Internship Alumni
The Feedyard Management Internship has a strong history of training young people who have gone on to be successful in their respective careers. The internship was begun in 1988 by Dr. Terry Klopfenstein. Since that time, more than 150 individuals have received training through the internship.
Below are a few examples of the benefit of the Feedyard Management Internship on past participants.
"The internship was very valuable in giving me the experience and confidence I need in my current responsibilities."
– Rob Cooper, feedyard nutritionist with Cattlemen's Nutrition Services, LLC., 1994 alumni
"The UNL Feedlot Management Internship Program was hands down the best experience of my undergraduate career. Growing up on a small feedyard, this internship provided me the opportunity of learning how a larger feedlot operates and taught me a skillset that benefitted me in my current career. This internship requires hardwork, dedication, and passion for the industry, and I would not trade the experience for anything!"
- Meredith Cable, Assistant Professor Animal Science, NCTA, Class of 2012
"The internship provided the opportunity to be involved in a different operation, including feedyard design. This internship helped transform my current operation."
–Byron Ford, Ford Farms, Inc. manager and CEO, Class of 1999 alumni
"It was very helpful to learn about employee management, especially how to work with different kinds of people."
–Cory Schlueter, CK Cattle Co. owner, Class of 2003
"The internship value was huge, it helped me to get a foothold in the feedyard industry. Without the program, I wouldn't be where I am today."
–Terry Heinle, Winner Circle Feedyard manager and CEO, Class of 1989
"The internship provides a tremendous opportunity not only to learn but experience all aspects of a feedyard operation and is a great networking tool to get your foot in the door of this industry. I was able to hit the ground running when I got home."
–Andrew Sunderman, Sunderman Feedyards manager, Class of 2009
"Growing up I didn’t have any agriculture influence besides owning horses; so when I decided that I wanted to work with cattle while in college, I knew I was going to have to work hard to learn what most of my classmates already knew. Because of my lack of experience in the industry, the Feedlot Management Program was a perfect fit to help me learn what it takes for a feedyard to run smoothly, and to get the experience working there. Part of the process it to pair you with a feedlot that would be a good fit for you, taking into consideration what you want to get out of the internship and also your future goals. Overall, I would recommend this program to anyone interested in the beef industry because you will learn so much, whether you come from your own operation or you’re new to the feedlot industry."
-Nicole Finkner, Lapaseotes Feedlot in Broadwater, NE, Class of 2018
"The feedyard internship program has greatly benefitted me not only as a cattleman, but also as a leader. I witnessed firsthand the impact of effective communication throughout an operation and how it correlates to the success of the business. The internship encouraged me to build lasting relationships with individuals throughout the industry. Numerous years have been devoted to developing and revising the structure of this program in order to create an opportunity unlike any other in the country. If you’re interested in any aspect of the cattle industry, this is a great opportunity to increase your knowledge and management expertise."
—Mitch Zobel, Zobel Farms, Class of 2018