June 3, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact:
Clint Mefford, director of communications
(816) 383-5143
PHOTO: Available upon request via prphotos@angus.org
American Angus Association Announces its 2019 Summer Interns
An opportunity to gain real-world experience and forge connections for five students.
The American Angus Association® strives to provide opportunities and enrichment for the Angus breed, members of the Association and the community. This year, the Association has brought on five interns from all over the country for positions in varying departments and entities of the Association, including Angus Media and Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI).
Chesley Comstock, from Woodward, Oklahoma, is serving as one of two interns for the events and education department. She was born and raised around cattle and horses on a small cow-calf operation where she developed her passion for agriculture. Comstock is a rising senior at Oklahoma State University (OSU) pursuing a dual degree in agricultural communications and agribusiness.
She grew up showing goats and staying involved through FFA and 4-H; making connections that eventually led her to this internship.
“I love planning things, so getting to help plan shows and events has kind of been a dream come true,” Comstock said.
Taylor Dorsey of Eaton, Colorado, also is serving as an events and education intern. She graduated from OSU in May 2019 with a degree in animal science with an option of business.
Dorsey has been around cattle all her life. Her family raises Maine-Anjous, and she currently serves as a member of the breed’s junior board. Her past experiences drove her to want to be involved in a breed association and see how these events happen.
“I’m excited to learn about all the pre-work that goes into making a show happen and getting to meet the juniors and breeders within the industry,” Dorsey said.
Harly Durbin, originally from Fort Worth, Texas, is the AGI intern. She previously completed her undergraduate degree at Texas A&M University (TAMU) in 2016 and is currently working on her Ph.D. in animal genomics at the University of Missouri.
Durbin became focused on studying beef genomics in graduate school after a study abroad trip to Scotland where she studied equine genomics.
“I’m excited to see how genetic evaluations and considerations are done here versus at the academic level, as well as how to handle so much information,” Durbin said. She looks forward to working with large data sets within the beef cattle research industry.
Kaci Foraker of Burrton, Kansas, is the Angus Media editorial intern. She attends Kansas State University (KSU), which she plans to graduate from in May 2020 with a double major in agricultural communications and animal science.
She began her career in agriculture on her family’s ranch and became heavily involved in raising and showing rabbits, goats and lambs through 4-H.
“I look forward to being in a real life job where I work 40 hours a week, we have deadlines we have to meet, and I’m working on multiple projects at different times,” Foraker said. She hopes she can one day be a voice for the livestock industry through working in communications.
Gabi Ius has traveled from Orlando, Florida, to serve as the Association’s communications intern. She got her start showing sheep and became involved in 4-H and FFA, which led her to find her passion in communicating about agriculture. She’s a rising junior at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) where she’s double majoring in agricultural communications and agribusiness.
“I didn’t grow up in ag, so I really look forward to working somewhere that’s so involved with the producer and close to the production aspect,” Ius said. She plans to one day work in agricultural law and policy.
-Written by Gabi Ius, Angus Communications
ANGUS MEANS BUSINESS. The American Angus Association® is the nation’s largest beef breed organization, serving more than 25,000 members across the United States, Canada and several other countries. It’s home to an extensive breed registry that grows by nearly 300,000 animals each year. The Association also provides programs and services to farmers, ranchers and others who rely on Angus to produce quality genetics for the beef industry and quality beef for consumers.
For more information about Angus cattle and the American Angus Association, visit www.angus.org.
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