Premier Hosts Three Penn State Externs

Premier Hosts Three Penn State Externs

2025 PSU Externs from left to right: Madison Bomgardner, Lily Schaap, and Andrea Prybyla

Premier Select Sires was excited to host Madison Bomgardner, Andrea Prybyla, and Lily Schaap, three Penn State externs, from January 6-10. The students spent a week of their winter break job shadowing different employees of Premier and learning about the cooperative. They each spent time with an Area Sales Manager, a Reproductive Services Specialist, a Dairy Coordinator, and two Reproductive Specialists. They also had the opportunity to tour the Tunkhannock, PA office and lab.

Premier would like to thank these students for visiting with us, as well as all of the staff and member customers who helped provide an educational, fun experience for Madison, Andrea, and Lily! Learn more about the students below.

 

Name: Madison Bomgardner

Hometown: Annville, PA

Year in college: Sophomore, graduating May 2027

Major/minors: Animal Science

Activities: Dairy Science Club, Block and Bridle, East Coast Livestock Association, Navigators Christian Ministry, scoreboard operator for PSU

Experience: Madison grew up on a farm, where she and her family had a small club cow-calf beef herd and two commercial poultry houses. She gained experience through 4-H with hogs, sheep, goats, and her favorite, beef cattle. Madison works part time at Mill 72 Bake Shop and Cafe.

Future plans: Madison would like to pursue a career in genetics.

Takeaways or highlights from the externship: “This past week at my externship with Premier Select Sires, I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to see the different components and working parts of the company. It allowed me to grow my knowledge not only in the company but also in the breeding side of dairy operations. This externship certainly opened my eyes to a little more of what dairy farmers need to face and decide and allowed me to better understand their farms. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity Premier has provided me and I look forward to using the knowledge gained from this externship in the future.”

 

Name: Lily Schaap

Hometown: Lewisville, NC

Year in college: Senior, graduating May 2025

Major/minors: Animal Science, minor in Equine Science

Activities: PSU’s Roar for More/Susquehanna Service Dogs, Equine Research Team, Equestrian Team, Collegiate Horseman’s Association, Annual Penn State Quarter Horse Preview Sale, Penn State Dairy Exposition, Penn State CRU

Experience: Lily completed an internship with Adirondack Farms in Plattsburgh, NY. She also completed an internship with Lake O’ the Woods in Warren County, NC. She has conducted research on heat stress and management in dairy cows, and a review paper on protein and amino acids in broodmare and foal diet.

Future plans: Lily would like to pursue a career in the dairy industry.

Takeaways or highlights from the externship: “It was interesting to see how many roles go into ensuring the smoothness and success of the company, both in the field and behind the scenes. While shadowing the various positions, I enjoyed getting to know some of Premier’s staff and what they do. I was surprised to learn how knowledgeable everyone was about the company, products, and services, especially when it comes to the loads of information on the offered bulls. They definitely left no questions unanswered and I loved seeing how applicable the classroom knowledge is in the real world. It was also great seeing how much the staff valued being personable with their clients. It was refreshing to be around so many people who love their jobs and I really appreciated everyone who took the time to teach me about what they do! “

 

Name: Andrea Prybyla

Hometown: Bloomsburg, PA

Year in college: Sophomore, graduating December 2026

Major/minors: Animal Science, minor in Equine Science

Activities: Pre-Vet Club, Equine Research Team, For the Cause Youth Action Board Alumni Association, Collegiate Horseman’s Association Penn State, PSU’s Roar for More/Susquehanna Service Dogs

Experience: Andrea is currently an employee at the Penn State Horse Barn. She assists with the annual Penn State Quarter Horse Preview Sale, and she has conducted research on heat stress in horses. Andrea previously served as a cooperative education student at the Bloomsburg Veterinary Hospital. She has attended the Pre-Veterinary Medical Association Symposium.

Future plans: Andrea is currently exploring career opportunities in the agriculture industry.

Takeaways or highlights from the externship: “I appreciated how everyone is very supportive and willing to explain the different processes that come with working in the dairy industry. Along with that I appreciated the diversity between day-to-day operations.”