Undergraduate Student Spotlight: Kent Hamstra

Kent Hamstra, a junior majoring in animal sciences with a biosciences concentration and a minor in Data Driven Agriculture, discovered his passion for the field through his involvement in 4-H and FFA.

Hamstra, a Fair Oaks, Indiana native, said his interest in animal agriculture developed through taking two animal sciences classes in high school and showing livestock. He is particularly passionate about ruminant nutrition and is actively gaining hands-on experience by working in Associate Professor Jon Schoonmaker’s ruminant nutrition lab, where he is building the skills and knowledge needed for a career in the field.

As an undergraduate research assistant, Hamstra primarily works on an amylase feed additive study, analyzing its impact on ration digestibility, while also assisting with benchwork and supporting the Animal Sciences Research and Education Center (ASREC) Beef Unit as needed.

“Working in Dr. Schoonmaker's lab has allowed me to get a taste of research, get comfortable working in a laboratory and challenge my understanding of ruminant nutrition,” Hamstra said.

Hamstra has further expanded his experience through various summer internships during his undergraduate studies.

In 2023, Hamstra worked as an feed production intern at Belstra Milling Company, where he worked at Belstra’s premix plant, mixing mineral blends for dairies across the state, as well as premixes for other feed mills and hog feed for Belstra’s swine operations. Then in 2024, he was a dairy nutrition intern for Riverview. Here, he gained hands-on experience in applied dairy nutrition, learning to formulate and balance rations, shadowing nutritionists on farm visits and peer group meetings and conducting independent research projects, ultimately solidifying his goal of becoming a dairy nutrition consultant.

“Before this past summer, I would have told you I preferred to work as a beef nutrition consultant rather than a dairy nutrition consultant,” Hamstra said. “But over the summer, I was converted to dairy. The Riverview team provided the optimal environment for an intern like me to learn and grow.”

In summer 2025, Hamstra will be working for GPS Dairy Consulting as a dairy nutrition intern. 

Hamstra is actively involved on campus, participating in organizations such as Purdue Bible Fellowship (PBF), the Dairy Farm Evaluation Team, Dairy Club, Purdue Collegiate Cattlemen’s Association and Paint Crew. He also serves as a Faith West Resident Life Coordinator. His dedication to academic excellence has earned him recognition on the Dean’s List and Semester Honors. These opportunities provide him with opportunities to deepen his faith, expand his academic knowledge, build his professional network and explore his interests.

“I'm just grateful for the opportunities I've had as a Purdue student,” Hamstra said. “God has providentially placed amazing people, amazing career development opportunities and amazing educational opportunities in my path time and time again at Purdue. I can't take any credit for His grace. All praise to Him.”

Looking ahead, Hamstra plans to pursue a career as a dairy nutrition consultant after completing a Ph.D. in animal sciences with a specialization in dairy nutrition. He credits the Purdue Animal Sciences Department with equipping him with both theoretical and practical knowledge in animal agriculture.

“Purdue Animal Sciences has helped me to develop a solid theoretical and practical understanding of animal agriculture,” Hamstra said. “Classroom lectures challenge my understanding of nutrition, genetics, physiology and management. Labs and Dairy Challenge contests give me the opportunity to take the theoretical knowledge I've gathered and apply it to the real world.”

According to Hamstra, the department’s research opportunities, along with its academic and career advisors, are among its greatest strengths.

“I am grateful I can work in research as an undergraduate before graduate school,” Hamstra said. “Professors in the department genuinely care about their students and are passionate about their areas of expertise. To top it all off, we have elite academic and career advisors who set students up for classroom and real-world success.”

Hamstra shared multiple pieces of advice for incoming students:

• If you don't know Jesus, repent and put your faith in Him.
• Surround yourself with people who will point you to your Savior every day.
• Live with conviction. Openly take a stand for what you believe.
• Find your niche in animal sciences and run with it.
• Extracurriculars are what make your college experience. Get involved, but don't get overwhelmed!

In his free time, Hamstra enjoys playing basketball, working out and watching Purdue basketball. He also likes studying Christian theology and apologetics.