Wait, isn’t the saying spring is in the air? Yes, I know it is spring, but I truly met optimism is in the air as there are many incredible students graduating and moving on to the next steps of their careers. It’s just me, as my husband would confess that I always mess up metaphors by either mixing and matching or saying them backward.
Let me ask if you have just started reading my content and are intrigued about where this comes from. Since I started The Sunswine Group, I have met to use my company to help others succeed, whether an individual or a company. I thought I was creating a mentor-to-mentee program but had no idea how much I would grow personally and professionally. I wanted to give back, and thus Coffee and Careers in Animal Science were born. Through this program, I have learned two significant things: if your heart is in the right place, others will support you; and you are never too old to learn.
Featured Graduates
Tyler Chevalier, Ph.D. – University of Kentucky
“Evaluation of boron supplementation in swine and poultry.”
I have had the opportunity to meet and mentor Tyler through our Coffee and Careers program. Tyler shares the same passion for sow research and is very intelligent and charismatic. But I also knew of Tyler before we met through Coffee and Careers, as boron was a trace mineral of interest. Through the last three years, I have had the opportunity to see Tyler grow into an incredible researcher, nutritionist, and professional. I am very proud of his accomplishments and look forward to seeing what he will do for our industry.
Dr. Amy Petry’s first graduates
Brooke M. Bowen, M.S. – Texas Tech University
“Evaluating the relationship of functional compounds innate to soybean meal on nursey pig performance, gut physiology, nutrient digestibility, and systemic health.
Thomas Crome, M.S. – Texas Tech University
“Investigating the influence of dietary fiber source and multicarboyhdrase supplementation on digestibility, energy, systemic health, water balance, and gut motility in gestating sows.
Dr. Petry was the last of Dr. John Patience’s graduate students, and through my work with Dr. Patience over the years, I got to know many of his graduate students and now colleagues in the industry. Over here graduate career, I watched Dr. Petry blossom. I was so excited to see her start her lab, and the work she has produced in two years has been excellent. Yes, there is another back story to this for another day. But, like working with Dr. Patience, I had the opportunity to meet Thomas and Brooke. Not only did I love the research they produced, but they are also exceptional professionals that will change our industry. The University of Missouri’s swine nutrition lab will become a powerhouse again! And if Amy is reading this, when I say amazing accomplishment in two years, I really mean it.
Mitch Rowland, M.S. – The University of Arkansas & The Sunswine Group
“Isolation and in vitro evaluation of select Bacillus isolates to be used in a hatchery natural challenge model for antimicrobial effect on certain poultry derived pathogens.”
Per Mitch’s professor, Dr. Billy Hargis, he is considered a “gradual” student as he has worked full-time throughout his M.S. program. Before joining my team, Mitch worked as an in-vivo researcher for Novozymes. His thesis defense is only a small part of his project, as the in-vivo work will be part of his dissertation. But there is something about a graduate student who combines education and a career. I did not realize what it did for me until I had the opportunity to work with Mitch. He may be studying microbiology and poultry health but he is also a good nutritionist and researcher. His skills as a project manager and ability to learn new skills on the fly make him irreplaceable. I would challenge our industry to support dual students and professionals as they become valuable employees and leaders for our industry.
Nicholas Bradley, B.S. – University of Michigan
I always hoped to bring my nephew back into agriculture someday, but he works at another University close to home, Norte Dame. He was a born athlete but also incredible with animals. He was a competitor and driver in and out of the show ring or field of play. Even though he did not pursue a degree in agriculture, he did represent us well to part of society unfamiliar with agriculture. We would laugh at holiday dinners about his stories introducing his new friends to farming. I wanted to mention Nick, as he is my nephew, but he is also an example of investing in programs and the younger generation, as you never know how they will impact our industry.
As you can see, optimism is in the air, and a bright future is ahead for our industry. If you would like to learn more about Coffee and Careers in Animal Science or know of a young professional that needs a mentor to help them navigate their careers, please fill out our information form. https://forms.office.com/r/bS7zSm7zFv
