When you make the trek to Madison each fall, you’re guaranteed to experience a polished and professional, world-class dairy event. And when you pull back the metaphorical curtain to the show, you’ll find that the team that makes it all happen so seamlessly is largely comprised of college students.
From maintaining a pristine Showring to serving up a famous grilled cheese sandwich, and managing biosecurity to coordinating communication with media, students from across the U.S. are imperative to creating a one-of-a-kind experience each year. Beginning with freshman year and all the way through graduate and veterinary school, college students are joining forces with World Dairy Expo staff and volunteers for real-world, professional experiences that are equally beneficial to all parties involved.
Animal Check-in and Biosecurity
For nearly 15 years, UW-Madison veterinary students and professors have taken the lead on animal health check-in and maintaining the highest standard for biosecurity at the show.
“This is near and dear to me,” says Dr. Sheila McGuirk, Professor Emeritus of Large Animal Internal Medicine and Food Animal Production Medicine; DVM, who initiated the program that allows students to receive course credit, in part for completing a thorough veterinary inspection upon cattle arrival.
According to McGuirk, student involvement began with recruiting volunteers to spend several hours each, examining both the cattle and certificates of veterinary inspection. This was subsequently formalized into a one-credit course, which also includes a lecture-style session on biosecurity.
“The beauty of that was learning how to read those certificates of veterinary inspection,” she says. “Enrollment just kept going up. The students valued it. We made them understand how important World Dairy Expo is to the global dairy economy, and there were lots of really positive spin-offs.”
To the UW Veterinary School’s credit, there have been no known disease outbreaks at World Dairy Expo. “By all means, this is prevention,” McGuirk says. “And what it allows us is traceability, so that if something should happen, we would know which animals were in contact or close proximity.”
McGuirk emphasizes another important, real-world element to practicing veterinary science: the human touch. “When exhibitors pull in with their trailers,” she says, “This is their first introduction to Madison after being on the road, and we make it a warm one. They smile and love the interaction and we’ve really had very few negative experiences.”
Media Room
World Dairy Expo offers a unique, professional opportunity for a select handful of students from across the country, who serve as interns in the media room each year. Under the direction of staff members Lisa Behnke and Jenna Langrehr, agricultural marketing and communications students are working closely with writers, editors, photographers and attendees from around the world.
“They are lifesavers,” Langrehr says. “During the show we send out upwards of 30 press releases and are posting on social media multiple times a day. They really help cover the scope of the event as it’s happening because there’s just so much going on.”
Katrina Hoesly was pursuing a degree in agricultural marketing communications and agricultural business at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls when she served as a media intern. “It was a phenomenal experience,” she says. “I was lucky enough to come back for a second year in 2023 to serve as the lead media intern.
“I feel like I gained experience in just one week that would have otherwise taken an entire summer to get, because the event is so fast paced.” Hoesly adds. “You get boots-on-the-ground action, getting your hands dirty right away. And with all things marketing, it’s just super, super cool.”
Irene Nielsen is the lead media intern for 2024. She attends Iowa State University, studying dairy science with a minor in public relations. She says the level of support and community she’s experienced so far is unparalleled. “It’s so valuable for students to get that hands-on experience,” she says. “Working with interns and industry professionals that are all excited to be there because we’re all so passionate about the dairy industry makes it a fantastic week.”
Badger Dairy Club
Nearly everything else you see at World Dairy Expo – along with a lot more of what you don’t see – is largely thanks to UW-Madison’s Badger Dairy Club (BDC). Eric Ronk, BDC’s Co-Advisor, says there’s a handful of main areas where students provide hands-on support each year: showring, signage, grounds, milkhouse, and of course the famous grilled cheese stand. There are also students working on the business side, coordinating schedules and transportation for the students throughout the week.
“I know they’re students first and need to balance their classwork and everything that’s going on, but it’s certainly great for them to get out there, network, and rub elbows with some of the leading dairy producers in the world,” Ronk says.
The work that BDC students are doing surrounding World Dairy Expo is setting them up for future success in many ways. “Just for these students to work side-by-side with the Expo staff is a pretty unique experience, because they’re seeing how a show runs, how sponsorships work,” Ronk says. “There are so many moving pieces, and they get to be involved in all of that, and see the show go on from different perspectives.”
Your Role with Our Dairy Youth
Opportunities abound for young, talented dairy enthusiasts, not only at World Dairy Expo but also in other internships and events throughout the year. Anyone can take hold of these chances to work with our dairy youth, and it doesn’t need to be a formal program, course or club, to help guide that talent into the dairy industry.
It can be as simple as offering a smile and word of encouragement, or as involved as a donation to a scholarship fund or mentorship on your farm – and everything in between. Consider how you can help fan a youth’s passion and recruit their talents for a future role in the dairy industry.
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