James Krotz is a Senior Academic Advisor and Career Advisor on the Purdue Animal Sciences Department’s Student Services Team.
James is from Belleville, Kansas, which is a rural community in the northern part of the state. Growing up, he was a 4-H member for eight years, and his favorite projects were woodworking, poultry, and market heifers.
According to James, his best subjects in high school were history and government, so he attended Kansas State University and majored in political science.
“My story shows how important internships are for career development because after I graduated, I did an internship in Washington D.C. and did not enjoy it!” James explained. “What I did love was being a campus tour guide at K-State, so I went back to earn my Master’s in Higher Education Administration, where I fell in love with academic advising.”
James came to Purdue in May 2018 working in the Daniels School of Business; however, he did not join the animal sciences department until September 2021.
“To use an animal analogy, my job as a Senior Academic and Career Advisor is to ‘shepherd’ students through their four years at Purdue! Much like a shepherd, I guide my students along their academic path and the beginning of their career journey,” James said. “My philosophy is that every student needs to take ownership for their own academic journey, but I am always here to provide help, advice and connect them with resources available to them through Purdue or the community.”
James also teaches ANSC 18100: Professional Development and Exploration in Animal Sciences. As a part of the course, he invites over 50 guest speakers to talk with students about their careers in animal sciences and connect them with internships. He is also the advisor of the Purdue Collegiate Cattlemen’s Club and welcomes students to join if they have an interest in beef cattle.
According to James, he enjoys working with students in animal sciences.
“I love serving our animal sciences students because they work incredibly hard, are always grateful and humble and are just generally fun to be around,” James said.
James offered advice for incoming freshmen.
“My advice to incoming freshmen is to learn to manage your time effectively. Treat school like a 9-5 job,” James explained. “During the day, when you have gaps between classes, find a quiet study spot on campus and work on homework. This will free up your nights and weekends for clubs and other activities!”
James also offered advice for all animal sciences students.
“Keep an open mind and do things outside of your comfort zone,” James said. “Whether you grew up raising dairy cows in northern Indiana or goldfish in southern California, there is a place for everyone in Animal Sciences!”
According to James, he likes Purdue’s proximity to several cities and destinations.
“The awesome thing about Purdue is that it’s fairly close to a lot of cool destinations!” James explained. “Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Lexington, Louisville, Cincinnati and western Michigan are all great places to visit on a long weekend. My favorite is western Michigan.”
James also co-leads a study abroad trip in May to Germany, Switzerland and Austria. According to him, that is his favorite trip he has ever been on; however, he also loved visiting Ireland, Scotland and England. In the US, his favorite states that he has visited are Utah and Idaho.
James has a wife and son, Joey, and they live east of Lafayette. Locally, he enjoys eating at Hunter’s Pub, South Street BBQ and Ripple & Company.
James also has many hobbies: reading about history, listening to country music, working in his garden, hiking, cooking/grilling and watching/tailgating college football. His favorite place to hike locally is the Purdue Horticulture Park. James is also serving as president of his church council. His faith is important to him and he welcomes students to speak with him about faith topics.
