Every year, Dairy Challenge hosts four regional contests and one national event that includes both the Dairy Challenge contest and Dairy Challenge Academy. Anywhere from 50 to 100+ volunteers are needed for each event. Sponsoring organizations are invited to participate in a variety of volunteer roles. Being involved and working directly with the students gives companies a first‐hand view of the students in action, plus a large volunteer pool helps the contest run smoothly. Volunteer opportunities range from serving as a team mentor or judge to serving as a career panelist or a timekeeper in a presentation room.

Day 1: Students arrive for dinner and receive host farm data. Orientation meetings for team mentors/advisors, volunteers and judges are held this evening.

Day 2: Participants will travel to the host farm(s) to examine facilities and animals. That afternoon, team members will interview herd managers and develop a farm analysis identifying areas of strength and opportunity. Student teams prepare a PowerPoint presentation to include appropriate recommendations for nutrition, reproduction, milking procedures, animal health, housing, and financial management while considering the specific goals of the farm. A fun evening with sponsors and students is planned for this evening.

Day 3: The final day is set for presentations with each team making recommendations to, and fielding questions from, a panel of industry judges. Presentations are evaluated based on farm analysis and recommendations. Students will also attend educational workshops and meet with sponsors when not presenting. The event ends with judge presentations, volunteer recognitions, and an award ceremony.

Visit the contests page for more information about these contests, including upcoming dates and location.

Q:  Do I need to be a sponsor to volunteer?
A:  Sponsorships are crucial to our ability to provide this capstone training experience for students across North America. As such, sponsors are given first opportunity to key volunteer roles. We encourage every volunteer to financially support the program, but appreciate any and all who are willing to volunteer their time.

Q:  How much experience do I need?
A:  There are volunteer roles to meet all levels of experience, from serving as a presentation room door monitor or timer, to sharing your knowledge working alongside students as they prepare their presentations, to serving as a contest judge. With so many volunteers needed, we can help match you with a volunteer role that meets your experience and comfort level.

Q:  Do I need to be a Dairy Challenge alum?
A:  Volunteers do not have to be Dairy Challenge alums. However, just like having been a volunteer in the past, Dairy Challenge alums tell us that having participated in the contest makes for a more positive experience both for themselves and the students they engage with.

Q:  Do I have to be present for the full contest?
A:  Many roles require volunteers to be present from start to finish. However, because of the large number of volunteer roles needed for each event, there are volunteer opportunities for smaller, specific portions of the event.

Q:  Is housing and travel provided for volunteers?
A:  Sponsor/volunteers are responsible for the costs of their participation, including meals, travel and housing.

• Housing: A block of volunteer rooms is reserved for each event. Volunteers are responsible for booking and paying for their rooms.
• Meals: meals are provided for the students throughout the event. We encourage sponsors to join students during meals and take advantage of this networking opportunity. Discounted volunteer meal tickets are available for purchase when registering.
• Travel: all participants (students, sponsors/volunteers) are responsible for their travel expenses to and from the contests.

Q:  What does a mentor/Academy Advisor do vs. other volunteer roles?
A:  Mentors are a critical part of each regional event as they work alongside groups of students, sharing their dairy industry knowledge and guiding students as they walk the dairy, analyze farm data, and prepare their presentations. Because they are working directly with students, mentors assigned to teams should be prepared to stay for the entire event. This allows for more interaction with your team and provides cohesiveness for the team. Mentors should be committed to the event and willing to work with students in a positive and supportive manner, encouraging participation and guiding them in their dairy assessment. Roaming mentor opportunities may be available to those with limited availability.

There are many other roles important to the success of each event.

• Social Media Corps Leaders are needed to guide our student social media corps leading up to and during the event. Basic communications skills are preferred.
• Dairy Visit Volunteers assist with the Day 2 farm visits and help keep participants safe.
• Farm Interview Assistants manage student interviews with the farm management team. Moderators, timers, door keepers are all needed for this activity on Day 2 of the event.
• Presentation Volunteers are needed on Day 3, presentation day. Room moderators, timers, tech support, door monitors, and team debriefers are all needed this day.
• Judges are selected for each event. The opportunity to provide contest officials is offered first to our top sponsors at the $10,000 level and above. Judges are asked to be present for the entire event.
• Event Speakers are commonly needed at Dairy Challenge events. Top sponsoring companies are given first opportunity to provide educational speakers. Others are invited as needed.

Q:  How do I participate in the Career Fair?
A:  Sponsors at the Gold $5000 level and above are invited to set up a booth in our Career and Innovation Fair. Other organizations will be offered space based on remaining availability.

• Booths are typically offered on Day 3 of each event.
• Indicate your desire to reserve a booth using the online registration form.
• There is no charge for the space.
• Electricity will be available, but you will need to supply your own electrical cords.

All sponsors are encouraged to reserve a space to interact with students and University coaches and to view student presentations on this day. This is a prime opportunity to visit with each participant at the event, particularly if your company is seeking interns or job recruits now and in the future.

Q:  I still have questions. Who can I talk to?
A:  Contact the volunteer coordinator for the event you are interested in attending. You may contact Molly Kelley, NAIDC Executive Director, mollyk@dairychallenge.org PH: 217-493-3441 if you still have questions about volunteering at a Dairy Challenge event.