Ag Journeys
Madison Jurcik
Hometown: Anaheim, California
Major: Animal Science
Minor: Equine Science
Clubs and Organizations: Penn State Quarter Horse Farm (live-in student employee), Penn State Equine Science Showcase and Quarter Horse Sale (sales manager), Collegiate Horseman's Association (president), Dairy Genetic Lab (student technician), Newborn Foal Assessment Study, Parasite Management Study, Equine Science teaching assistant, Futurity Show (participant, showed a Penn State quarter horse yearling).
Good at: Video editing, photography, efficiency, tailgating, time management, learning how to start a business, trying new things, dreaming.
I live in a barn full of horses.
“Being a resident at the horse barns is a lot of responsibility. Life-and-death-level responsibility. We are on call from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. If a mare needs help during foaling, you’re the first person there. There are many highs and lows with such responsibility, but the experience transformed me. I’m excited for the next steps in life, but a part of me will always be with the Penn State horses.”
“Mentorship, friendship, and community are everywhere.”
The ag family is real.
“There is a whole team of people looking out for you. Your professors, staff, fellow students. Mentorship, friendship, and community are everywhere. This team will see you at your best, your worst, and everything in between and they are going to make sure you thrive. I heard about the community and family feeling in the College of Ag Sciences before I enrolled. I thought it was a corny exaggeration. If anything, people undersold it.”
Research that matters.
“I got involved with a lot of research in my years at Penn State, including results that will not only advance scientific understanding but will have practical applications in the world. One study I worked on suggested that female foals achieve developmental milestones more quickly than their male counterparts. Those results are practical and usable for the horse industry and can be observed in other species, including humans.”
SoCal in Happy Valley.
“I came to Penn State from Southern California. Of course there are other horse programs, and some are a lot closer to home. None could touch Penn State. The difference? In a word, immersive. One of the first things that I heard when I toured Penn State is that you can live in the barns with the horses. Sold!”
“Stay curious, stay passionate, work hard.”
Vet school bound.
“At Penn State, I labored through the intense coursework needed to be a competitive candidate for veterinary school. However, I think what pushed me over the top and got me an acceptance letter was my depth of hands-on experience. Between working as a teaching assistant, conducting different animal research projects, and working and living in the barns, I've had thousands of hours in close contact with animals at Penn State.”
