
Name: Gaelan Combs
Hometown: Verona, Wisconsin
High School: Verona Area High School
Class Size: 400
Major: Dairy Science
Why did you decide to attend UW-Madison?
I grew up with UW-Madison in my backyard and always was drawn to the prestige that UW-Madison carries. I wanted a school that would be able to give the best experience to grow problem solving skills, and I saw UW-Madison as the best place to do that for me.
What has been your most memorable college experience?
My most memorable college experience was working with my peers on the National Dairy Challenge team. Taking concepts from class and applying them to real-world dairy farms is a great way to practice skills to use once in the dairy industry.
What has been your favorite course?
I enjoyed Dairy Science 233 & 234, which are dairy herd management courses. These courses help students understand how to manage a commercial dairy operation and size up farm’s productivity relative to their peers. It also helps put into context some of the other classes offered throughout the department.
What are your future career goals?
After graduation I plan to start a graduate program at Iowa State University focusing on immune activation in transition cows. I plan to use this to build into a career as a dairy nutritionist. I ultimately hope to help farms build upon their skills and maximize profitability through helping advise them to raise healthier, more productive animals.