Students gain ‘unbelievably valuable’ experience from U-DAIRE program

For the second consecutive year, two University of Kentucky students were selected for the Undergraduate Development and Internship Research Experience (U-DAIRE), a paid internship and training program for students to learn about the dairy industry.

UK students Ashton Croudep and Daniel Carneiro spent two weeks at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, for leadership development and team building with the 2026 U-DAIRE cohort. Then they spent seven weeks interning at Chaney’s Dairy Barn in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

“The U-DAIRE program is a powerful extension of our teaching mission, providing students with immersive, real-world experiences that complement and enhance their academic learning,” said Kendriana Price, Ed.D., assistant dean of land-grant engagement at UK. “The experiences shared by this year’s cohort showcase the diverse opportunities within agriculture and reinforce the importance of every contribution, whether direct or indirect, to the industry’s success and sustainability.”

Ashton Croudep

As a cow approached by the Chaney’s processing plant, Ashton Croudep waved at her — something he said he does every time the cattle “check in on me.”

“I love my cows,” said Croudep, a senior from Louisville who is studying animal sciences on the pre-veterinary track.

Croudep said his passion for animals began when he was young and further developed through spending time with his uncle who is a veterinarian. Since completing the Auburn University Veterinary Intensive Program last summer, Croudep hopes to be a veterinary ophthalmologist, working with animals’ eyes.

His previous veterinary experience had mostly been with small animals, so Croudep said working with cattle all summer diversified his knowledge.

“The anatomy and physiology of a cow is very different from a dog or cat, so how it all works together is very interesting,” Croudep said.

At Chaney's, the interns learned about several parts of the dairy process, from working with cows on the farm to bottling milk in the processing plant to making ice cream and selling it to consumers in the dairy barn. Croudep said a highlight was watching a calf’s birth and helping treat the calf to keep it healthy.

“I’ve been working full time with new experiences, new learning opportunities,” Croudep said. “It really pushed me, in a good way, to manage my time, and it’s taught me resilience and how to keep going.”

Croudep said he is looking forward to enjoying his senior year at UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) and applying to veterinary school.

Daniel Carneiro

Before this summer, the closest Daniel Carneiro had ever been to cows was while driving down the highway past a pasture.

“I didn't even know they were as big as they were,” Carneiro said.

From Naples, Florida, Carneiro is a sophomore earning a dual degree in economics and finance from the UK Gatton College of Business and Economics with a minor in agricultural economics from Martin-Gatton CAFE.

Though some of his family members are involved in the agriculture business, Carneiro said he had no on-farm experience. Going through the U-DAIRE program and interning at Chaney’s “fills in that hole exactly,” he said.

In addition to working with cows, milk and ice cream, Carneiro also got to help the Chaney’s Dairy Barn management with budgeting, scheduling and putting together a financial report.

“For smaller farms like this, it’s difficult to survive, so the vertical integrating is really important. That’s exactly what they’re doing here,” Carneiro said. “So this is a perfect way to see how all the blocks connect.”

Carneiro said he doesn’t think he could have gained so much from any other experience. 

“This has been unbelievably valuable,” Carneiro said. “This is firsthand experience that I couldn’t get anywhere else, especially coming from a place not just for a paycheck or just because this is what my family does. It’s coming from a place of learning, where I get to learn and ask and observe.”

Price said she is grateful to help students find experiences like U-DAIRE.

“As an advocate for connecting students with opportunities they might not otherwise pursue, I am proud to support initiatives like U-DAIRE that broaden perspectives, foster professional growth, and empower students to explore pathways that shape their futures and strengthen the agricultural community,” Price said.

Learn more about academic enrichment opportunities at UK Martin-Gatton CAFE.