occurs one night each fall.