Dairy students share post secondary experiences

Choosing a post-secondary school can be challenging. A lot goes into committing to a school including consideration of majors, future career opportunities, finances and personal preferences. Wisconsin has a wide variety of 2- and 4-year schools where students can specialize and prepare for a career in agriculture. Five dairy students share their experiences at the schools they attend to give future students an idea of what to expect and what college is like. Thank you to those who participated in our roundtable!

Where did you grow up and what is your background in agriculture? What are you majoring in and what are your plans after graduation?

Aisja Achenbach, Southwest Technical College: I grew up on a dairy farm in Eastman. I’ve always had an agriculture background. From growing up on the farm watching and working with my grandpa to educating city kids about agriculture. I’m majoring in Farm Operations and Management – Dairy. Following school, I plan to continue working with my show string and possibly work in the nutrition industry. One of my larger goals would be working with Holstein Association USA and becoming a classifier. Zoe Ertel, Lakeshore Technical College: I grew up on my grandparents fourth generation dairy farm right outside of Plymouth. This is where my love and passion for not only showing dairy cattle and swine but also agriculture formed. I started showing in our county’s annual farmer bud show when I was just five years old and joined 4-H, FFA, and the Junior Holstein Association as soon as I could! This opened many doors for me and expanded not only learning but multiple leadership skills as well.

Currently I am attending Lakeshore Technical College, LTC, in Cleveland and majoring in Agricultural Business. This is a technical college, so after my two years are complete I plan to transfer to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to finish school. Josh Gerbitz, UW-Madison: I was born on a small dairy in Dodge County but my family moved shortly after I was born. Since then, most of my life I have lived off the farm in Rock County. I was active in 4-H and Junior Holsteins throughout my childhood and that led me to start working on a dairy the summer after eighth grade. From then I never looked back. Many of the connections I made through these experiences helped me decide I wanted to study dairy science at UW-Madison. I have had great experiences through school, organizations, and internships that have helped shape me. After graduation I will be working for Alta Genetics as a Dairy Business Advisor in Eastern Wisconsin.

Becca Iverson, UW-River Falls: I grew up in the town of Burlington. I didn’t get involved in agriculture, specifically dairy, until I was 14 years old. My relatives invited me to spend the summer with them on their little farm where they raised show heifers in Juda. After that first summer I was drawn into the dairy world and spent every summer until college out there working with the heifers and going to cattle shows. I am majoring in Biotechnology with an emphasis in Animal Science and a minor in Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. This December I will be graduating and then I plan to search of a career in bovine reproduction or some sort of lab work career. Luke Trustem, UW-Platteville: I grew up in Evansville, Wisconsin, on my family’s dairy farm Larson Acres. On the farm I have numerous tasks such as doing the night feeding on the weekends, working with the show and sale calves, and sire selection on show animals. My plans after school are to either pursue a career in animal nutrition or as an A.I. specialist. Then eventually return to the family farm.

Why did you choose this school?

Achenbach: I chose Southwest Wisconsin Technical College because it’s close to my home farm and I felt like it was a very good investment when compared to other options. I didn’t want to be paying of student loans when I could be investing in expanding my show herd.

Ertel: Originally I had planned to attend River Falls right after graduating highschool in 2020. However, due to the global pandemic, I decided it was best to take a gap year. I didn’t like the idea of online schooling and there were a lot of uncertainties at the time. This led me to finding a technical college near my home to attend to earn some of the class credit I would need.

Gerbitz: I chose to attend UW-Madison because it is at the center of the dairy industry. Protocols like Ovsynch were created here. That means that at Madison the instructors are the people who are making the big changes in the industry. Apart from that, a big thing at Madison is the connections. When you’re in the center of dairy innovation you naturally have the opportunity to meet other people that you will work with throughout your career.

Iverson: I chose River Falls because I loved the feel of a smaller school, but still felt like it had so a lot of opportunities available to it’s students. Having smaller class and lab sizes has given more chance for hands on learning and chances to interact during class.

Trustem: I chose to come to UW-Platteville because it has small class sizes and the program in dairy science that I wanted. With the smaller campus, I can be more involved on campus with things like the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, Pioneer Dairy Club, and Collegiate Dairy Judging. The city of Platteville also felt very similar to my hometown. Platteville is also close enough to home and far enough away at the same time.

What are some of the most valuable experiences you’ve had in school?

Achenbach: Spending time with like-minded classmates and learning about their operations as well as traveling to many dairy judging competitions around the U.S., but mostly in Wisconsin, certainly rank at the top of my list.

Ertel: Some valuable experiences I have had in school are being able to do hands-on labs. Learning material from a textbook is okay, but when there are chances to do it in real life, that makes it ten times better!

Gerbitz: I have been blessed with some spectacular opportunities during school. One of my favorites was a trip sponsored by Purina. This is a trip that is put on exclusively for UW-Madison students. We went to a farm and did a audit and then had the opportunities to work with some of Purina’s professionals to find solutions on the dairy. We also got to attend the Purina Dairy Conference in the Dells and see their research facility in St. Louis.

Iverson: I think that choosing a school that was bit farther from home was valuable in the sense that I got to fully be on my own and be somewhere completely new to me. This allowed me to meet so many new people from a lot of different places and learn a lot more about myself.

Trustem: The most valuable experience that I have had in school so far is joining Alpha Gamma Rho. This helped me gain leadership skills and make connections for future career use. AGR has helped me become a more confident person in public speaking along with improving my interview and professionalism skills.

What do you enjoy most about the school and campus?

Achenbach: I enjoy the Animal Science classes that Ryan Weigel teaches. Being involved and traveling with the dairy judging team is also high on my list. I also enjoy the lab time.

Ertel: Something that I enjoy most about school is that I am able to continue working while also having classes. The classes are very flexible and have multiple times and options when and how to attend the class.

Gerbitz: My favorite part of campus is the fact that you can make the campus as big or a small as you would like. There are a lot of people on the campus here, yet most all of my professors know my name in the dairy science department. I also know most all of the dairy science students across all classes and many other ag students that may specialize in other areas. That being said, if I want to be part of something other than ag, those opportunities exist across campus.

Iverson: Being in the college atmosphere in general has been my favorite part. Everywhere you walk you see a familiar face on a smaller campus.

Trustem: The thing I enjoy most about the campus at UWPlatteville is its size, but it still feels like a large university at the same time. Another aspect of UW-Platteville that I feel is beneficial is how hands-on the professors are. The professors are also very willing to help you with anything you need as well.

Are you involved in any organizations? If so which ones and what have you gained by being involved.

Achenbach: On campus, I am a member of that F.A.R.M Club and Collegiate PAS. I also participate on the dairy judging team. Being involved has taught me many things including appreciation of others, leadership skills and organization.

Ertel: I am involved in an organization called PAS, which stands for Post Secondary Agriculture students. This is a club that helps you gain understanding of professional and career skills. There are a variety of opportunities within such as, interview contests, resume building, and much more.

Gerbitz: On campus, I am involved in Badger Dairy Club, Dairy Judging, Collegiate Farm Bureau, Dairy Challenge, and the Babcock House. All of these organizations have given me excellent chances to meet new people and try a variety of things. I have learned different things from each club whether it be from a trip to a dairy farm, haunted house, or a tulip farm in California.

Iverson: I was involved in the Dairy Club on campus. Through the club, I was able to learn more about the paths that other students interested in dairy science were taking and more about potential paths that I could take. I was part of the PDPW mentor program and also got to attend the conference. I also was a part of the Falcon Premiere Sale in the spring of 2020.

What have you learned about your school that you weren’t expecting or didn’t know before?

Achenbach: I was somewhat surprised by how easy all of the faculty is to work with. They go out of their way to help you with any challenges that come up. I was also surprised by the number of students that attend SWTC that I knew.

Ertel: I learned that you need to be able to manage time! The amount of homework and learning you need to do outside of the classroom is greater than any high school class. Time management is very important for me because I also have a job outside of school.

Gerbitz: One thing I learned is how many faculty there are in the Dairy Science Department. If you are interested in anything specifically in dairy, whether it’s technology, calves, or feeding; someone at UW is probably an expert on it or can get you in contact with someone who is.

Iverson: The university has a lot of resources available to its students that I never realized in order to help us succeed. From Career Services to the different health services and even technology support. Anything that a student could need help with, there is a department full of resources that we could need.

Trustem: One thing that I learned about UW-Platteville that I didn’t know going in is how many opportunities that are available and how easy they make the transition from high school for you. UW-Platteville will help you find anything you want to do from clubs and activities to numerous classes and learning activities.

What advice do you have for high school juniors and seniors considering their educational options?

Achenbach: Go to school for what you want to do, not what others want you to do. Take time and explore all of your options. Talk to others.

Ertel: My advice for any high schoolers considering educational options is that it’s okay if your plan doesn’t work out. At first I thought it was the end of the world, but just remember that there is a lot ofvariety and options to choose from. Do what fits your needs!

Gerbitz: My biggest piece of advice would be to ask people questions. If you talk to someone you trust they will tell you the good and bad of their experience. I would also really encourage going out and seeing the schools or if you’re interested in a trade, go see how someone does that trade. My other suggestion would be to do everything you possibly can to stay active in school or organizations or sports. In those organizations, recognize the values

of the opportunity. For example, if you do dairy judging, realize the value of the public speaking and the decision making. You might never judge a national show but you probably will have to defend your decisions at some point.

Iverson: Other than choosing a school that has a program that interests you, I would say look at the community around the school. Choose somewhere that you could imagine yourself living happily for a few years. Get to know what there is to do around the school.

Trustem: My advice for juniors and seniors considering their options is to apply to multiple schools and visit them. In addition, always keep an open mind when visiting places. Lastly, try to find the best fit for you and what you are looking for, small or large school, how far from home, and desired majors.

What was most helpful to you in high school while preparing to go to school?

Achenbach: I was able to take many of my general education classes while still in high school. That certainly helped with my transition into college life and allowed me the opportunity to focus more on my core classes. Being involved in FFA, and developing leadership skills was also helpful.

Ertel: One thing that helped in high school when preparing to choose a secondary school was meeting with advisors from other colleges throughout my junior and senior year. This helped me choose the best fit and I got to learn more about what other schools had to offer.

Gerbitz: I think the most helpful thing for me during high school was getting my degree. I have not talked about grades at all yet, mostly because I am a firm believer that it is more important to have great experiences than it is to have great grades, however it is important to do fairly well in school.

Iverson: I got some college credits while I was in high school through AP classes which was very helpful. By the time I got to school, I had lass general education classes that I had to take and was able to start taking more classes for my major right away.

Trustem: Most helpful to me when I was in high school was asking people currently attending the school to see what they liked about it and what they did not to gain an overall feel for the school.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Achenbach: I have fond memories participating in Wisconsin Junior Holstein events and am looking forward to my final couple of years. I strongly advise youth to get involved and make the most of every opportunity you’re presented with.

Thank you to these students for sharing their experiences with postsecondary education. There area lot of resources out there for Wisconsin 4-year and 2-year schools including your fellow junior members. It may seem overwhelming when trying to decide to pursue a college or make a decision on where to go, so we hope this roundtable was valuable.