By Blake Jackson
A group of 42 young dairy professionals and two college educators recently received scholarships to attend the 2025 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit in State College, Pa. The Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, the Center for Dairy Excellence, and the Dairy Excellence Foundation awarded these scholarships to individuals aged 18-30 who are either in high school, college, or working on dairy farms in Pennsylvania. The initiative supports young professionals passionate about dairy and motivated to enhance their skills through networking and professional development.
“I found great value in my experience at the PA Dairy Summit. For young individuals, I think the variety of topics and discussions was important. There was a unique combination of dairy farmers and industry professionals who discussed both types of careers. There was great exposure to different types of farms, the future of dairy products, and the current topics in the industry,” said Sara Kennedy, one of the scholarship recipients and a student at The Pennsylvania State University. “I would definitely encourage any young professional who wants to be involved in the dairy industry to attend – especially if they want to gain exposure to the industry from different perspectives.”
The scholarship winners attended the two-day Summit and participated in a Young Dairy Professionals Reception, where they rotated through different career areas, including herd management, nutrition, veterinary medicine, marketing, and business. The reception featured panelists who shared their career journeys and insights into the dairy industry.
Maggie Harding, a Cheese Scientist at Lactalis, Blaine Walizer, a herdsman assistant at Dotterer Dairy, and Casi Long, a first-generation dairy farmer, were among the panelists. “It was gratifying to be able to share some future career ideas to young professionals, because while I was in their seat I really felt unsure about what my future career could possibly entail. To me, the day-to-day is important [for young professionals] to picture versus the overall title of a position. It was also inspiring for me to hear the other panelists’ stories,” said Harding.
The scholarship recipients also participated in a Career Development Workshop during the Summit. Those interested in applying for the 2026 Young Dairy Professionals Scholarship can expect applications to be released in November 2025. The 2026 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit will take place in February 2026 in Grantville, Pa. For more information, visit www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/summit-scholarship.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-peopleimages
Categories: Pennsylvania, Business, Livestock, Dairy Cattle