Annette Zwald has been named to the Vita Plus Dairy Nutrition and Management Fellowship in the Dairy Science Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  This one-of-a-kind program combines leading university research with practical experience in the field.  Zwald is a 2009 graduate of UW-Madison with a double major in dairy science and life sciences communication.  She has worked as a Vita Plus Dairy Service Specialist in Michigan for the past year.  This fall, she will return to Wisconsin to continue working with Vita Plus as she pursues a master's degree in dairy science. 

Zwald has an extensive background in the dairy industry and worked on her family farm since childhood.  She also gained experience as a membership assistant for the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin and as a sales and marketing intern for Elanco Animal Health.  On campus, Zwald was active in many student organizations, including the Sigma Alpha Sorority, Badger Dairy Club and National Agri-Marketing Association.  In addition, Zwald participated in research projects with the UW-Madison Dairy Science Department and served as a member of the UW-Madison Dairy Challenge Team, which placed first at national competition.

Through this fellowship, Zwald will work part-time with Vita Plus as she pursues her graduate studies.  She will also participate in an extensive on-farm research project in collaboration with the Dairy Science Department.  The fellowship is funded and directed by Vita Plus.