Graduation day was a bittersweet ending for Rachael Dubinsky and Amanda Prudente. The day marked a great milestone in their academic careers, but also meant that their time as student managers at the UDairy Creamery was coming to a close.

Both Dubinsky and Prudente played a pivotal role in the plans for and development of the creamery. Now, as graduates of the University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), they have positions that fall directly in line with what they learned as student managers.

Dubinsky, who served as the creamery’s communications manager, graduated with a dual degree in agriculture and natural resources and interpersonal communication, with minors in food science and food and agribusiness marketing and management. In her time at UD, she was a member of the UD Color Guard, the Food Science Club, Sigma Alpha (the professional agriculture sorority), and gave tours to prospective students and families as an Ag Ambassador.

In her role as the communications manager, Dubinsky was responsible for promoting the creamery to the University and Newark community, as well as developing marketing plans for the future of the business.

Using her skills and knowledge in both agriculture and communications to educate others about the “cow to cone” process, Dubinsky stated, “Not only was it exciting to see this project come to fruition but by being on the management team, I really do feel as though I have left my mark here at UD”.

Dubinsky is staying on at CANR as the special assistant to the deputy dean. In this position, she will continue to work on public relations and advertising ventures for the creamery.

Prudente served as the dairy and food science manager for the creamery and is now pursuing a career as a flavor technician at David Michael and Co. in Philadelphia. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in food science, with minors in chemistry and food and agribusiness marketing and management. In addition, she served as the vice president of the Food Science Club, was a member of the Delaware Repertory Dance Company and was an Ag Ambassador.

As the dairy and food science manager, Prudente was responsible for securing health permits for events and ordering supplies for the store. Prudente was integral in making the creamery’s first batch of ice cream with the new equipment and also used her food science knowledge to create herb-themed ice cream toppings for the annual “Spring Fling” event in March, which celebrates the Garden for the Community, a partnership between the CANR and the Food Bank of Delaware. Prudente’s unique background in both food science and business management has prepared her for a successful career in the flavor industry.

She said, “I really think this position helped merge both my science and business interests.  Ultimately, I was able to apply the things I learned in the classroom to a real world business setting.”

The creamery had many milestones this past year, including the construction of the storefront and the ribbon cutting ceremony on Ag Day. Dubinsky and Prudente were able to use their internship experience to hone in on their individual strengths and ultimately play an integral role in the development and success of the creamery.

To learn more about the creamery student managers, visit the UDairy Creamery website.

This summer, the creamery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. And, don’t forget to “like” UDairy Creamery on Facebook for information on upcoming events and special promotions.

This article can also be viewed online on UDaily.

Article by Jenna Byers

Photo by Danielle Quigley