Make no mistake, the College of Agriculture meets the need for experienced meat science graduates

By: Taylor Edwards

The Department of Animal Sciences at Auburn University has many tracks to offer students wanting to pursue a career in animal science. The animal science major is divided into four tracks: animal and allied industries, equine science, meat science and pre-vet/pre-professional.

Pursuing a major in animal sciences will prepare students for a wide range of careers in areas such as veterinary medicine, medicine, equine science, food safety, production management and related areas. It can also prepare students wishing to pursue graduate studies in fields such as animal nutrition, biochemistry and molecular biology, microbiology, growth biology, meat science and muscle biology, breeding and genetics, and reproductive biology.

Since the pre-vet option is so popular, the other options are often overlooked by students but those in the other tracks really love their coursework and the careers waiting for them after graduation.

The meat science option is a lesser-chosen track that produces graduates who are in extremely high demand. A meat science degree will prepare students for a variety of careers in food safety, quality assurance and research and development in the food industry.

Shannon Wilkerson, a third-generation Auburn alumna from Columbus, GA, graduated in 2017 with her bachelor’s degree and 2019 with her master’s, both in meat science from the College of Agriculture, preparing her for a job in the meat science industry.

“I am not the traditional College of Ag student,” Wilkerson said, “We did not own livestock growing up and I did not have any close family that were in the agriculture industry. When I came to Auburn and started taking major focused classes in animal sciences, I found out many different career paths that I had never heard about before, that began my journey in the agriculture industry.”

After graduating, Wilkerson briefly worked with a food safety company before accepting a job with A.C. Legg, a custom blended seasoning company based out of Alabama, who she began engaging with during her time as a student.

“A.C. Legg is heavily involved in the meat science program, they have donated ingredients, knowledge, and time into the program. Therefore, students at any level know who A.C. Legg is,” Wilkerson said. “I worked with the company in both of my degrees and became close to the southeastern Territory Manager, Steve Champion, who is an Auburn grad himself.”

The time Wilkerson spent at Auburn did an excellent preparing her for a job in the meat science industry while giving her connections to be successful right out of school.

Wilkerson said, “My degree is an absolute necessity in my current position. I could work at A.C. Legg without my specialized degree but not in the Technical Services role. My company is founded on several core values and one of them being service. Without my extensive meat science background in academia, internships and research, I would not be able to offer my customers the service they are needing.”

While studying at Auburn, Wilkerson took advantage of many opportunities to gain knowledge outside the classroom and build her network.

When asked about gaining these experiences Wilkerson said, “At the undergraduate level it was a mixture of a summer internship in the industry, working in a Cargill Harvest facility in Nebraska, and getting close to my now mentors. Other than an internship, the best way to explore a degree and its opportunities is to get close to the major professors and unit managers. At the graduate level, it is hard to pinpoint one thing but the whole experience gets you prepared and allows the student to be exposed to a large network of people in the industry.”

Gaining these experiences is vital for students when exploring their major and future career options.

Wilkerson said some advice for students wanting to pursue this industry is to “work hard and make connections. In school, I felt like the term “networking” sounded so mechanical and ingenuine, but I found that if you give industry visitors your time and respect, you will have a great reputation in the industry before ever working in it. Working hard is a trait anyone can do but many choose not to. Work hard in class, work hard in lab, show the professor (who will be the one recommending you jobs or graduate programs) how interested you are in your major.”

Beyond working hard there are many invaluable traits that all employers want to see in young potential employees that cannot be taught on-site. According to Wilkerson, some of these are, maturity, work ethic and interest.

Wilkerson said the meat science industry is unique because “it is small and well connected.”

Wilkerson states: “I have run into more people that I went to school with in the industry than I ever could have imagined. If they do not know you personally, I promise they know your professor, mentor, classmate, or co-worker. The meat industry is small, close-knit, and mighty.”