Engaging the Next Generation of Dairy Leaders: Strategies to Inspire and Retain Undergraduates—Especially Women—in Dairy Science Programs

The dairy sector is a pillar of the global economy, and in the United States alone, it generates billions of dollars in revenue, supports millions of jobs, and helps feed a growing international population. However, like many industries, it faces a looming labor shortage due in part to declining enrollment in dairy science university programs. To ensure its continued success, the industry will need to cultivate the next generation of leaders, including attracting and retaining talented students in dairy science programs.

A symposium presentation review opens in new tab/window published in JDS Communications opens in new tab/window explains how universities play a critical role in guiding the future leaders of the dairy industry into successful and fulfilling careers and highlights achievable strategies to improve the engagement of dairy science undergraduate students.

The article’s author, Grace Lewis, PhD, of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, underscored the stakes, “Universities across the country are witnessing concerning trends: declining enrollment in higher education programs, along with student withdrawals once enrolled—two trends that are even more pronounced with female students—while simultaneously, 64% of dairy company chief executives listing labor shortages as a primary concern.”

These labor shortages result in reduced hours of operation, higher farm wages, increased dairy product costs, and reliance on foreign production. Considering this, Dr. Lewis set out to understand the underlying reasons for these declines and which strategies appear to be effective at boosting student recruitment, retention, and persistence within dairy science.

The first step is understanding the primary reason enrolled students consider dropping out from higher education programs: mental health. Dr. Lewis explained, “According to the data, 37% of American college students experience symptoms of anxiety and 44% wrestle with feelings of depression, a trend we’ve seen expedited following the COVID pandemic.”

Mental health concerns are especially high with female students—even more so for those in traditionally male-centered science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines—who are more likely to report anxiety, trauma, symptoms of depression, self-harming, and other concerning mental health issues.

Addressing mental and emotional support for these students is a starting point for all programs. Dr. Lewis commented, “We cannot expect to reverse enrollment declines until we address this primary need.”

Her review included helpful data showing that universities can prioritize mental health and well-being for their students by expanding mental health education for their faculty and making their existing mental health support, policies, and local laws more accessible to students and faculty. Faculty training on identifying and responding to mental health concerns will help foster an overall culture of support and help stop the primary driver of student loss.

In addition to removing the barriers to the classroom, the review also examines how to keep students engaged and excited about dairy science coursework.

Dr. Lewis observed, “The data show that the success of an academic class is reliant on the instructor, yet many professors are (understandably) hired for their technical and scientific expertise versus their skills in teaching.” Heightening the focus on pedagogical skills and providing faculty with opportunities to develop them will be crucial in producing the next generation of dairy leaders.

Which skills are the most important? One is simply the level of enthusiasm the instructor brings to class, which has been shown to increase the likelihood of students persisting through their degrees and into a degree-related career. A focus on active learning approaches, such as flipped classrooms (where students watch online lectures on their own time to prepare for activities during class), case studies, and team-based learning, are also methods that can further enhance the learning experience for students and keep them engaged in their studies.

In addition to teaching approaches, the review outlines specific academic experiences that have been shown to boost student learning in dairy science fields, including animal handling courses, capstone courses, internships, and undergraduate research.

Dr. Lewis noted, “These examples are all high-impact practices that provide students with valuable real-world experiences and help solidify their career aspirations in agriculture.” She includes a helpful list of high-impact dairy science–related experiences for instructors to recommend to their students, including:

• North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge

• National Collegiate Dairy Judging Contest

• Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest

• Dairy Management Inc. New Dairy Product Competition

• Animal Welfare Assessment Contest

International and national conferences (e.g., American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting, World Dairy Expo), which also incorporate undergraduate-specific activities and events, providing additional engagement opportunities for students

Even with the incorporation of real-world experiences into coursework, students may need additional guidance to find a career path that fits. Dr. Lewis explained that universities should guide students through the process of career exploration. Workshops, career fairs, and mentorship programs can all help students identify their strengths and interests and connect them with relevant career opportunities.

Dr. Lewis was careful to emphasize the need for more research on new ways dairy science can be taught to students. She said, “We need to continue to work toward innovative teaching styles and high-impact practices that could better influence career commitment within the dairy industry. But, with a focus on student engagement, mental health support, and effective teaching methods, universities can start today to cultivate a new generation of passionate dairy science leaders, especially with the increasing number of women in the field, who will drive the industry forward.”

Notes for editors

The article is “Engaging today's undergraduate students in the field of dairy science with a focus on the female student population,” by Grace Lewis(https://doi.org/10.3168/jdsc.2024-0647 opens in new tab/window). It appears in JDS Communications, volume 6, issue 1 (January/February 2025), published by ADSA opens in new tab/window and Elsevier.

Originally presented as part of the Dairy Foods Symposium: Championing Women in Dairy Science—Remembering the Legacy of Susan Duncan at the 2024 ADSA Annual Meeting, June 2024.

The article is openly available at https://www.jdscommun.org/article/S2666-9102(24)00148-0/fulltext opens in new tab/window, and the PDF version is available at https://www.jdscommun.org/action/showPdf?pii=S2666-9102%2824%2900148-0 opens in new tab/window.

Journalists wishing to interview the author should contact Grace Lewis, PhD, of the Department of Animal and Food Science, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, at [email protected] opens in new tab/window.

About JDS Communications

JDS Communications®, an official journal of the American Dairy Science Association®, is co-published by Elsevier and ADSA. The journal publishes narrowly focused, hypothesis-driven original research studies designed to answer a specific question on the production or processing of milk or milk products intended for human consumption. In addition to short research articles, JDS Communications publishes mini reviews—unsolicited, concise review papers. Research published in this journal is broadly divided into the production of milk from food animals (nutrition, physiology, health, genetics, and management) and processing of milk for human consumption (dairy foods). JDS Communications aims for rapid turnaround and a short time to publication. www.jdscommun.org opens in new tab/window

About the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA®)

The American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) is an international organization of educators, scientists, and industry representatives who are committed to advancing the dairy industry and keenly aware of the vital role the dairy sciences play in fulfilling the economic, nutritive, and health requirements of the world’s population. It provides leadership in scientific and technical support to sustain and grow the global dairy industry through generation, dissemination, and exchange of information and services. Together, ADSA members have discovered new methods and technologies that have revolutionized the dairy industry.www.adsa.org opens in new tab/window

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