Posted: June 30, 2026
Nine undergraduate students represented Penn State at the 2026 American Dairy Science Association—Undergraduate Student Division (ADSA-USD) meetings held in Milwaukee, WI, from June 19-23. During the meetings, club members participated in a farm tour and had the opportunity to present and view scientific talks and posters. In addition, students attended a career roundtable lunch and a dairy products workshop.
Penn State group at ADSA: From left - Ava Neville, Sara McNichols, Faith Wolfe, Alex Coursen, Hannah Mansfield, Kieran Schug, Abigale Bricker, Hannah King and Sara Kennedy
At Tuesday's award luncheon, Penn State was named Outstanding Chapter for the sixth consecutive year based on an annual report of club activities, publications, website, and participation in ADSA-USD activities. The Dairyman yearbook edited by Sara Kennedy, Columbia Crossroads, PA, placed second; the club scrapbook designed by Madison Mowrer, Petersburg, PA, placed second; and the club website created by Abigale Bricker, Chambersburg, PA, placed third. Penn State also earned the award for “Chapter with the Most Miles Traveled” to the annual meeting.
In an exciting dairy quiz bowl contest, Penn State earned second place among the ten universities who participated. Team members included Bricker; Alex Coursen, Spring Mills, PA; Hannah King, Belleville, PA; and Faith Wolfe, Centre Hall, PA.
In the undergraduate oral presentation contest, Kennedy placed third in the dairy foods division with her discussion, "Using casein proteins to encapsulate bioactive food components." She also placed second in the 2025 dairy foods division. Ava Neville, Little Meadows, PA, competed in the dairy production division with her talk, "New strategies to mitigate retained fetal membranes," and Sara McNichols, Scranton, PA, presented her poster titled "Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification is associated with improved condition, mobility, carcass metrics, and economics in cull dairy cows."
Rebecca Krisher, Ph.D., Head of the Department of Animal Science, said, "Congratulations to the Dairy Science club for its outstanding recognition at the ADSA-USD meetings. It is a well-deserved acknowledgment of their hard work and dedication to excellence; we are proud of all the club members and their achievements. We deeply appreciate the faculty and staff for their leadership in supporting and encouraging the students."
During the meetings, Kieran Schug, Blue Point, NY, completed his term as first vice-president, while Kennedy was elected first vice-president for the upcoming year. Hannah Mansfield, Greenville, NC, also participated in the meetings. Club advisor Dale Olver accompanied the group.
Students attended the meetings as members of the American Dairy Science Association Undergraduate Student Division (ADSA-USD). ADSA was established in 1906 as a scientific and educational association to serve the dairy and dairy-related industries.
