Madison, WI,  -- Each year, volunteers from the University of Wisconsin - Madison (UW-Madison) Badger student chapter of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) gain valuable sales, customer service and networking experience by assisting exhibitors at the World Dairy Expo.

This is a great opportunity for students to learn about various ag-related companies and products supporting the dairy industry. Advance research and on-site training with exhibitors enables students to effectively communicate product or service benefits to Expo attendees. Employing student workers also frees company representatives to attend meetings and other functions during the busy Expo. For exhibitors, the most significant benefit is knowing that someone is always at the booth effectively and enthusiastically representing their company.

World Dairy Expo General Manager Mark Clarke says, “With nearly 65,000 visitors from 91 countries visiting Expo this year, we’re glad for support year after year received from the Badger student NAMA chapter. These students annually help many of our more than 750 exhibitors.”

"This opportunity works well for both Badger student NAMA members and Expo exhibitors," says Tom Wedegaertner, director of cottonseed research and marketing with Cotton Incorporated. "The students get a glimpse of what goes on in the real world and that helps them think about their career choices. They also get to expand their professional network. Exhibitors get trade show assistance that is cost effective compared to bringing extra personnel to the Expo. And, as this is a very busy show, I'm grateful for the extra help.

"In addition, the students I've employed are usually from the local region and some have a dairy background. This has worked to my advantage more than once to get conversations started with attendees," Wedegaertner adds. He's been using Badger student NAMA members to help staff his Expo booth for more than 10 years.

Many current and former students have initiated lasting connections with company representatives at the World Dairy Expo and discover that these connections

become valuable resources for career opportunities and references as they enter the professional world.

"The experience provides an extraordinary opportunity for our NAMA students to build confidence, explore interests and step outside their comfort zones to expand their horizons in a fun, welcoming and interesing environment," says Sarah Botham, student NAMA advisor and faculty associate in the UW-Madison Department of Life Sciences Communication. "We are grateful to the exhibitors who place their confidence in our students and help to nurture their skills and encourage their ambitions."

This year, the UW-Madison Badger student NAMA provided services to six companies, filling nearly 35 shifts of several hours each throughout the five-day Expo. Students volunteer their time and donate all hourly revenues earned to offset expenses incurred for student NAMA marketing team travel expenses to the national competition in April.

Companies providing work experience opportunities at Expo included Kevin Cannot, Genesis Enterprises; Karl Schloesser, European Dairy Farmers and EuroTier; Angel M. Gago, AGQ Nutrition; Jane Hillstrom, Agville; Roger Scott, SoyBest; Tom Wedegaertner, Cotton Incorporated; and Doug Patton, KenAG.