Markus Pieper ’18

What is your current place of employment and title?

What brought you to this position?

Have always been interested in the science behind agriculture and I have family members who work for Beck’s as well, so I kept watch for open positions, knowing that Beck’s is a great, family owned, Christian company.

How has your work with agriculture and science impacted you?

It has brought me an even larger appreciation for farmers and everyone else who works in the industry to feed the world. It also brings me closer in my faith as each day I get to be in amazement of the beauty of nature and complexity of God’s design.

How does your faith play into your role?

I am lucky that my faith has been able to play a role in my work life. Beck’s is a family owned, Christian company which is very hard to find nowadays. It is great to be in a workspace where faith is not only encouraged, but brought to the forefront of the conversations and things we do. It also gives me the opportunity to be around more like-minded people with similar morals and beliefs. One of Beck’s motto’s is “Founded in Faith, Forged in America”. The outwardness Beck’s shows about their faith makes me even more proud to be a part of their family of employees, as well as inspires me to share my faith more wherever I go.

How do you see your work evolving?

I see my work evolving in many ways. This is our first year of research at this location and I am the only full-time employee in the research department, other than the head breeding scientist. With that said, I see my role changing in the next year or two as I gain more experience, as well as the scope of our projects will get bigger as we obtain more land and workers to help. I also am planning to go back to school, with the help of Becks, in order to obtain my masters in Plant Breeding, Genetics, or Biochemistry.

What initiatives or projects are you hoping to start or finish in the coming years?

Our research end goal is to put out our first commercial line of corn within the next 4-7 years. The process for commercializing a line of corn is very long and tedious, but each year seeing your breeding choices come into fruition is very rewarding. My personal goal is to have my masters by the end of 2027 and hopefully go for a doctorate after that.

What has been your greatest achievement since leaving Pius in 2018?

One of my greatest achievements since leaving Pius was being elected to lead my fraternity in order to help build more upstanding leaders to send out into the world.

When not working, what hobbies or activities do you enjoy doing?

When not working I enjoy spending time with my family, going to the gym, playing soccer and keeping up with new music and comedy.

What memories do you have of Pius X High School?

Wearing my Heely’s to school and subsequently getting them banned in the handbook for everyone else…
Warming up in the hallways before basketball games and having our locker room in different classrooms.
Cookies at lunch
Going to Fr. Sparling’s classroom during my study hall
Going to football games
Making Romeo and Juliet song parodies for Mr. Hansen’s class

Is there anything else you would like to share?

I am also currently the head coach for the Lincoln Scrappers, a U10 soccer team. My goal is to coach and mentor this team until I send them off to Pius to win us some state championships!