Student Interns 2024

Schaik served an internship in the beef/swine/sheep units at the UW-Arlington Agricultural Research Station.

Schaik’s internship was mainly served at the swine unit, but he also worked in the beef and sheep units as needed. In the pig unit, he learned about handling, care, husbandry, treatments, overall pig behavior and more. In the sheep unit, he helped vaccinate ewes and trimmed hooves. At the beef unit, he helped draw blood from tail veins.

“I learned how to intubate a pig and a piglet, as well as put in an ear catheter and jugular catheter,” Schaik said.

He also helped with procedures at the Center for Biomedical Swine Research & Innovation.

“This was the coolest experience ever because I got to see some clinical practice of surgeries for the purpose of research,” he said. “I got to see echos on the heart of the pig, CPR on a pig, and hip-readjustment surgery on a pig. These were all so amazing and I learned how to keep track of the vitals while the pigs were under anesthesia.

“Overall this was an amazing internship because I have learned so many new things and I will be able to use what I learned down the road. This is a field that I am very interested in and this internship showed that I am even more interested in it than I thought.”

Rierson served an internship at Allen Centennial Garden.

Rierson served as a programs and events intern at Allen Centennial Garden, which started May 10 and ended August 9. She contributed to workshops, tours and marketing. She also worked on developing a guided meditation walk around the garden.

This guided walk is a 15- to 20-minute audio experience that takes listeners through various parts of the garden, incorporating different meditation techniques. It focuses on grounding oneself in the present moment, enhancing sensory awareness, and fulfilling the body’s needs for well-being, Rierson said.

“Through overcoming some obstacles and leveraging collaborative insights, such as Nathan Kennard Larson’s practical map solution, I successfully figured out a user-friendly experience that enhances both the meditative practice and visitors’ enjoyment of the garden,” Rierson said.

Moen served an internship at the UW-West Madison Agricultural Research Station.

Moen served an internship, working in the display gardens at the UW-West Madison Agricultural Research Station. There, she learned several cultural practices, such as plant spacing, transplanting, weeding, mulching, training vegetables and monitoring growth rates for harvest. She also experienced rating and presenting information about plant trials. In addition to her work in the gardens, she learned how to think ahead, especially with the frequent rains this past season.

“Overall my experience as a garden intern taught me a lot in a short amount of time,” Moen said. “It has shown me the dedication that goes into a farm and has taught me many skills I can use in the future. I am so grateful I have had the opportunity to work with and learn from so many great people.”