College campuses are home to many Generation Z (Gen Z) students, who research shows are the least trusting consumer segment. Positive perceptions of dairy can drive sales, making campuses an ideal place to connect with Gen Z shoppers. Through university partnerships, Midwest Dairy shares dairy’s farm-to-table story, emphasizing messages about sustainable nutrition. This approach promotes dairy products and also sparks meaningful conversations about the dairy industry while offering fun and engaging experiences for college students.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
To kick off the school year, Midwest Dairy staff, dairy farmers, and ambassadors interacted with students and Nebraska Husker fans through a dairy game, trivia spin wheel, and trivia cards at different events at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The partnership between Husker Athletics and Midwest Dairy continues to offer multiple events to build trust in dairy with Gen Z and other audiences.
Husker Mania is part of Big Red Welcome, an event that welcomes students back to campus. Organized by the campus recreation center, it introduces students to intramural sports and activities. Midwest Dairy set up a table featuring a life-size game called Undeniably Dairy’s Dairy Dash, where students acted as a dairy cow and farmer, completing challenges that illustrated how dairy farmers care for their cows. About 1,800 students attended, with lines forming all night to engage with the game and learn about the dairy industry, aided by Dairy Ambassadors for peer interaction.
Another Big Red Welcome event that Midwest Dairy participated in was Wellness Fest. This was held outside the City Campus Union, where students came to participate in goat yoga, ride the smoothie bike, and learn about other services available to keep them healthy throughout the school year. Midwest Dairy used the spin wheel game to test students’ dairy knowledge and teach them about where their favorite dairy products come from.
A fan fest called Bash at the Bob was held before Nebraska’s first home volleyball game at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The event featured face painting, inflatables, and games like “Feed the Dairy Cow” and “Milk the Cow,” helping fans learn about cow care and milk collection. Midwest Dairy also engaged Gen Z at a tailgate before Nebraska’s first football game, with the Undeniably Dairy Dash game and a trivia spin wheel to test dairy knowledge. They sponsored a Husker volleyball match on September 5, where dairy farmers handed out swag and pizza, asked trivia questions, and shared farm insights. Dairy facts were displayed during the game, and prizes, including t-shirts, were given to winners and the crowd.
Iowa State University
At Iowa State University (ISU), Midwest Dairy formed a valuable partnership with sustainability thought leaders and Gen Z students from the Live Green! organization, led by their advisor, Merry Rankin. Together, we brought dairy messaging to life at their annual Earth Day event, demonstrating our shared commitment to sustainability and the environment. The event was a testament to the power of collaboration, offering diverse Earth-minded engagement opportunities, sustainability-focused giveaways, free bike tune-ups, and music.
Over 500 students, faculty, and staff participated in this year’s Earth Day campus celebration. Midwest Dairy also collaborated with the Dairy Science Club on campus to bring dairy sustainability messaging to the event. The Dairy Science Club engaged with their peers and had meaningful discussions about dairy sustainability and animal care with attendees. Through this partnership, Midwest Dairy reached participants at the event and those who interacted with the partner’s social media platforms before, during, and after the event.
University of Illinois
The University of Illinois celebrated Earth Day by highlighting dairy sustainability. Midwest Dairy partnered with the Illini Dairy Club to increase awareness of dairy sustainability practices during the University of Illinois’ Sustainapalooza event. Sustainapalooza was held on Earth Day in April on the main quad outside the Illini Union. This central location captured the attention of over 4,000 University of Illinois students who attended the event, which featured food, live music, an art show, a clothing swap, vendors, and tabling. The Illini Union Board and Students for Environmental Concerns sponsored the event at the University of Illinois.
The Illini Dairy Club, with support from Midwest Dairy, had a tent, banners, and posters featuring the message “Life without dairy is unsustainable, so we’re making dairy more sustainable.” The club engaged with students through PLINKO, where students were asked dairy sustainability trivia questions. Students who participated in trivia received a canvas reusable bag with dairy sustainability messaging. Over 200 bags were handed out to students on campus.
The event’s success has sparked discussions between Midwest Dairy and the Illini Dairy Club about future collaborations. We are exploring ways to reach more students in the Fall and continue to aim to increase awareness of dairy farmers’ commitment to sustainability. This partnership fosters peer-to-peer interaction among Gen Z and underscores our shared goal of promoting dairy sustainability to all!
Wichita State University
For the second year, Midwest Dairy partnered with Wichita State University’s College of Innovation and Design’s Applied Sustainability in Innovation course on a fall project. The course project provided a real-world challenge for students to research and offer possible solutions to stakeholders. The students were tasked with researching sustainable and efficient bedding strategies for smaller dairy farms.
The semester-long project began with an introduction to the challenge and a conversation through Zoom with a dairy farmer, Dave Lane of Goddard, Kansas. As part of their research, students toured Lane’s farm to learn more about dairy farming and dairy’s sustainability efforts. The tour was a valuable learning opportunity to help students understand manure management on the farm and much more.
Students developed a problem statement for the challenge. For example, group one’s problem statement was “How might we better manage manure for small dairy farms so that they can spend less money on bedding material?” and group two’s problem statement was “How might we efficiently collect manure for the use of bedding so it can be reused?” Students worked the entire semester investigating several aspects to address their statements and meet the challenge. They used the Business Model Canvas for Sustainability and sustainability assessments such as the Life Cycle Analysis, Life Cycle Costing, and Social-Life Cycle Analysis tools to assist with their recommendations. Most of the students in the class were environmental engineering majors.
Students presented their proposals and specific recommendations to stakeholders in early December 2023, including dairy farmer Dave Lane and Midwest Dairy staff Ron Grusenmeyer and Robyn Stuewe.
South Dakota State University
New in 2024, the annual Dairy Dash moved to South Dakota State University (SDSU). The Dairy Dash is a partnership between Midwest Dairy and the Miller Wellness Center to build trust in dairy amongst college-aged students and families. The 5K race occurred on the morning of September 7, the same day as the SDSU Dairy Drive football game. Following the race, the kids’ “Moo Mile” fun run took place for children ages 2-10. All proceeds from the Dairy Dash went to Jack’s Cupboard, the on-campus food pantry at SDSU, to supply dairy products throughout the year to students facing food insecurity.
Runners were encouraged to post milk mustache photos, led by the SDSU Dairy Ambassadors, and sample various dairy products donated by partners. Kids were also invited to participate in an ice cream painting craft with the SDSU Dairy Science Club. Signage throughout the race featured messages about dairy nutrition, sustainability, and cow comfort on the farm.
Midwest Dairy worked with several SDSU student leaders to promote the race to college students and several local influencers. Race information was shared with over 83,000 online followers, and influencers were given discount codes to encourage registration. One of the influencers helped Midwest Dairy promote the event on Dakota News Now.
Later that evening, Midwest Dairy once again partnered with SDSU Athletics through the SDSU Dairy Drive football game. This partnership reaches consumers but also brings the dairy community together, including local processors such as Valley Queen, Agropur, Bel Brands, AMPI, and Prairie Farms, who all actively participate in the tailgate of the fall football game.
As part of this partnership, SDSU Athletics promoted the Dairy Dash race on its social media channels, reaching 44,000 online followers. SDSU student track and cross-country athlete Claire Beckman promoted the Dairy Dash race and shared how she uses dairy to fuel her training during a radio interview that aired at halftime of a football game the weekend before the Dairy Drive game.
Lastly, members of the dairy community, including partners and SDSU faculty, were recognized on the field during halftime to put a face to the dairy industry. The SDSU Jackrabbits defeated Incarnate Word 45-24 during a sold-out game with an attendance of 19,321, including 4,128 students.
University of Minnesota
Midwest Dairy kicked off its 2024 partnership with the University of Minnesota at the annual Goldy’s Run, featuring a 5K and a 10-mile race. The event began outside Huntington Bank Stadium and finished inside the stadium. Engaging college campuses is essential for building trust with adult Gen Z consumers, and Goldy’s Run successfully attracted those interested in fitness and nutrition—more than 5,500 participants registered for the race, many supported by family and spectators.
Despite chilly temperatures and morning rain, hundreds of runners visited Midwest Dairy’s Undeniably Dairy booth to play Plinko and learn about cow care. Dairy trivia sparked meaningful discussions about cow comfort, a priority for adult Gen Z. The booth showcased designs from the #TeamMilk campaign supported by MilkPep and Dairy Management Inc. Runners and supporters dried off with “You’re Gonna Need Milk for That” towels and cheered with cowbells.
Midwest Dairy also partnered with the University of Minnesota to promote sustainability, cow care, and nutrition awareness at a Fan Fest in late September. The event, held in front of Huntington Bank Stadium, featured games, giveaways, and a trivia game with a Plinko board. A sudden rainstorm increased the demand for “Gonna Need Milk for That” drying towels, and the Undeniably Dairy tent engaged with around 600 consumers looking for a dry space. During the game, messages about dairy sustainability were shown on the big screen, reaching over 52,000 fans and marking one of the largest crowds in the stadium’s history.
Kansas State University
In 2024, Midwest Dairy identified an opportunity to partner with the Kansas State University (K-State) Esports Club. The partnership sought to engage adult Gen Z video gamers and build trust in dairy. As a land-grant university, K-State has a strong agricultural focus. However, collaborating with the growing K-State Esports Club offers a chance to reach an unexpected audience as it gains visibility on campus and in the competitive and community gaming arenas. Esports also reach a high school audience, as prospective students explore the university during campus visits or participate in tournaments.
K-State Esports is developing creative ways to highlight dairy products to its social media followers. In 2024, the varsity team wore cow-print jerseys and started discussions online about students’ favorite dairy snacks or drinks. The best ways to follow along with the K-State Esports program are Instagram, X, or Twitch.
Dairy remained relevant on campus as Midwest Dairy’s partnership with the K-State Bakery Science Club flourished for the second year. Since the fall 2023 philanthropy event, Midwest Dairy stayed connected with the student organization, looking for opportunities to collaborate and support both organizations’ goals.
The Bake Club seeks to raise its campus profile and boost participation in its bi-weekly meetings. Membership is free and open to all students, regardless of whether they are enrolled in Grain Science or related programs. The club has expressed a desire to incorporate more baking with butter and other dairy ingredients throughout the semester. However, cost considerations make this challenging at times. To support the Bake Club’s priorities, Midwest Dairy partnered with them to host a dairy-themed meeting.
K-State women’s basketball player and #FueledxDairy influencer Ayoka Lee joined Bake Club for a special evening of creating ice cream sandwiches. Before the event, she met with club officers and filmed an Instagram Reel to share afterward. Lee encouraged students to get involved with Bake Club. The evening concluded with a fun game of dairy trivia featuring questions about dairy ingredients, nutrition, and farming practices, drawing 22 attendees. The social media promotion by Lee and Bake Club generated over 11,300 impressions.
Northern Illinois University
In October, Bryan Flower, Assistant Director for Food Systems Innovation at Northern Illinois University (NIU), featured Illinois dairy farmer Andy Lenkaitis of Lenkaitis Holsteins on his podcast, Innovation Conversation, to discuss robotics in dairy farming and its impact on the food system. This podcast, presented by NIU and the Office of Innovation, engages listeners in discussions with leading experts on food systems and sustainability. The episode explored how robotics and other innovations are being adopted on dairy farms across the U.S. Click here to listen to the podcast episode.
Following the podcast, Flower collaborated with Dr. Courtney Gallaher, Director of Campus Sustainability, to present to more than 100 attendees at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Conference 2024 in Anaheim, California. Their presentation, “Regionalizing the Food System While Achieving Campus Sustainability Goals: NIU’s Edible Campus Program,” showcased the program’s impact on campus sustainability initiatives, emphasizing dairy’s role in supporting a sustainable food system.
During an October fundraiser for the Edible Campus program, Flower discussed the dairy industry’s commitment to sustainability, highlighting the support that Midwest Dairy provides to the Edible Campus Meal Prep Program (ECMPP). Attendees received basil bookmarks and discussed cow pots, which were included in the latest support for the ECMPP to help start seedlings for the Edible Campus garden.