Animal & Dairy Sciences Initiatives

A committee within the UW-Madison Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences has come up with a list of eight development priorities to help move the department ahead in the upcoming years.
The department’s External Relations and Recruiting Committee polled the faculty of the recently merged department for items they felt should come before the committee, explored each item, and came up with a priority list.
Following is a brief description of each of the priorities.
- Scholarships for undergraduate students to assist in recruitment of prospective students and career direction of Animal and Dairy Sciences undergraduate students. The general scholarship fund would be targeted toward pre-vet sophomore and junior students based on need and merit. Funding goal: $200,000 endowment fund minimum.
- Scholarships for animal and dairy science majors leading to a senior thesis. Few Animal Science or Dairy Science majors currently enroll in a senior thesis, and the goal would be to have 10 percent of departmental undergraduates participate. Funding goal: $25,000 endowment fund minimum.
- Scholarships for undergraduate Animal and Dairy Science majors to study abroad. The department looks to establish a general scholarship fund to assist students in easing the financial burden of studying abroad and grant them equal access for financial assistance. The scholarship’s goal would be for 10 percent of the department’s undergraduates to have one study abroad experience when they graduate. Funding goal: $25,000 endowment fund minimum.
- Undergraduate Meat Science Scholarships for Animal and Dairy Sciences majors. Students have an opportunity to gain experience in an unmatched state-of-the-art Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery building and program. Scholarships would help students gain experience associated with a research or Extension project or in pursuing production-related career opportunities. Funding goal: $25,000 endowment fund minimum.
- Undergraduate Meat Science/industry-related training with an academic instructor. This position would enable a greater number of laboratory-based courses throughout the year, enhance the ability of Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery and other faculty to offer lab-based courses; support industry-applied type research and development requests; and allow for a graduate student to be involved with coaching the meat/animal judging teams. Funding goal: $1.6 million endowment fund minimum.
- Undergraduate Meat Judging Program Assistant. This fund would be used to recruit a highly talented student into the graduate program at UW-Madison. The program assistant would provide the training associated with the meat judging team and provide the team with the opportunity to tour various meat-packing plants, meat-processing plants and allied industry companies. Funding goal: $500,000 endowment fund minimum.
- “Cows on Campus” Dairy Cattle Center Visitor Area.” Approximately 4,000 to 5,000 people visit the Dairy Cattle Center each year to see the cows and tour the facility. The “Cows on Campus” project would create a visitor center to include a welcome area and interactive dairy exhibits. Combined with the exhibits in the new Babcock Hall and Meat and Animal Biologics Discovery buildings, a high-impact tourism destination could be developed in the heart of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences campus. Funding goal: $150,000 for study, design and construction.
- Animal Sciences Library Space. This project would consist of complete renovation of the Animal Sciences building main floor library to transform it into a pleasant space for students to relax, study, hang out between classes, and study and work together on group assignments. Funding goal: $100,000.
Other Giving Opportunities for Animal Science Majors
Click here to support Animal Science Programs
Julie Busby Memorial Fund-Graduate Travel: this fund was established to provide funds for graduate student travel to professional meetings. The fund welcomes contributions and bequests Julie Busby’s name from alumni, friends, corporations and foundations.
Cargill/Benevenga Undergraduate Research Endowment: this fund was established to provide undergraduate students with an opportunity to participate in research during their undergraduate experience.
Dennis R Buege Meat Science Endowed Student: established in the memory of Dennis Buege to award an undergraduate student with a special interest in the area of Meat Science.
Mary G Heisdorf Memorial Scholarship Fund: this fund, established in the memory of Mary G Heisdorf, is given to an undergraduate or graduate student majoring in poultry science.
Milt Sunde Scholarship Fund: this fund was established to recognize a Poultry Science student who has completed at least two courses in the department. Preference is given to a student who has worked in the Poultry Research Lab.
MJ Wylie Animal Sciences Education and Outreach: established to provide the opportunity for undergraduate students to work on extension projects in animal sciences. The fund welcomes contributions and bequests in MJ Wylie’s name from alumni, friends, corporations and foundations.
Aquaculture Program: this fund was established to provide funding for the Aquaculture program headed by Dr. Jeffrey Malison.
Equine Extension & Teaching: this fund was established to provide resources for extension and teaching in the area of horse production.
A.B. Chapman Lecture Fund: this fund was established to support the A.B. Chapman Lectures. The A.B. Chapman Lectures in Animal Breeding and Genetics have been presented annually from 1994 by leading world scholars in the various fields related to genetic improvement of livestock.
Meat Science & Muscle Biology Program: this fund was established to support the mission of the Meat/Muscle Biology: (1) to improve the quality of muscle foods through research concerned with mechanisms regarding product enhancement, deterioration and safety in fresh and processed meats; (2) to develop new knowledge about muscle structure and function that may be applied to animal science and human health.
Poultry Research Institute: this fund was established to support the Poultry Research Institute.
Pope Sheep Research Fund: this fund was established to provide resources for research in sheep production.
Swine Production: this fund was established to provide resources for research in sheep production.
Wisconsin Youth Livestock Program Fund: this fund was established to provide resources for the Wisconsin Youth Livestock Program.
Other Giving Opportunities for Dairy Science Majors
Click here to support Dairy Science Programs
Dairy Science Legacy Scholarships: established to help make attending UW more affordable for both instate and out of state students to make a connection with the department’s best and brightest students. Many of the existing scholarships are named to honor living or deceased alumni and friends.
Dairy Science Department: established to provide support for departmental initiatives in teaching, outreach and research.
David Dickson Dairy Cattle Judging Team: established to provide support for Dairy Cattle Judging Teams.
James W. Crowley Dairy Management & Extension: established in honor of James W. Crowley to support dairy extension activities and dairy management research.
John C. Elmer Dairy Agriculture: established in honor of John C. Elmer to support research in dairy agriculture.
Edward H. Farrington Dairy Science: established in honor of Edward H. Farrington to support department designated projects; supports undergraduate research internships.
George E. Shook International Study Scholarship Fund: established in honor of Professor George Shook, will assist undergraduate students participating in an international study abroad experience.
Neal Jorgensen Dairy Science Endowment: established to support research and undergraduate scholarships in the Department of Dairy Science.
Roger Palmer Dairy Science Fund: established to assist graduate students in Dairy Herd Management in the Department of Dairy Science by providing funding for conference travel and conference registration fees.
Robert P. and Edna B. Niedermeier Dairy Science Memorial Scholarship: established in honor of Robert P. and Edna B. Niedermeier to provide undergraduate scholarships to Dairy Science majors.
Anton G. “Tony” Sendelbach Scholarship: established in honor of Anton G. Sendelbach to provide undergraduate scholarships to students from Dairy Herd Improvement farms who are majoring in Dairy Science.
Edna F. & Walter E. Schmidt Merit Scholarship: established in honor of Edna F. & Walter E. Schmidt to provide funds for the Merit Scholars Program.
William & Janice Ward Family Agriculture Enrichment: established to enhance undergraduate, graduate and outreach education by providing support to attract students to dairy science, enhance experiential learning opportunities, to take advantage of unique learning opportunities and technologies and to support faculty in their quest of new instructional approaches and techniques.
Larry D. Satter Dairy Science Scholarship: established to award scholarship support to deserving undergraduate students in the Dairy Science Department in honor of Larry D. Satter, Professor Emeritus of Dairy Science Nutrition.
For more information about ways to support the UW-Madison Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, please contact Jodi Wickham at Jodi.wickham@supportuw.orgor call 608-308-5315