My name is Kevin Sargent, and I am an Animal Reproductive Physiologist. I have a passion for teaching students and for working with them in both the laboratory and on the farm- showing them how lab science informs production and vice versa. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and both my Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Animal Reproductive Physiology.

While I did not expect to work as much as I did in the lab and with “molecular animal science”, I appreciate all that I learned. I took that background to five years of teaching most of the Animal Science courses at College of the Ozarks where my expertise was used to bolster a cross-disciplinary laboratory. I grew extensively in how foundational science underlies animal production. I also learned new production practices for, alongside and even from my students with the myriad farms available for labs and small research projects.

Similarly to SEMO, I had worked in an Agriculture Department. I thought I had it made getting my education at land grants. Animal Science Departments lend themselves to building closer relationships between students and faculty than other departments; however, the mentorship afforded to students who desire it in a smaller department is something I could never have conceived. Likewise, while I appreciate the importance of collaboration between departments, I have learned to love and to hopefully model the love of being able to walk down the hall to consult with someone in the plant sciences. In my seventh year of teaching, that holistic view of agriculture is only cemented. Ultimately what drew me here was a larger institution with more focus on research while teaching with a sustained focus on heavy teaching and faculty-student relationships.

Finally, all of it is summed up in my faith since “outside of work” is asked about for this bio. Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Am I perfect? No. Do I make church and my family a priority? Yes. I am involved in a small group for friendship, community, and spiritual growth. Does this permeate in the classroom? Only as much as students want to see so they all feel safe and welcome. My hope is they all feel comfortable asking questions in my classroom or in my office, but those that share my beliefs will see that I view each of them as wonderfully made. Likewise, I see agriculture as the intersect of every part of Creation: Man, land, plants, water, and animals. It’s why I love the science AND the production; it’s why I love collaborating with colleagues of different disciplines; it’s why I love teaching students. However, it is in no way a requirement of mine that my colleagues or students see the world the way I do.