Matthew Melchor

Matthew was a 2022 Flinchbaugh Fellow and is currently pursuing a master's in agricultural economics at K-State. He got his bachelor's degree in Agribusiness from K-State in 2022. During his undergraduate career, Matthew was involved in the K-State Rodeo Team and assisted as a transfer ambassador for the K-State College of Agriculture. Currently, his research focuses on production livestock and animal health economics, understanding how they can be influenced by policy decisions and government regulations. He sought out the Flinchbaugh Fellowship because he believes policy changes and government programs are some of the best ways to support farmers and ranchers. One of the major takeaways he credits the Flinchbaugh Fellowship with is a better understanding of the intricacies and difficulties of the policymaking process. Matthew's favorite memory of being a Flinchbaugh Fellow is creating lifelong connections with the other fellows in his class. "My federal experience was remote work, but I had the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C. during my internship. When I flew out, I was able to meet with some members of the Steering Committee and the other fellows in my class for lunch and a tour of the Capitol."