Real Pork Scholars is a professional executive mentorship program for graduate students that is designed to leave a lasting impact on participants and the U.S. pork industry. Experience as a Real Pork Scholar will launch students into the next phase of their careers. The program offers students mentorship, peer-to-peer network building, professional training, and funding for relevant research. At the same time, the U.S. pork industry will gain enhanced insights by filling research gaps and building strong connections with emerging thought leaders.
This year’s Scholars include UMN graduate students Haley Schwecke and Sudario Roberto Silva Junior.
Haley Schwecke received her Bachelor of Animal Sciences from Kansas State University in 2021. She is currently a master’s student at the University of Minnesota (College of Veterinary Medicine), studying Mycoplasma hyosynoviae, advised by Dr. Maria Pieters. She gained her passion for the swine industry from growing up in rural Minnesota on a commercial and show pig operation. Her future career goal is to improve swine herd health and advocate for the livestock industry in the United States.
Sudario Roberto Silva Junior, a Ph.D. student at the University of Minnesota under the guidance of Dr. Pedro Urriola and Dr. Andres Gomez, specializes in swine nutrition and microbiome research. With a lifelong passion for animal science originating from his upbringing in Brazil, he pursued an undergraduate degree in Animal Science at the Federal University of Lavras and a master’s degree at the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on swine nutrition and promoting sustainable and ethical pig production practices. Sudario has honed his skills through internships at LB Pork in Minnesota and the Southern Research and Outreach Center. As a Real Pork Scholar, he is committed to advancing sustainable food production, aiming to increase the availability and affordability of pork while enhancing animal health.
Congratulations, Sudario Roberto Silva Junior and Haley Schwecke!
We’re happy for Sudario, cause he was our student at hight school too in Federal Institute of Sul de Minas.