Hannah Konschuh’05 Makes Mark on Agriculture and Business
World trade in wheat is larger than all other crops combined, according to Agriculture and Agri-food Canada. They also note that Canada is the fifth largest agricultural exporter in the world, exporting the most durum wheat, Flaxseed, canola, and pulses of any nation on earth.
So to say that Hound Hannah Konschuh’05, the Vice-Chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission, the organization that represents over 14,000 wheat growers in Alberta, is a key player in the agricultural equivalent of the National Hockey League, might not be too big of a stretch.
And as much as ND cherishes its successful athletes, it prides itself equally on the Hounds who are thriving and making a difference in all kinds of sectors.
For Konschuh, the feeling is mutual.
“When I look back on my schooling at Notre Dame, I feel like it was such an important experience for me as a young adult,” she says.
“I think the focus on character development, something that bridges all religions, on and off the (volleyball and basketball) court was important for me. Also, an environment where we were all encouraged to pursue excellence in academics, and in all the sports we played was key; I think that encouragement and support (really helped me) to thrive in that environment, (and going there) was what was best for me.”
Konschuh grew up splitting her time between her parents' farm near Cluny and Strathmore, Alberta where she attended school.
Her cousins Ian’98 and Alex’00 Bolinger had played hockey at Notre Dame, and highly recommended the academic and athletic life at the southern Saskatchewan prairie school; so the notion of striking out from home, and trying it out inspired the young Konschuh.
“Even at the young age of 13, and 14, I was feeling like there was more for me out there,” she says.
“So the story goes that I approached my grandma, and she and I put a plan in place together to speak to my parents about going to ND, and the rest is history. I started a couple of weeks late into Grade 9, and that’s how it all happened.”
Upon graduation, she played a year of varsity volleyball at Medicine Hat College while pursuing their agricultural transfer program, and then moved on to the University of Saskatchewan, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, and a Masters of Science degree in Soil Science.
Her journey since has included managing an AAFC soil microbiology lab and working as interim manager of the research department at the Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC). She currently owns and operates Generation Land & Grain Company Ltd., a grain farm, along with her parents and husband while maintaining other industry roles.
It is specifically her time at Notre Dame, according to Konschuh, that prepared her for her many management opportunities.
“In order to get through and thrive in an environment like Notre Dame,” she says, “you have to find your independence, and your ability to motivate and manage yourself.
“As a farmer, as an entrepreneur, I don’t have a boss, I’m my own boss, so developing that independence was really important. Finding my independence and managing my life was definitely one of the biggest things that Notre Dame taught me.”
As if she was not busy enough, she also serves on the board of CIGI, the Canadian International Grains Institute, that provides technical support for the Canadian grain sector, and is a member of a number of government committees, including the Grains Roundtable and the National Program Advisory Committee, working on business risk-management programs for farmers, focussing on critical areas like insurance.
Equally important to Konschuh as her work is her need to advocate for inclusivity in all sectors, since as a woman, it took for her to leave Notre Dame to realize that the equality demonstrated and encouraged there is not necessarily universal elsewhere.
“When I was at Notre Dame, I felt like my experiences as an athlete were just as important as anyone else’s,” she says.
“It wasn’t until I got out into the real world that I realized that even in this day and age, it might not be the same for men and women. Especially in the industry that I find myself in, we are in a time right now in the agricultural industry where we are just starting to give credit to and shine the light on the role women have always had. Fast forward to now, I’m the first woman to be a director of the Alberta Wheat Commission, so the opportunity to speak up about the importance of diversity and inclusion is important to me.”
“I think the idea of advocacy, that if you believe in something and you can help make a change, take that message beyond just thinking about it; that’s something that started for me at a young age, and came from my time at Notre Dame.”
Athol Murray College of Notre Dame ·
P.O. Box 100 Wilcox · SK, Canada S0G 5E0
Phone: 306-732-2080 · Fax: 306-732-4408 (Confidential) · Email: info@notredame.ca
Phone: 306-732-2080 · Fax: 306-732-4408 (Confidential) · Email: info@notredame.ca
