Select Sires Internships Offer Hands-On Experiences and Career-Building Opportunities
As another summer comes to a close, Select Sires is preparing to welcome its next class of interns. With applications due November 1, students across a variety of disciplines have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, build professional connections and explore career paths within the genetics and livestock industries.
In a recent Select Sires Podcast episode, Talent Development Specialist Kassidy Oliger joined Host Ethan Haywood to discuss the organization's internship program and hear firsthand from three recent interns whose experiences demonstrate the breadth of opportunities available.
A Growing Internship Program
Select Sires will offer 10 internship postings that will translate to approximately 20 interns for the upcoming summer. Opportunities span a diverse range of departments, including:
Most internships are based in Plain City, Ohio, while the World Wide Sires Global Marketing internship is located in Visalia, California and the Westby, Wisconsin location is offering a Livestock Production internship this year as well. To help students relocating to Ohio, Select Sires now offers the opportunity to apply for a housing stipend, in addition to providing recommended housing resources.
According to Oliger, the key trait successful applicants share is a willingness to learn.
"Whether you come from a strong dairy or beef background or have very little industry experience, being open-minded, asking questions and taking advantage of every opportunity will help you get the most out of the internship."
Beyond their day-to-day responsibilities, interns participate in professional development activities, executive networking events, community service projects and intern-specific programming designed to broaden their understanding of the company and industry.
Finding Passion in Livestock Production
For Hailey Dee, an Animal Science and Pre-Veterinary major at the University of Findlay, the production internship provided valuable exposure to the large-animal side of veterinary medicine.
Working in the Kellgren Center, Hailey’s days included handling and collecting bulls, assisting with herd management tasks, supporting veterinary procedures and preparing animals for visitor tours and bull parades.
One of her favorite aspects of the internship was helping showcase Select Sires' elite sires during customer visits.
"Seeing those bulls in catalogs is one thing, but when people see them in person, it brings them to life."
The experience also helped shape her future career goals.
"It finalized my decision that I really want to work with large animals. Spending so much time with these bulls helped me find where my passion is."
Hailey was especially impressed by the scale of operations at Select Sires, from the number of animals worked each day to the volume of product shipped worldwide.
Her advice to future applicants is simple:
"If you're interested in animal science, veterinary medicine or agriculture, Select Sires gives you an incredible opportunity to learn how the industry operates from the ground up."
Discovering New Opportunities Through Data Analytics
While many students associate Select Sires with livestock and genetics, Joseph Doumit found a unique opportunity through the company's Data Analytics internship.
A senior at the University of Idaho majoring in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics, Doumit came from a commercial beef background and entered the internship with little experience in data analytics.
Throughout the summer, he worked with the data team to develop an interactive dashboard for beef-on-dairy carcass reporting, creating a tool that helps teams quickly visualize and analyze customer data.
"Being able to create something tangible that people continue to use every day was incredibly rewarding."
Doumit credits the internship with expanding his career outlook and introducing him to opportunities he had never considered before.
"A year ago, I had no idea what my future looked like. This internship opened doors I didn't know existed."
In fact, the internship led to continued employment with Select Sires and he plans to join the company full-time after graduation.
One aspect that surprised him most was the global reach of the organization.
"I didn't fully realize how extensive Select Sires' international presence was. Seeing the impact our products have around the world was eye-opening."
His advice to future interns is to stay open-minded and embrace unfamiliar opportunities.
"Don't be afraid to apply for an internship that's outside your comfort zone. Sometimes those experiences end up having the biggest impact on your future."
Experiencing the People Side of Select Sires
For Libby Ramge, a third-year Agriscience Education student at The Ohio State University, the Talent Development internship offered a unique perspective on employee training, leadership development and organizational culture.
Although she entered the internship planning for a future in education, Ramge discovered valuable connections between workforce development and agricultural leadership.
Her days varied considerably, from helping organize orientations and professional development programs to hosting student groups and supporting company events.
One of the internship's most valuable components was the opportunity to shadow employees across multiple departments, including livestock production, veterinary services, shipping, sales and technician teams.
The experience broadened her understanding of the company and reinforced the importance of genetics within modern agriculture.
Ramge also appreciated the internship orientation and cross-department experiences that allowed interns to better understand areas while building relationships with fellow interns.
More Than Just an Internship
The experiences shared by Hailey, Joseph and Libby highlight a common theme: Select Sires internships provide far more than technical experience in a specific department.
Whether interns are working in animal care, data analytics, communications, veterinary medicine or talent development, they gain exposure to the many facets of the genetics industry while building professional skills and industry connections.
For students interested in agriculture, animal science, business, communications, technology or leadership development, the internship program offers an opportunity to explore career paths while contributing to real-world projects that make an impact.
Applications for the 2027 summer internship class are due November 1. Interested students can learn more and apply through the Select Sires careers page.