Business Connections for Summer 2018

SUMMER 2018 7 // Business Connections Jessica Ezell grew up in the country near Hiawatha and has won- derful memories of her time with her grandparents at their farm. She says, “My grandpa taught me how to milk a cow and took me hunting for morel mushrooms, and my grandma taught me how to put up corn and make biscuits. Plus, I always looked forward to the Zion UMC ice cream social!”   Ezell left Kansas to earn an undergraduate degree in history from John Brown University in Arkansas and a Master of Science in information studies from the University of Texas at Austin. She went on to work for the State of Texas in Family & Protective Services, Health & Human Services, and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.  What led to Ezell’s return to Kansas? She replies, “My sister came back to Kansas and settled in Lawrence about five years ago, and that started the process. Austin is a great city, but since I moved there 15 years ago, it’s grown exponentially. Between the traffic and cost of living, I started thinking how great it would be to have more space and a more manageable pace of life. I’m not a huge fan of the long hot summers in Austin either, so coming back to a climate where I could enjoy additional time outside was appealing as well. I started looking for job opportunities in the northeast Kansas and northwest Missouri area about three years ago, and the position at Morrill Public Library made my move back a reality.” Thanks to a spring concert that raised funds for library program- ming, Morrill Public Library was able to add events to its summer reading program for all ages, called “Libraries Rock!” In the plan- ning stages now is a remodel for the library building, which will hopefully start before the end of the year. “Working with the staff and getting to know the community have been the most rewarding aspects of my job so far. As for living again in Kansas, I love having a full four seasons. I’m also thrilled to see my family regularly—especially my niece and nephew— rather than just once or twice a year,” Ezell notes.  To see current library programming and other announce- ments, visit www.hiawathalibrary.org or check out Facebook @MorrillPublicLibrary. In this magazine, we periodically highlight people in our community whose career path brought them back to their roots. For this issue, we recognize Jessica Ezell, Library Director at Morrill Public Library. Returning to Your Roots Jessica Ezell