PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – As part of the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences (CAHS) Week March 27-30, Lea Ann Kinman, Ph. D., and Tamra Tolen, Ph.D. hosted an interest meeting for a new student organization, the Meat and Food Science Club. Over 20 students attended the meeting which included guest speakers, networking, and an opportunity to see the Meat Science Center.  

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), overall employment of agricultural and food scientists is projected to grow 8% from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations. To bring more exposure to the meat and food industries, Drs. Kinman and Tolen ideated that a student organization could bring the best of both worlds together. “We wanted this club to be more than meetings,” Kinman said. “We want this organization to allow students to learn more about both industries through field experiences, internships, guest speakers, and attending conferences and events.” A lot of our students come to PVAMU wanting to go to vet school, not aware of the countless opportunities available in the meat and food industries.” 

“I remember I wanted to go to vet school and then I took a meat science course, and the rest is history,” Tolen recalls. “I did my graduate studies at Texas A&M University, so we are looking to partner with them to give students additional experience in the industry.”

Students asked the speakers questions about internships, career preparation, job requirements, and general interest in what led to their choice of career. Many of the speakers described that their path was not always linear however they are happy with where they landed. “Finding your passion is extremely important,” said Kinman.  

Several PVAMU faculty and staff attended in support of the new student club. Guest speakers included Leslie Frenzel, Ph. D. with the American Meat Science Association (AMSA), Karl Binns with Cargill, Lacy Bates with Southwest Meat Association (SMA), Lyda Garcia, Ph.D. with Ohio State University, and John Scanga, Ph. D. with Eurofins Microbiological Laboratories. Representatives from AMSA and SMA also participated in the Ag Nutrition career fair that took place during CAHS week.

For more information about joining the Meat and Food Science club, or if you wish to support in some way, reach out to Dr. Kinman (lakinman@pvamu.edu) or Dr. Tolen (tntolen@pvamu.edu).

TeKedra Pierre
Director, Information, Impact, and Sustainability Center
tepierre@pvamu.edu