Internships guide students to animal science careers, high-impact learning 

Internships and experiences outside the classroom often become the most pivotal moments in a student’s educational journey.

Two students in the Department of Animal Science in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences have participated in nearly 30 high-impact learning experiences combined since their freshman year.

Both say these internships and additional experiential learning opportunities were impactful events that helped them discover their career goals and life desires.

Brittley Bowers ’25, Fredericksburg, and Zachary Hoelscher ’25, Lorena, both came to Texas A&M with strong agricultural roots that shaped their desire to pursue an animal science degree. They entered their education motivated to take full advantage of every opportunity to elevate their academic and professional journeys.

Now as they enter their senior year with numerous accolades and accomplishments, both students are mindful of how those experiences shaped their futures, and they encourage their underclassmen to seek out the same opportunities for growth.

“Take every opportunity you can,” Bowers said. “Take the internship, say yes to the possibility. It is OK if you realize you don’t like it. But if you end up loving it, you could find the career you will enjoy for the rest of your life.”

Bowers: Fueling a passion for the beef industry

As the College’s 2023-2024 Outstanding Junior, Bowers’ latest involvement was a summer internship with Crossroads Cattle Company based in Austin, which marked her seventh internship since 2022.

Bowers set out eager to learn more about the cattle industry and understand the decision-making process behind each production cycle. She quickly gained insights into the ever-changing cattle markets and how partnership cattle were handled.

A highlight of her internship was attending the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s, NCBA, summer business meetings in San Diego, where she learned about the latest industry updates alongside the company.

“Each day was different, which was the best part of it all,” Bowers said. “I was able to learn a new aspect each day, which kept me excited to learn more.”

While working this summer, Bowers was surprised to see how fast the cattle market fluctuated from day to day. This experience taught her the importance of understanding risks and making decisions based on those risks. The experience solidified her desire to one day work in the beef industry.

“I hope to work in the beef industry and speak on behalf of the producers who work day in and day out to put food on our table,” Bowers said. “The knowledge that I gained will allow me to better connect and communicate with those producers I am working with in the industry.”

Gaining vital skills through high-impact learning experiences

Bowers used her numerous extra-curricular activities and internships, ranging from summer positions to seasonal stock show internships, to hone her skills and shape her future career path.

“I have been fortunate with these many internships to learn what I am passionate about,” Bowers said. “Completing an internship not only allows you to gain valuable experience and networking, but it also allows you to understand if this is a company or field you want to work in one day. I also think it is important to take the skills learned in my animal science classes and apply them to the real world.”

Bowers’ determination to seize additional learning opportunities is shown through her wide-ranging involvement within the department and College. As a competitive team member, she was part of the 2023 Texas A&M Meat Judging Team and the 2024 Texas A&M Academic Quadrathlon team, which claimed first place at the Southern Regional American Society of Animal Science Academic Quadrathlon Contest.

Bowers was also named the 2022 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Council, C.O.A.L.S., Member of the Year and is currently serving as president of the organization.

Hoelscher: Building connections for future career

Growing up on a small cow-calf and show cattle operation, combined with his experience on multiple Department of Animal Science competitive teams and participation in the Panhandle beef tour class, gave Hoelscher a unique perspective for his most recent high-impact learning experience as a summer intern at the Cactus Feeders Wrangler Feedyard in Tulia.

Hoelscher plans to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, and this summer’s internship provided valuable insights into feed yard consulting, the design of antibiotic protocols for cattle, and recognizing and treating illnesses. Equally as important as the technical skills learned, Hoelscher built a strong foundational network that he believes will be instrumental in his future career.

“I met people from many different feed yards, even beyond the company that I worked for,” he said. “I believe those connections will allow me to create a network that may one day become clientele.”

Initially, Hoelscher expected the daily responsibilities to be repetitive, anticipating that he would spend most of his time working alone or with a small team. But his experience turned out to be anything but predictable as he learned firsthand the vital roles of discipline and communication in managing a 50,000-head feed yard.

“While many of the daily tasks remained the same from day to day, each day brought its own circumstances and challenges to overcome,” Hoelscher said. “Oftentimes, these problems required help from people in every department. No two days looked the same this summer, and I was able to meet people all over the feed yard who were willing to help me with anything I needed.”

Another essential skill he developed was how to think critically and ask inquisitive questions to learn new things.

“Internships and jobs are typically the first place we develop those skills, and I hope to use what I learned this summer to make the world around me a much better place,” Hoelscher said.

Involvement that shaped the future

Similar to Bowers’ drive to be immersed in the department, Hoelscher has participated in numerous other learning experiences beyond the classroom to make the most out of his time as a student. Previous internships included positions with Fiver Rivers Cattle Feeding and NCBA, and Hoelscher took advantage of activities within the department.

His extensive involvement in the department included competing on the 2023 Texas A&M Meat Judging, the 2022 Texas A&M Wool Judging teams, and the 2024 Texas A&M Academic Quadrathlon Team.

In addition, Hoelscher currently serves as the president of the Animal Science Ambassador organization, the president of the Meat Science and Technology Association, the co-chair of mentorship for C.O.A.L.S. Council and is part of the leadership team for the newly created C.O.A.L.S. Freshman Experience organization.

Hoelscher reflects on his earlier college days, keenly aware that his involvement beyond the classroom has aided in his personal growth and future success.

“As a young student, I had no idea about the jobs in the animal science field,” Hoelscher said. “I learned about opportunities that I never knew existed, and the only way I was able to explore each of these opportunities was through internships and involvement in the department.”