Niobrara County

Jamie Reed McElhaney

Rancher

UW degree: Bachelor’s in agriculture business (2012)

Jamie is a member of the Niobrara County Cattlewomen and a team-roping competitor.

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How did your experience at UW prepare you for your career and role in your community?

“My time at UW gave me a great jump-start to my career in agriculture. Classroom knowledge that I use most days includes economics, ag banking and finance courses, as well as accounting to make decisions financially on the ranch, along with my time spent in the Animal Science Building taking feed/nutrition classes. Not only did I learn a lot in the classroom, but the networking contacts made while attending UW are also very valuable. While attending UW, I was also a part of the rodeo team; this helped teach me time management and animal husbandry skills that I use day to day on the ranch. My time as part of the team also ignited a fire in me to continue improving my team-roping skills. I am involved in the local Roping Club in Lusk and try to help out whenever our ranching schedule allows.”

 

Why should Wyoming students attend their state’s university?

“UW is a great option for Wyoming students. There are not very many universities in the U.S. that you can gain such a great education, with very low in-state tuition. Laramie is a great town, big enough that there is plenty to do but still maintains that small-town feel. When I was attending UW, my older sister as well as two of my cousins were also attending. Three out of the four of us are living and working in Wyoming (the fourth is right across the border in South Dakota with a great career in accounting)!”

 

What does it mean to you to be a UW Cowboy?

“To me, being a UW alumna is like being a part of a small and unique part of Wyoming’s legacy. Everywhere I travel, people always ask where I’m from and are always intrigued and excited when they find out I am from Wyoming. If they have visited Wyoming, they know how lucky we are to live here. If they haven’t visited, they want to. I feel like being a UW Cowboy embodies all of the great things about being from Wyoming. When people think of Wyoming, they think of wide-open spaces and cowboys. When people think of cowboys, they think of honest, courageous, tough, proud and hard-working. I think that is a great set of traits to strive for, whether you’re a cowboy out working the range or a UW graduate. No matter where your career path takes you, embodying those traits will surely help you go as far as you want.”

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