SDSU Department of Animal Science names 2023-24 student ambassadors

The Department of Animal Science at South Dakota State University has recently selected the 2023-24 student ambassador team for the upcoming year. The team includes Kallista Roers, Ella Kreber, Bruce VanDe Stroet, Mitchell Vander Wal, Teigen Hadrick and Grace Britton. 

Ambassadors are selected based on an application and interview process. They are highly involved in recruiting new students to the Department of Animal Science by meeting prospective students, providing tours, participating in admission events and providing personalized communication with admitted and prospective students. The ambassadors provide mentorship to first-year animal science students.
 

Kallista Roers

Kallista Roers is from Alexandria, Minnesota, and grew up on a small hobby farm, raising cattle, meat chickens and laying hens. Next fall, she will be a senior studying animal science with an industry specialization, with minors in agricultural business and agribusiness marketing and working to obtain her swine science certificate. On campus, Roers is involved in Little International, Swine Club and Collegiate Cattleman's Club, is an assistant coach for the 2023 Meat Judging Team and works at the SDSU Meat Lab.

This is Roer's second year being an Animal Science Ambassador. "What I like most about being an ambassador is that I get prospective students excited about coming to SDSU, and I get to share my story and hear theirs," she said.

After obtaining her undergraduate degree, Roers hopes to pursue a master's degree or obtain a job within the livestock markets industry.

Ella Kreber

Ella Kreber is from Granville, Iowa, and grew up in a crop operation, growing corn and soybeans. Next fall, she will be a junior studying animal science, with a science specialization, on the pre-veterinary track with a minor in agribusiness. Kreber is currently involved in Pre-Vet Club and works at the South Dakota Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory.

"Through this position, I am most excited to meet more people through being an ambassador," Kreber said. "I look forward to helping first-year animal science students get the most out of SDSU."

After completing her undergraduate degree, Kreber hopes to attend veterinary school, working to become a mixed animal veterinarian.

Bruce VanDe Stroet 

Bruce VanDe Stroet is from Canton and grew up on a feedlot operation with a commercial cow herd and breeding heifers. Next fall, he will be a junior studying animal science, specializing in production management, with minors in agricultural business and agribusiness marketing. On campus, he is involved in the Collegiate Cattlemen’s Club and Dairy Club.

"I am honored to have been selected for this role and look forward to the opportunity to show the strengths of our department to fellow and future students," VandDe Stroet said.

After college, VanDe Stroet hopes to become a beef nutritionist specializing in feedlot nutrition.

Mitchell Vander Wal

Mitchell Vander Wal is from Howard and grew up on a row crop operation that raised Shorthorn, Hereford and Red Angus cattle. The operation had a more significant focus on marketing its cattle as seedstock and show cattle and feeding out steers in a small feedlot. Next fall, he will be a junior studying animal science, with an industry specialization, in the Honors College. On campus, Vander Wal has been involved in the SDSU Wool Judging team, the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences Prexy Executive Council, Swine Club, Dairy Club, Little International, Collegiate Cattleman's Club, FFA Alumni Ag Ed Club and is a college ambassador.

"Through this position, I am excited to connect with high school students and their families and help them understand the awesome opportunities the SDSU Department of Animal Science offers," he said.

After completing his undergraduate degree, Vander Wal hopes to find a position in the beef industry that will allow him to make cattle better through possible positions in nutrition, cattle marketing or herd management areas.  

Teigen Hadrick

Teigen Hadrick is from Faulkton and grew up on an Angus cow-calf operation. Next fall, he will be a junior studying animal science with a production management specialization. On campus, he is involved in FarmHouse Fraternity, Collegiate Cattleman's Club, Little International, and the SDSU Meats Judging team.

"I am very excited to be able to attend the National Cattlemen's Beef Association this next semester and talk to other cattle producers and potential students about all the opportunities SDSU has to offer," Hadrick said.

After graduation, Hadrick hopes to go back to his family's operation and add to the operation by bringing different improvement ideas he has learned from his time spent at college.

Grace Britton

Grace Britton is from Janesville, Minnesota, and grew up on a diversified row crop and cow-calf operation. Next fall, she will be a senior studying animal science with an industry specialization and minors in agricultural business and agribusiness marketing. She is involved in Little International, SDSU Collegiate Cattleman's Club, Block and Bridle, Swine Club and Dairy Club on campus.

"I am very happy to have received this position as I wanted to find a way to not only promote the animal science program on a higher level but also to grow and fine-tune my personal communications skills," Britton said. "Additionally, I am very excited about the connections that are to be made within this position. It is a great way to give back to the program to which I will forever be grateful."

"The Animal Science Ambassador program is an essential part of the department recruitment of prospective students," said Rosie Nold, assistant department head and professor for the Department of Animal Science. "Ambassadors share their stories and experiences to excite prospective students with what specifically the Department of Animal Science offers. This elite group also assists first-year students with transitioning from high school to college by acting as mentors."

Learn more about the SDSU Department of Animal Science.