UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Two Students In Penn State's College Of Agricultural Sciences -- Michael Cressman Of Telford (montgomery County) And Regina Lehman Of Mechanicsburg (cumberland County) -- Are Among 10 Students Nationwide Selected To Participate In The Aviagen Hatchery Short Course, May 23-27 In Talledega, Ala.

Aviagen is a leading international primary breeder company that develops and supplies breeding stock for broiler chickens and turkeys.

Limited to a group of six to 12 juniors and seniors majoring in poultry or animal science at universities across the country, the course gives students classroom instruction and hands-on experience in the primary breeding industry.

"Selection for this course is very competitive and is a credit to these students' hard work and academic achievements," says Phillip Clauer, senior extension associate and internship coordinator in poultry science. "Opportunities such as this will enhance students' career preparation and marketability."

Goals for the course are to introduce students to the principles and practices of a primary breeder hatchery and to provide an overview of quality compliance directives, incubation/hatching procedures and product-handling criteria.

Participants will spend the week at Aviagen's parent stock hatchery in Talladega, where they will interact with the hatchery director, the hatchery manager, a company veterinarian, members of Aviagen's Quality Compliance Group and others. The students will be in the hatchery on a hatch day to participate in the day-to-day operations related to day-old chick servicing.

Cressman, a graduate of Souderton Area High School, and Lehman, a graduate of Cumberland Valley High School, are juniors majoring in Animal Sciences.

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EDITORS: Contact Phillip Clauer by phone at 814-863-8960 or by e-mail at pclauer@psu.edu.

Writer/Editor: Chuck Gill Office 814-863-2713 FAX 814-863-9877