Members of the Kansas State University academic quadrathlon team include (left to right) MaRyka Smith, ASI graduate from Hoyt, Kansas; Cameron Hayden, ASI senior from Cassopolis, Michigan; Taylor Ochsner, ASI senior from Andover, Kansas; and Jenna Chance, ASI sophomore from Lebanon, Indiana.
K-State animal science students win Reserve National Champion at academic quadrathlon
July 13, 2017
MANHATTAN, Kan. – A team of Kansas State University animal sciences and industry students won Reserve National Champion honors at the 2017 National Animal Science Academic Quadrathlon July 8-12 in Baltimore, Maryland.
The team previously won the Midwest regional competition in March.
Team members included: Jenna Chance, sophomore, Lebanon, Indiana; Cameron Hayden, senior, Cassopolis, Michigan; Taylor Ochsner, senior, Andover, Kansas; and MaRyka Smith, 2017 graduate, Hoyt, Kansas. The team’s faculty advisor is Karol Fike.
At the national competition, the team competed against the Northeast region winner, Penn State; Southern region winner Texas Tech University; and the Western region winner, California State University – Chico.
The teams participated in four events: laboratory practicum, written exam, oral presentation and quiz bowl.
In the laboratory practicum, the team demonstrates its ability to perform physical skills. The work at each station usually involves a species such as beef or swine or a disciplinary area such as nutrition or meats.
The written exam questions may involve any area related to animal production and products. Each team works on one exam, dividing the questions as they wish.
In the oral presentation, the students may choose from a list of topics related to animal agriculture. They have 60 minutes to prepare the presentation. This is an exercise in cooperative problem solving. The K-State team’s topic was about public perception on use of technology in the livestock industry.
In the Quiz Bowl, questions may be on any topic that relates to animal agriculture and that are answerable in a short period of time.
K-State won the quiz bowl, placed second in laboratory practicum, third in the oral presentation and fourth in written exam.
K-State’s team is sponsored by Fourth and Pomeroy Associates Inc. of Clay Center, Kansas. Joe Ebert, vice president and general manager, is a 1971 K-State graduate in animal sciences and industry; and Jim Brown, retired president, is a 1959 graduate in feed science and management.
The national competition was held in conjunction with the American Society of Animal Science national meetings.
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The Kansas State University Department of Animal Sciences and Industry serves students, livestock producers and the animal and food industries through teaching, research and education.The K-State ASI department prepares students for careers in the animal and food industries. The curriculum includes the study of nutrition, reproduction, genetics, behavior, meat science and food science with production, management, and agribusiness skills. For more about the K-State’s ASI department visit asi.ksu.edu.
