What We Do

The Animal Sciences Ambassadors are a collaborative group of students that have been selected among their peers to be representatives of the Animal Sciences Department. This selection is made by the current group members based on the applicant's background and experiences, professionalism, and knowledge about the Animal Sciences Department. The ANSC Ambassadors endeavor to create a diverse group of individuals that can offer ideas from all backgrounds.

Working with Dr. Paul Ebner and Anna Ripke, The ANSC Ambassadors strive to provide exciting and meaningful social events. that bring together the current and past students, staff and faculty members in the Department of Animal Sciences at Purdue University.

 Departmental Activities

All Ambassadors partake in may diverse departmental activities and serve on one of the following, evolving committees:

Preview Days Committee

Choosing the right college or university can be both exciting and daunting. The Animal Sciences Ambassadors engage with prospective students and their families throughout the year to help them navigate this process to make the best decision possible. Each year, the Preview Days Committee plans and delivers their signature "Preview Days" events where prospective students and their families spend a Saturday (four per year) on-campus to learn more about the Purdue Animal Sciences program and community. Our guests see first-hand the different opportunities, resources, and experiences available through Purdue Animal Sciences. Importantly, Preview Days are student-run events which allows prospective students and their families to directly engage with current students throughout the day to learn their perspectives on how to have the most successful undergraduate career. 

Development and external engagement committee

Purdue Animal Sciences students and faculty are doing great things! The Development and External Engagement Committee aims to share these accomplishments with alumni and the department's many stakeholders and, in doing so, foster stronger connections and increase opportunities within the department. Additionally, we oversee departmental visits, tours, off-campus events, and social media in order to share what Purdue Animal Sciences has to offer. This committee works with all other Animal Sciences Ambassador committees to assess the impact of our events and uses those findings to continually make our events stronger and well-received.

Departmental relations committee

The Department of Animal Sciences is the biggest in the College of Agriculture with over a record 700 undergraduate students enrolled in the Fall of 2022. The Departmental Relations Committee organizes and facilitates departmental events aimed at creating a more engaged and welcoming Animal Sciences community and fostering lasting connections. Throughout the year we host an Animal Sciences Kick-off event with refreshments and games, blood drives, faculty and staff appreciation breakfasts, our annual dodgeball tournament, and many more. 

Boiler Barnyard Committee

Most people have no direct connection to agriculture and food animal production in particular. At the same time, many of these same people have a growing interest in how their food is produced. Each year, the Boiler Barnyard Committee plans and delivers the Boiler Barnyard as part of Purdue's Spring Fest which brings 30,000 people from surrounding communities to Purdue's campus to learn about agriculture and more. The Boiler Barnyard takes place in the Purina Pavillion of the Land O' Lakes Center for Experiential Learning and showcases live animals as well as the many animal sciences-related student organizations. Throughout the event, participants are able to directly engage with the animals, a first-time experience for most, while learning more about food animal production around the US.