Animal Science Senior Spotlight: Makenzie Flach

Fresno State senior Makenzie Flach has taken full advantage of the wide variety of hands-on & career-building activities offered through our campus meat science program.

Not only has she worked in its meat processing lab, she has served as president of the meat science club for three years & helped organize events & traveled to national conferences.

As a senior, the Jordan College Honors Cohort member is conducting research comparing the physical effects of different finishing diets in Angus beef cattle. 

Read more about the Sanger native (& 3.98 student) who now looks ahead to starting a food science master's degree this fall at Texas Tech University that will focus on meat industry food safety research.

 

Q: Why did you choose to attend Fresno State? 

Flach: "My decision to stay here in the Valley to be part of Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences & Technology for my college education was strongly influenced by the truly hands-on environment our agriculture school offers. The opportunity to connect with professors and peers both inside and outside of classes and club memberships within the animal science department, allowed me to gain experience in my field of interest early on. For me personally, this access to on-campus animal units and research environments have quickly helped me to declare my animal science emphasis toward meat technology studies."

 

Q: Did any of your family members also attend Fresno State?

Flach: "My mom, Amy Flach, received a degree in business with a management emphasis from Fresno State."

 

Q: Describe your undergraduate Jordan College honors research project.

Flach: "I'm examining how diet can affect the carcass characteristics and yield differences for Angus beef cattle. One group was completely grass-fed, and the other group was grass-fed and then finished out on forage silage for the last 100 days prior to harvest. If there are significant differences in carcass characteristics that allow ranchers to qualify for certain premiums, allowing them to profit more money, this could influence farmers to consider the diets they are feeding their livestock."

 

Q: Which faculty member are you working with?

Flach: "Dr. Amanda McKeith has been my mentor for my undergraduate research I have been conducting for the past two years. She has guided me with the writing aspect that comes with conducting research by meeting with me weekly, editing my writing, helping me collect data as well as analyze the data. My project had to abruptly change due to the lack of lab space and COVID-19 restrictions; therefore, she has helped me develop a new project in a matter of a few weeks and has been involved in collecting data, analyzing data and making sense of my research."

 

Q: How will this research help you on your career path?

Flach: "Completing undergraduate research has not only allowed me to enhance my analytical and critical thinking abilities, but also sharpen my research skills. This introduction to research has also helped prepare for graduate level research."

 

Q: Do you receive any type of Jordan College scholarships?

Flach: "I'm thankful to have been awarded the Ag One-Ross Borba, Sr. Family scholarship, William W. Hansen Memorial Scholarship and Coachella Valley Growers in 2019; and the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology General Scholarship and Ag One William C. “Bill” and Sharon Cutting Scholarship in 2018."

 

Q: Talk about your work at any campus farm units.

Flach: "I am a student assistant at the Fresno State Meats Laboratory. I, along with the other student employees at the meat lab, perform daily operations which include harvesting, fabrication, packaging, sanitation and further processing of over 30 different meat products. I have also had to demonstrate skills and knowledge of the meat industry as well as marketing, customer service and USDA food regulations."

 

Q: Have you had any internships or part-time jobs, and what types of jobs & tasks did you do generally?

Flach: "I worked as a quality assurance/quality control intern at Central Valley Meat Company in Hanford where I was responsible for the oversite of quality and safety standards of meat products and manufacturing. I was in charge of recording production date, monitoring employees and verifying compliance with HACCP, GMP and other safety procedures. I also aided in helping them conduct their annual facility audit."

 

Q: What skills or experiences did you gain from the internship that they can apply to your career?

Flach: "This internship ultimately helped me discover my passion for food safety in relation to the meat industry and helped define my future career goals and influence my decision to pursue graduate school."

 

Q: What types of ag-related clubs are you involved with on campus?

Flach: "I have been a part of the Meat Science Club for the past three years. For the past 2 years, I have served as president where I have had the opportunity to help organize club and fundraising events such as the annual ham and steak sale, Red Wave Livestock show food concessions and the meat industry dinner. Through the Meat Science Club, I have had the opportunity to attend several out-of-area collegiate meat industry competitions and networking events.

"I attended the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) summit with a team whose sausage product earned first place along with receiving the People’s Choice Award. I also attended the AMSA RMC where I participated in the quiz bowl team and reciprocal sessions and gained valuable exposure to the meat industry. In addition, I have traveled to the California Association of Meat Processors for the last two years where I have developed and competed with my own beef jerky and smoked sausage products. Lastly, I attended the Tyson Foods Beyond Fresh Meats Course in Chicago, Illinois in March of 2020 where I was one of 30 students in the country to be selected for this honor to participate in hands-on learning and gain experience with further-processed meat products."

"I also served as the operations senior chair on the FFA Field Day committee for 2 years."

 

Q: Are there any other interesting notes about yourself or your academic background or campus interests? 

Flach: "I also a part of the Wonderful Ag pathway in high school where I was able to take dual enrollment classes in high school where I completed majority of my lower GE classes. When I got to Fresno State, I was able to start taking major courses and complete my bachelor's degree in three years."

"I also competed on the women’s club water polo team as a sophomore and junior. Our team ranked first in the 2020 Sierra Pacific Women’s Standings, but unfortunately hasn't been able to compete this year because of the pandemic."

 

Q: What is your background in agriculture before you started at Fresno State?

Flach: "I have grown up on a 2-acre family farm located in Sanger where we raise Boer goats and sheep for 4-H and FFA projects. My background in agriculture started at 8 years old, when I joined my local 4-H club. I was involved in 4-H for 11 years where I spent most of my time in the Boer goat group, which allowed me to mentor and educate younger members. As a freshman in high school, I joined FFA, where I served several officer positions; showed on the sheep show team; and was a part of the meats judging team, which introduced me to meat science and allowed me to develop my passion for meat science. On our family farm I am responsible for livestock breeding, selection, nutrition and oversite of herd animal health."

 

Q: After graduation, what's your potential next career step and how do you plan to use your degree eventually?

Flach: "I will be graduating this May with my Bachelor of Science degree in animal science with a meat science emphasis. Upon graduation, I will be attending Texas Tech University starting in the Fall of 2021 to pursue a Master of Science degree in Food Science. My master's research at Texas Tech University will address current food safety issues in both pre-harvest and post-harvest environments. I aim to fulfill my long-term goal of receiving a Ph.D. and work in the meat industry before I return to academia to teach and continue research at a university."