In my 17 years as an Animal Science faculty member at Colorado State University, many students came to the animal science program thinking they had three options for life after college: farming, ranching or working as a veterinarian. 

I recognized how important it was to expand their perspectives on how they could contribute to the industry and the animals that fueled their passions and interests. We need passionate farmers, ranchers and vets. We also need passionate allied industry professionals, commodity organization leaders, researchers, lawyers, technical experts and more who can create connections across those various roles to best support and advance the industry. 

Expanding Horizons and Creating Connections  

The Real Pork Scholars program focuses on creating such connections. National Pork Board selects cohorts of students in graduate and professional school programs across the country to receive professional training, mentorship, networking opportunities and an in-depth understanding of NPB’s initiatives.  

The first Real Pork Scholars cohort officially wrapped up this summer, and I didn’t want too much time to pass before reflecting on the value the cohort will bring to the industry.  The professional growth of the cohort – as individuals and as a group – is a testament to the return on investment in young leaders that can deliver to NPB and the industry as a whole.  

Adding Value to the Industry 

Over the past two years, the 2023 Real Pork Scholars cohort received training to help them more effectively communicate about the industry and their research or professional work; worked with industry mentors to learn more about solving industry challenges; and learned about NPB priorities and projects.  

Each of the Real Pork Scholars was already an exceptional student when they started the program, which made their growth as communicators and connectors even more rewarding to observe. At the end of the program, each scholar presented a final project focused on sharing an element of their research in a way that is relatable to a non-scientific audience, which included: 

  • An in-barn video demonstrating how engaged veterinarians are in swine production 
  • An interactive webpage about the microbiome’s role in improving swine health 
  • An animated video about the importance of biosecurity in preventing disease 
  • Infographics, social media posts and more, all sharing highly technical information in a relatable way 

The time and attention the students gave to their work were impressive, and NPB’s role in helping elevate their ability to share their important work will continue to benefit the industry as the scholars move on to industry jobs and academic positions. Their sharpened skills, strong connections with one another and others in the industry, and proven drive to learn and work hard, will be an asset to all employers or universities.  

Adding Value to the Students 

When Real Pork Scholars started, I was confident the industry would benefit from the development of young leaders. What is just as rewarding, though, is the value the Scholars recognized personally. This is a classic “you get out of it what you put into it” situation, and these students were all in. Some of the feedback they shared with us speaks to the value of the program to them as individuals:  

  • “We have all grown a great deal during this program and the connections that we have made will continue to benefit us in the future.” 
  • “We’ve developed lifelong friendships that are important to our professional future. We know people who can help us solve problems.” 
  • “[This experience] opened my eyes to the different opportunities available to me.” 
  • “We will be able to take what we have learned throughout these past two years to be better professionals within the industry to better advance pork production and consumer involvement.” 

Thinking of these bright young people leading our industry gets me excited about the future of U.S. pork. Keep an eye on these young leaders. I’m looking forward to seeing all the ways they impact the future by sharing their passion, skills, expertise and empowering others to do the same.  

2023 Real Pork Scholars 

  • Lindsey Britton, PhD, North Carolina State University, Swine Reproduction  
  • Abigail Jenkins, PhD, Kansas State University, Applied Swine Nutrition  
  • Molly Kroeger, PhD, Iowa State University, Immunobiology  
  • Carolyn Lee, PhD, The Ohio State University, Veterinary Preventive Medicine  
  • Daniel Morales, PhD, Iowa State University, Field Epidemiology 
  • Isabel Rodrieguez, PhD, Iowa State University, Animal Science – Reproduction PhD student 
  • Haley Schwecke, M.S., University of Minnesota, Swine Infectious Disease, M.S.  
  • Sudario Roberto Silva, Jr., PhD, University of Minnesota, Swine Nutrition, Microbiome, Sustainability, PhD student 
  • Beth Stevermer, Drake University School of Law, Juris Doctorate – Agricultural Law