Angus Foundation announces pick for Talon Youth Education Learning Program intern
Morgan Scilacci, Baker City, Ore., will intern with Sitz Angus Ranch, Dillon, Mont.
Real-world opportunities are a great addition to any student’s learning. The Angus Foundation is pleased to introduce Morgan Scilacci, Baker City, Oregon, as the Talon Youth Education Learning Program Intern, which will give him the opportunity to have that real-world experience this summer. Scilacci will intern with Sitz Angus Ranch, Dillon, Montana.
The Talon Youth Education Learning Program internship is the legacy of Camron “Cam” Cooper of Talon Ranch. Cooper set up the Angus/Talon Youth Education Learning Program Endowment Fund in 2009 to be a holistic educational experience for students.
The internship program pairs motivated Angus youth with working registered Angus breeders/ranches to provide youth valuable education and work experience for a summer. The internship program is open to college sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate students and recent college graduates under age 25 who are majoring in an agricultural field of study.
Scilacci is a sophomore at Kansas State University, where he is pursuing an animal science degree. Scilacci’s future goals are to obtain his master’s degree in ruminant nutrition and from there, possibly pursue a degree in law and become a constitutional lawyer. His long-term and most important goal is to keep, maintain and continue to improve his family cattle operation.
“By completing this internship, I hope to become a more well-rounded cattleman and producer by learning how another operation is similar and different,” Scilacci said. “In the future, I hope to return to my family’s cattle operation and be a steward for the Angus breed and industry.”
In addition, Scilacci is a six-year member of the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) and is also a member of the Oregon Junior Angus Association and Oregon Cattlemen.
Scilacci’s leadership extends beyond the Angus industry. At Kansas State University, he currently serves as vice noble ruler of alumni relations for Alpha Gama Rho, an agricultural fraternity, and is involved in the Collegiate Cattlemen’s Club, where he serves on the officer team. He is also a member of Alpha Zeta Honorary and is a justice in the Student Governing Association.
“Morgan is just the type of student that Cam Cooper wanted to provide with opportunities in the beef industry,” said Milford Jenkins, Angus Foundation president. “We believe he will gain a tremendous amount of experience from his internship with Sitz Angus Ranch.”
Sitz Angus Ranch is a 2,000-head registered Angus herd on more than 40,000 acres in southwest Montana. The ranch has its own intern program and has hosted interns since the late 1970s. The ranch looks forward to providing Scilacci with a hands-on experience. He will be involved in all day-to-day activities, including heat detection, AI breeding, sorting cattle, pasture herd health, irrigating and assisting with the farming operations. He will have the opportunity to attend cattle video auctions, interact with commercial and registered breeders, and attend beef cattle producer educational activities with the Sitz family.
“We feel Sitz Angus Ranch is a great learning center,” said Jim Sitz, ranch owner. “We look forward to welcoming an intern to our team.”
“We believe Sitz Angus Ranch and Morgan are a great match for the Talon Youth Education Learning Program Internship,” Jenkins said. “We are confident that Morgan and his host ranch family will learn from each other, and Morgan will grow personally and professionally as a result of this educational internship experience.”
For more information about the Angus Foundation, call 816-383-5100 or email mjenkins@angusfoundation.org.
—American Angus Association.
