Join Us for the Spring 2026 Exploration Experience

UPenn Veterinary Science Exploration Experience

Date: April 16, 2026 | 9 AM – 2 PM

Location: Caristone Dairy Farm (Lebanon County) and Lancaster DHIA in Lancaster County

Partnering with the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary team, students will learn about the dairy industry and the field of veterinary science. During this event, high school students in grades 11 and 12 will get a firsthand look at Caristone Dairy Farm, a dairy farm in Lebanon County, and complete hands-on, herd health activities and interactive labs using veterinary science. In addition, they will tour Lancaster DHIA, a lab in Lancaster County that provides milk testing, on-farm field services for herd management, forage analysis, microbiology testing, and more. Participants will interact with UPenn professors, veterinarians, Lancaster DHIA staff, and other dairy professionals to learn about the skills and responsibilities of careers in the veterinary science field.

Cost: FREE (Must provide own transportation)

Registration Deadline: Application form will close when the capacity is reached. Click here to apply today.

Note: Space will be limited to 24 students on a first-come, first-serve basis. Students/groups must have a chaperone/advisor travel with them. Email Michelle Shearer if you have any questions.   

PREVIOUS EXPLORATION EXPERIENCES

2025 UPenn Fall Veterinary Science Exploration Experience

Partnering with the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary team, students learned about the dairy industry and the field of veterinary science. During this event, high school students in grades 11 and 12 got a firsthand look at Dry Creek Dairy Farm in Martinsburg through a tour and activities involving milk quality, calf lung ultrasounds, stomach and udder dissections, and nutrition analysis as well as cow health where they listened to the heart, rumen, and lungs of dairy cows. Students then heard from veterinarians, veterinary techs, and current veterinary graduate students about the careers and schooling in veterinary science as well as veterinary specimen show and tell and milk culturing activities.

2025 UPenn Vet Science Exploration Experience Group Photo at Dry Creek Farm

2025 Agribusiness Exploration Experience with Horizon Farm Credit

Partnering with Horizon Farm Credit, students toured Brubaker Farms in Lancaster County to learn about their business and their focus on family and stewardship. High school students also learned about assets, equity, liabilities and profit by completing multiple business-focused rotations. They learned about lending, accounting, ag conservation and more – and met professionals from Horizon Farm Credit, the Lancaster County Conservation District, and Team Ag. They ended the day with a real-world balance sheet activity to bring agricultural finance to life.

2025 Agribusiness Exploration Experience Group Photo at Horizon Farm Credit

2025 UPenn Spring Veterinary Science Exploration Experience

Partnering with the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Team, students completed hands-on activities involving milk safety and testing, dairy cattle nutrition, colostrum quality, and herd health.

During this event, high school students in grades 11 and 12 got a firsthand look at Darkhorse Dairy Farm in Perkasie through a tour and activities involving colostrum quality, feed identification, TMR testing, and milk quality as well as cow health where they listened to the heart, rumen, and lungs of dairy cows. Students then went to Quakertown Veterinary Clinic for a hospital tour, exploration of various careers in veterinary science, and milk culturing activity.

2024 UPenn Veterinary Science Exploration Experience

Partnering with the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Team, students learned about proper health and nutrition for dairy cattle as well as completed some hands-on activities exploring herd health.

During this event, high school students in grades 11 and 12 got a firsthand look at Marshak Dairy and learned from professionals who specialize in specific areas of veterinary science. They learned about colostrum quality, nutrition research, TMR testing, and cow health being able to listen to the heart, rumen, and lungs of dairy cows. Students then went to the New Bolton Center for a tour and opportunity to hear about .