LANCASTER — Mia Hillebrand, Hailey Schulenberg, Michelle Stangler, and Essie Whitehead have been selected as the next class of participants in Wisconsin Pork Association’s Pork Mentorship Program. The pork mentorship program, which has a strong focus on career development, is designed to expand students’ knowledge of the swine industry, provide opportunities to network with pork industry leaders, help identify future career goals, and create valuable connections with potential employers.

Mia Hillebrand is from Lone Rock and is currently a freshman attending Southwest Technical College studying Agriculture Business and Technology — Animal Science. She plans to continue her education at UW-Platteville for a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Education. Her future career goal is to teach and inspire young adults in the agriculture industry.

Hailey Schulenberg is from Mount Horeb and is a freshman attending UW-Platteville studying Agricultural & Technology Education. Hailey’s future career goal is to become an agricultural and technology education teacher. Staying true to the industry she grew up in and advocating for its importance is a goal of hers as she pursues her professional career.

Michelle Stangler is from Watertown and currently a freshman at UW-River Falls studying Agricultural Marketing and Communications with an Agricultural Business minor. She aspires to be a storyteller of agriculture through different opportunities like broadcasting, social media, marketing specialist, public relations, and news reporting. She is extremely passionate about advocating for the agriculture industry.

Essie Whitehead is from Amery and is a sophomore at UW-River Falls where she is majoring in Animal Science — science option with a Meat Animal emphasis. She is also pursuing an Agricultural Business, Food Processing Technology, and Chemistry minor. Essie plans to further her education with a master’s in Physiology of Reproduction and Genetics in hopes to become an animal geneticist. Her goal is to help produce more efficient animals for the agriculture industry.

Now through the end of 2021, Hillebrand, Schulenberg, Stangler, and Whitehead will complete a series of job shadows and attend both state and national pork industry events including World Pork Expo and the Wisconsin State Fair. They will also take part in WPA meetings and complete a special project.

Any individuals or businesses interested in offering job shadow opportunities to the pork mentorship program participants or would like to become involved in this program in another way, are encouraged to contact the WPA office at 608-723-7551 or email lbrinkman@wppa.org.