4-H alumna and Animal Science senior Mikayla Bowen knew she would continue in her father’s footsteps by becoming a Spartan.

Michigan State University (MSU) Extension 4-H alumna Mikayla Bowen decided to follow in her father’s footsteps and pursue a bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University.

“My dad has always worked in the dairy industry and has inspired me to follow this career path,” Bowen said. “My dad went to MSU and MSU has always been my first choice because of its great agriculture programs. As a senior in high school, I contacted MSU advisor Joe Domecq to learn more about the dairy programs here and then became enrolled in the Dairy Technical Management Program.”

Bowen was a member of the Hillsdale County Out-of-Towners 4-H Club for eight years and served as club secretary. Her 4-H projects included raising and showing dairy feeder steers and dairy heifers at the Hillsdale County Fair and Michigan 4-H Youth Dairy Days.

“4-H helped confirm my interest and passion for working with dairy. Through 4-H, I learned responsibility and accountability for taking care of an animal.”

“4-H helped confirm my interest and passion for working with dairy. Through 4-H, I learned responsibility and accountability for taking care of an animal.” Mikayla Bowen, MSU Animal Science Senior and 4-H alumna

Mikayla Bowen with her 4-H heifer Moose.

Bowen is now an animal science senior in the MSU Department of Animal Science with a dairy industry concentation and a minor in aagribusiness management. Bowen is active in the MSU Dairy Club , Dairy Challenge and is also a member of the MSU Dairy Judging Team.

“This major is great because there are many other students with like-minded goals and it is easy to become involved in many different dairy-related activities,” she said. “Dairy producers create a lot of the population’s food supply, and it is important that they run their businesses in a sustainable and efficient manner to continue supplying dairy products to the world.”

The dairy concentration program is for students who aspire to work on a dairy farm and businesses that support dairy production. This program includes the science core, numerous courses in the management of dairy animals and farms, and various electives depending on the goals of each student.

Following graduation, she aspires to work with a dairy reproduction company to consult with producers on how to improve their business. She also hopes to be a key part of Michigan’s dairy industry.

Bowen is one of the 2022 CANR Alumni Association Scholarship recipients.