Terry D. Etherton
August 27 was a day of education, exploration and enlightenment for the 55 students and staff who participated in the annual New Student Industry Tour, hosted by Penn State’s Department of Dairy and Animal Science and Department of Poultry Science.
Now in its 11th year, the tour offers incoming freshman and other students new to the campus, a unique educational opportunity to view the diversity of Pennsylvania agriculture, from the traditional to the exotic. It has been a big “hit” since we launched the tour.
We started our annual tour to demonstrate the diversity of Pennsylvania agriculture and to show students the many, many exciting career opportunities for graduates. It is a tremendous day of exploration. We hold it during the first week of classes, so it is an excellent way for them to meet other students and to get to know faculty on an informal basis.
With more and more students coming from non-farm backgrounds, it is increasingly important for these students to gain an appreciation of animal science within the larger agricultural industry.
Tour organizer Jana Peters, who works in the Department of Dairy and Animal Science shared, “A lot of these students have never been on farms, so the tour gives them a close-up view of production agriculture. It is really helpful for them to meet the caretakers and learn about the responsible care of animals used in food production. It also is a great way for them to get to know their classmates.”
Industry hosts included:
- Penn National Race Course, where General Manager Paul Jenkins discussed the operation, which has hosted thoroughbred racing for 37 years. Penn National has 1,000 employees.
- Wen-Crest Farms, LLC, owned and operated by Steve and Bonnie Wenger, has a farming operation with 1500 acres planted in corn, beans, wheat and hay, 100 head of feeder steers and 600,000 turkeys in eight turkey barns.
- Furnace Hill Holsteins, a partnership with Joel Krall and Tim Crouse, with 150 cows and 120 replacement heifers. Krall and Crouse discussed their attention to detail which contributes to their success. Both graduates of the Department of Dairy and Animal Science, they encouraged students to be explore career opportunities and take advantage of learning opportunities outside the classroom during their time at Penn State. Examples of the latter include participation in one or more of the many student clubs we sponsor.
- Zoo America at Hershey Park, home to over 200 animals from five regions of North America. Students had the opportunity to take a “behind the scenes,” look at the care of the animals, including a tour of the medical building and interaction with naturalists.
Hosts for the luncheon which was held at the Lebanon County Extension Office included Cargill, Alltech and Select Sire Power, with representatives from each speaking about career opportunities.
Peters expressed appreciation to the hosts for their time and their frank and helpful discussions of their operations. “We are very grateful for their hospitality. They provide so much valuable information, and are very encouraging to our students. It really helps get the students off to a good start as they begin classes.”
My observation is that activities like this are not only educational but have a great “ripple” effect in the communities we visit. There is a lot of excitement about the group from Penn State coming for a visit. Over the years, there have been many stories written about this – all a part of our effort to market the great educational opportunities that exist at Penn State.