Dairy Students Share Post-Secondary School Experiences

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?

Montana Sarbacker, UWPlatteville: I grew up in Belleville, Wisconsin, on my family’s Registered Holstein farm where we milked 75 Registered Holsteins. Following our herd dispersal in 2012, my family and I continued our involvement in the industry by beginning a show heifer boarding business. I am currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville where I am studying Agriculture Business with an emphasis in Marketing and Communications. After graduation I plan to continue to grow my family’s show heifer boarding business and obtain a job in marketing and communications in the agriculture industry. Grady Wendorf, Fox Valley Technical College: I am a fourthgeneration dairy and cash crop farmer. I currently work on my family farm with 15 or so dairy show cows and 1,500-acre cash crop farm. I am currently attending Fox Valley Technical college studying Agribusiness – agronomy. I plan on graduating spring of 2023 with my associates in agronomy as well as my technical diploma in precision agriculture. I hope to be applying for jobs this winter with seed companies while continuing to work on the home farm.

Roslind Anderson, UWRiver Falls: I am from Ellsworth, Wisconsin where I grew up on my family’s multi-generational dairy farm. Growing up, I was involved in both 4-H and FFA. I started showing Registered Holsteins and Brown Swiss at the county level, then on to the state and national level as I got older. Growing up in the dairy industry has taught me many valuable life lessons that I will cherish forever.

I am currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls majoring in Dairy Science with a Food Processing Technology minor. Though I won’t be returning to the family farm after graduation, I knew I wanted to continue my career in the dairy industry. After I graduate, I plan to work in a dairy manufacturing plant as a supervisor. Zach Olson, UW-Madison: I grew up just south of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. This is where my family and I are the fifth and sixth generations on our family farm where we milk 60 cows. I am currently a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying dairy science and agriculture business management. My plan is to return to the family farm upon graduation and bring back the new technologies and ideas to help improve the farm. Katie Wierenga, Lakeshore Technical College: I grew up on a dairy farm in Alto, Wisconsin that my great-grandpa started in 1966. I was in 4-H for 11 years and showed dairy animals and swine. I was also a member of the Waupun Area FFA. I am working towards an associate degree in Agribusiness Science & Technology. After graduation I am hoping to become a dairy plant field representative.

Why did you choose this school?

Sarbacker: I chose UW-Platteville because of the small campus size and the great agriculture program.

Wendorf: I chose Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) because it fit my schedule very well. I go to school from Monday through Wednesday and go back home to work on the farm. I am also a big hands-on learner; I hate the idea of sitting in a room listing to someone talk that may not have real life experience. At FVTC all of the teachers have had real life experience, most classes expect you to come ready to be outside with most of the classwork being hands on.

Anderson: I chose UW-River Falls for a few reasons. The first thing that really stood out to me at River Falls was the Dairy Science Program. Another reason I chose UWRF was because it is relatively close to home which gives me the ability to continue working on the family farm.

Olson: UW-Madison was an easy choice for me, because I knew I wanted to come here and get the four-year experience while also seeing the research side of the industry as well. The connections you can make at Madison over your college career are priceless.

Wierenga: I choose Lakeshore Technical Collage because I heard a lot of great things about their ag program and their iFlex option is nice for us students that work on the farm or have jobs outside of school.

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

Sarbacker: One of my most valuable experiences has been working as the Student Office Assistant for the School of Agriculture. In this role, it is my responsibility to create the ‘Pioneer Junction’ which is the monthly School of Agriculture newsletter. Through the creation of this publication, I have expanded my knowledge on the School of Agriculture and have developed industry relationships with professors and students on campus.

Wendorf: My first year of school I was on the PAS agronomy team and we went to nationals. What I learned was that the best memories from college was the extra activities outside of school with your classmates and teachers.

Anderson: The most valuable experiences I have had at UWRF has been attending the career fair every semester. With the career fair I have been able to gain connections with companies within the dairy industry.

Olson: My most valuable experience so far has probably been joining the Crop Judging Team. Not only does this expose me to the cropping, soil, and fertility side of the industry that I don’t really go to in depth in my dairy classes, it also has allowed me to travel all over the country for competitions.

Wierenga: We had a networking event at school. It was a great way to meet different businesses within agriculture and to hear about all the different opportunities that are out there.

What do you enjoy most about the school and campus?

Sarbacker: I enjoy the community of people, as well as the student to professor ratio. UW-Platteville has small class sizes, which allows students to create and gain a one-on-one relationship with both professors and students.

Wendorf: I like the first name basis. Teachers and students are all on a first name basis. They’re here to educate but with their own personal touch makes it very easy to learn about what you’re going to school for.

Anderson: UWRF is very scenic, and the welcoming staff make going to school more enjoyable. With UWRF being a smaller school, it allows for smaller classes, so most professors are more personable while teaching. Along with being a smaller school, it makes for everything being within walking distance.

Olson: I enjoy how “small” this campus is. By actual size it is quite large, and early morning walks to class really makes it feel larger than it is. However, being able to still walk everywhere I think is something I don’t appreciate enough about this campus.

Wierenga: What I enjoy most about Lakeshore Tech is that the schooling is flexible. Also, the students and staff are all very friendly.

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

Sarbacker: I am involved in Pioneer Dairy Club, Collegiate Farm Bureau, Agriculture Ambassadors, and I manage the school’s wrestling team. This year, I am serving on the Pioneer Dairy Club’s Sale Committee for our 40th Annual Pioneer Dairy Classic, taking place on April 1. I also am serving as this year’s secretary for the Collegiate Farm Bureau. Being involved in each of these organizations, I have made several connections and lifelong friendships across the agriculture industry. Specifically, my involvement within each of these organizations has given me the opportunity to grow individually and professionally. Within these organizations, I have been able to attend a variety of leadership workshops and conferences where I have been able to develop new skills and experiences.

Wendorf: My first year I was part of PAS agronomy team. I learned that there are a lot of other colleges like mine and that our two-year college is just as knowledgeable as four-year colleges. FVTC had two agronomy teams at the national PAS conference. The two teams swept the board taking first and second place at the national conference against other two- and four-year schools.

Anderson: While being involved in the UWRF Dairy Club since freshman year I have served many roles including being on the officer team for two years, serving as the Yearbook Manager and I am currently serving as the Philanthropy Chair. Through the last two years I have gained great leadership and useful communication skills. I was also a part of the biannual Falcon Premier Sale in 2022. Since being on the sale committee, I gained a greater connection with club members that volunteered for this event.

While being a part of the dairy club has been my favorite part of my college experience, I have had the opportunity to gain connections with fellow classmates who also have a passion for the dairy industry.

Olson: I’m primarily involved in three organizations, those being Collegiate Farm Bureau, Badger Dairy Club, and Badger Crops Club. Badger Dairy Club has really had an impact on me, because through them I’ve been the grounds chair at World Dairy Expo the past two years. Not taking anything away from Badger Crops Club either, because that is the organization that puts on the aforementioned crop judging team.

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

Sarbacker: Before attending UW-Platteville, I was unaware of all of the organizations and student employment opportunities on campus. There really is something for everyone, and lots of opportunities to grow hands-on skills and experiences.

Wendorf: How personable the teachers are. They are all very understanding and try to bond with their students. While college may seem daunting and have a lot of work, our instructors really focus on making it easy for us to understand while still having fun in class.

Anderson: UWRF works hard to make all students feel welcomed and a chance to get involved. This college university offers a wide variety of clubs and activities for all students to be involved in a welcoming manner.

Olson: One thing that I perceived before coming to UW-Madison was that the university was some giant place that really doesn’t feel like “home.” However, I have grown to really appreciate it here, and with all the friends and connections I’ve made there’s almost a sense of community that I get to enjoy day in and day out.

Wierenga: Lakeshore Tech has so many more opportunities for their students than I thought they did. For example, they have a PAS club that is like FFA but for college students.