Two
Arkansas companies sponsored international internships this summer for
University of Arkansas poultry science students in the Dale Bumpers College of
Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. The students, Terik Jones and Cody
Howard, are both juniors from Green Forest.
Terik
Jones spent seven weeks in Brazil working in the Cobb-Vantress primary breeding
operations there. The Siloam Springs-based company, which is a division of
Tyson Foods, is the world's leading primary broiler breeding company. Jones
worked in pedigree breeder operations in central and southern Brazil.
Cody
Howard's internship was with Tyson Foods China. He spent eight weeks in the
corporate office in Shanghai working on strategic planning and business
modeling with a focus on live operations and visited farms, hatcheries and
processing plants across eastern China.
Poultry
companies that produce eggs, broilers and turkeys; allied industry companies
and veterinary clinics provided over 20 student internships this summer, said
Michael Kidd, poultry science department head.
"Most
of our students have scholarships provided by the poultry industry, which,
along with the internships, are strong indications of the industry's interest in
hiring our graduates," Kidd said.
"We
greatly encourage student internships, which are upper level elective courses
for academic credit," Kidd said. Student interns learn about the diverse
opportunities in the poultry industry and often make connections that lead to
jobs after graduation, he said.
"This
is a global industry, and working in another country is a valuable experience
for our students," Kidd said. "We are very grateful to the companies
that make it possible. Other students will also benefit from Cody and Terik
telling about what they learned in Brazil and China."