Internship Experiences in ANS: Harley Seay & Taylor Riel

Harley Seay

Student at Purina facility during internship. — Seay at a Purina event during her internship.

Harley Seay is a current UF Animal Sciences (ANS) student in the Equine Specialization. Seay completed an internship with Purina Animal Nutrition in Ocala, Florida this past summer. Her responsibilities included going on farm calls, observing feed mill inspections, and attending industry events. Seay also conducted market surveys and learned about the commodity market system.

Seay landed this internship after building a relationship with one of the local Purina Sales Representatives. This opportunity has allowed her to develop bookkeeping, communication, and managerial skills.

When asked how this internship enhanced her undergraduate experience, Seay stated, “This internship has been a vital part of my undergraduate experience. I feel like I got a good understanding of the feed industry and what all goes into making a bag of feed. It has opened my eyes to the industry as a whole and all the components that goes into making feed for customers.”

Seay offered one piece of advice to other students who are considering an internship. “Pick an internship where the person overseeing you does everything they can to make sure you are exposed to as many opportunities as possible,” said Seay.

Taylor Riel

Student at golf charity event on internship. — Riel worked a Pilgrim’s charity golf tournament on her internship.

Taylor Riel is also a current UF Animal Sciences student in the Food Animal Specialization. Riel’s summer internship was with JBS USA and Pilgrim’s. She worked as an assistant sales manager for the Live Oak, Florida plant. Her responsibilities included creating daily order schedules, conducting sales meetings, and developing a planning tool for the plant’s sales department.

Riel stated one of her favorite things about her internship was being able to travel. As an intern, she visited the Guntersville, Alabama plant and assisted with the company’s golf tournament. She also worked at the Cold Springs, Minnesota plant before transferring to the Live Oak, Florida plant.

Before starting her internship, Riel had little knowledge about the poultry industry. However, she knew an internship with a sales focus was of interest to her, which led her to pursue this opportunity. This experience has confirmed her desire to work in agricultural sales.

Her advice to other students considering an internship like her experience is, “I would highly recommend interning with Pilgrim’s/JBS. My bosses have provided me with countless opportunities to travel and shadow other departments, which have both been extremely valuable. For someone who has no background or strong interest in poultry, this has still been one of the greatest experiences I have had in college regardless!”

2023 Animal Sciences Internship Seminar

Join us at the Animal Sciences Department’s Internship Seminar on Wednesday, October 11th at the UF/IFAS Straughn Professional Development Center. Students, educators, employers, and friends are invited to join us as we hear from over 40 current students showcasing their internships. The program will begin at 6:30 PM.

Find more information about the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences on our website. Stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Any questions or inquiries regarding this piece should be directed toward Aubrey Pearce at aubreypearce@ufl.edu. Read more stories like this one here: http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/animalsciencesdept/.