to jump to the article. Summary: Sarah Caldwell (then a Penn State senior) provided this report from the Dairy Science Club's spring trip to Costa Rica. Along with information about the students' itinerary, which featured several farm visits, Caldwell provided more than 20 photos from this once-in-a-lifetime trip opportunity. Because this article was so popular, we asked Caldwell a follow-up question: Q: During your college career, you've traveled on two international trips. Why do you think it's important for students to learn about dairying in other countries? A: For students who want to continue in the dairy industry after graduation, a trip abroad can be very educational. On my two trips abroad to Costa Rica and Ireland, I was able to see firsthand the challenges and advantages producers in those countries faced. As far apart as we were, it was interesting to see how similar our industries are. In addition to the souvenirs I brought back to the U.S., I also brought new ideas and a fresh perspective for dairying in this country. —Sarah Caldwell, 2011 Penn State Graduate, Sales Trainee for Dow AgroSciences

Dr. Chris Connelly is a dairy veterinarian from Pennsylvania Furnace, Pennsylvania. He obtained an undergraduate degree in animal sciences from Penn State in 1999 and finished his doctorate at Virginia Tech in 2003. Connelly currently works for Centre Herd Health Services, based in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, and serving mostly dairy clients in central Pennsylvania. He explains the five things he can't do without for his career.

Dairy producers found several tools for success at the 2011 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit, held Feb. 2-3 at the Lancaster Host Resort and Conference Center. Hosted by the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania (PDMP) and the Center for Dairy Excellence (CDE), the summit offered workshops on several hot topics in the dairy industry.