Posted: February 10, 2023
Penn State’s Department of Animal Science’s Poultry Club was named National Club of the Year competition at the 2023 International Poultry and Processing Exposition (IPPE) in Atlanta, GA, Jan. 24-26.
Members of the Penn State Poultry Club are shown at the 2023 International Poultry and Processing Exposition (IPPE) in Atlanta, Georgia where they were named National Club of the Year.
Some of the activities that brought recognition as Club of the Year include bi-weekly meetings that feature guest speakers from the industry, tours of poultry facilities, and interaction with faculty and researchers in the Department of Animal Science and various social activities. Members also learn about competing on the Penn State Poultry Judging team at both the fall national contest and spring national contest. A fun activity is preparing Easter Baskets in partnership with the State College Food Bank.
An important event is the Club’s Annual Turkey Harvest when members harvest about 300 turkeys to be sold for Thanksgiving. Each year, this year they raise nearly $7,000. Students who wish to attend IPPE must work at least 10 hours on this project.
21 Penn State club members participated in the College Student Career Program in Atlanta, a program connecting students with an interest in working in the poultry industry with industry leaders and company recruiters. The largest career event of its kind for students in the industry, offers outstanding networking opportunities.
Over 500 students from over 40 universities were in attendance and participated in the extensive trade show with exhibitors covering every aspect of the poultry industry. Students observed the latest technology and newest innovations in today’s poultry and egg production and processing industry.
Phillip Clauer, senior instructor in the Department of Animal Science, said, “The U.S. Poultry and Egg Association College Student Career program provides an outstanding learning experience for our students. The contacts they make there are invaluable as they seek to begin careers in the poultry industry.”
He said there are many jobs offers made at the show as well as opportunities for internships. He added that virtually every Poultry and Avian Science Minor from Penn State is able to find a job upon graduation.
Any high school student who may be interested in studying Poultry Science at Penn State is invited to contact Clauer at pclauer@psu.edu. Over $50,000 in poultry specific scholarships are available for students, and the PSU Poultry Science Club and Collegiate Poultry Judging Team are annually one of the best in the country.
Each student who attended the Expo had their expenses paid, having earned the trip through ten hours of work at the Club’s annual Fall Turkey Harvest and by completing four pages of the club’s scrapbook.
The Penn State Poultry Science Club’s purpose is to promote the study of the avian species and enhance our members’ understanding of the poultry industry while remaining engaged in the Penn State community.
The club received partial funding from the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Office for Undergraduate Education to participate in this event.
