Jadelyn Stewart completed her bachelor’s degree in animal science this spring and is one of 20 students in the country to receive a pork industry scholarship from the National Pork Board. (Photo by Carly Hostetter/Northwest Missouri State University)

May 3, 2019

Internships lead Stewart to pursue career in pork industry

By Tara Garcia, communication assistant

Jadelyn Stewart has found her passion within the pork production industry with the help of opportunities at Northwest Missouri State University and a variety of internships for which she says she is forever grateful.

“I think sometimes when people get involved with animal science, all they think they can do is be a veterinarian,” she said. “That was my goal at first when I came to Northwest. When I started learning more about hog production, the faculty really opened my eyes to the different opportunities in the industry. Northwest and The Maschhoffs (hog production company) have taken care of me and given me a lot of opportunities, between sponsoring me in graduate school and offering me different research positions.”

Stewart, a Vermontville, Michigan, who completed her bachelor’s degree in animal science this spring, has been awarded a pork industry scholarship from the National Pork Board. She is among 20 students chosen as part of a strategy to develop the pork industry’s future human capital. Recipients are selected on scholastic merit, leadership activities and involvement in the pork production industry.

Stewart was a top recipient and will receive a $3,500 scholarship. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in animal science with an emphasis in pork production and environmental management at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana.

“I would love to pursue a career in research within the hog industry after graduate school,” Stewart said. “I have completed a couple of internships that have pertained to research in the hog industry and I loved them. In graduate school, I will work as a research assistant and gain even more experience.”

As a student, Stewart interned for The Maschhoffs’ Great Plains Region to further her experience beyond Northwest and better understand pork production. Subsequently during the summer of 2018, she assisted in a research study to determine the impact of pheromone sprays on reproduction in sows for The Maschhoffs’ Science and Innovation Department in Carlyle, Illinois.

“I really enjoyed working for The Maschhoffs for my two internships,” she said. “For my first encounter, I worked at a hog production facility near Bethany, Missouri. I learned the basics of production and animal caregiver skills. For my second internship, I was able to run my own research trial for the research department.”

Stewart has always had an interest in the swine industry. In high school, she held leadership roles at the chapter and district levels of FFA. She was active in 4-H and the National Junior Swine Association. She chose to attend Northwest for its scholarship opportunities and affordability.

“I came for a visit the summer before my senior year of high school, and I absolutely loved it,” she said. “I loved seeing opportunities for hands-on experience at the farm. I was also awarded the president’s scholarship, which was a big push. Northwest really didn’t compare to any other school.”

Stewart served as president of Sigma Alpha Iota, an international music fraternity for women, as well as the Society of President Scholars at Northwest.

Through support from her family, connections from her professors and the practical coursework at Northwest, Stewart feels confident to pursue her next chapter and take on the challenge of graduate school. She says her parents and grandparents are her biggest supporters, and the faculty at Northwest have made lasting impacts on her that she will take with her.

“Dr. Roger Johnson and Dr. Marcus McGee were very helpful,” Stewart said. “Johnson has been able to connect me with a lot of the industry leaders. He's had quite a few guest speakers come in, and it's been awesome getting to network. Making that connection is huge for me. McGee taught me a lot of animal science classes, and I loved the level of detail his classes got into. He is a challenging professor, and I appreciate how hard he pushes his students to be successful.”