By Max Esterhuizen

It’s 12:50 p.m. on a Friday.

A line snakes from the door of the Virginia Tech Meat Center to the far reaches of the parking lot. As each minute passes to the center’s opening at 1 p.m., the line pushes that boundary to its limits. The anticipation is tangible for each person waiting in line at the Meat Center, a campus staple since 2016.

This semester, though, is the first time these doors open to a center that is staffed entirely by young women. 

Working in the meat center is no small feat. Staff members hoist more than 60 pounds of carcasses, using heavy equipment originally intended for use by large people, and long, sharp blades to carve the perfect cut of meat. 

“It’s very powerful,” said Meggie Bertucci, the assistant manager of the Meat Center and graduate student in the School of Animal Sciences. “There are stereotypes that we can’t do this because we’re girls. That’s unequivocally false and we prove them wrong each day by having products on the shelves. We’re capable and it’s important to surround yourselves with people who push you.”

The Mobile, Alabama, native found her way to what she called the “perfect position” in the Virginia Tech Meat Center from her time at the Auburn University Meat Lab, where she was a student lead. Her time in that meat center made Bertucci instantly know this was what she wanted to do for her career – and the position opened at Virginia Tech at the perfect moment

“For me, this is exactly what I am supposed to be doing and I love every second of it. I am passionate about what I do here and the impact I can make on the students through teaching,” Bertucci said. 

One student that works closely with Bertucci and Jordan Wicks, the Meat Science Center coordinator, is Davida Rimm-Kaufman, the student lead of operations. She is often the liaison between the employees at the meat center and both Bertucci and Wicks.

“Jordan gives me instructions as to what needs to be accomplished and I’m the one that works with the employees to make sure everything is done right,” said Rimm-Kaufman, who is from Charlottesville, Virginia, and a senior in the Department of Agricultural Leadership and Community Education. “I teach the kids small skills, such as which bag to use, how to properly label, break down equipment correctly, and use knives correctly.”

Women in the meat lab
From left: Davida Rimm-Kaufman, Shelby Raber, Alexis Wivell, Jordan Wicks, Ashlyn Clemmer, and Meggie Bertucci prepare various cuts of meats to be sold at the Meat Center Storefront.

At the Meat Center, Rimm-Kaufman truly loves learning and teaching. So much so that at a recruiting dinner with Tyson Foods, she was asked what her favorite part of working at the Meat Center. Her response? That she just loved to learn everything. 

“A recruiter there said I could be honest and Jordan jumped in and said, ‘No, that’s truly her favorite part. She loves learning and teaching,’” Rimm-Kaufman said.

She also wants to be an inspiration for others who may be interested in this industry.

“I want to show women that you can be in a male-dominated industry and thrive,” Rimm-Kaufman said. “You’re more capable than you think you are. That’s a lesson for everyone in my lab – we’re learning every single day on an individual and group level.”

One of the other students setting history is Ashlyn Clemmer, the student lead. In this position, Clemmer helps manage the crew that works in the back of the store and helps take the product through every phase before it is sold. 

“Jordan helped me find my potential and realize that I can overcome challenges I didn’t think were possible,” said Clemmer, a senior in the School of Animal Sciences. “Working at the center has instilled critical thinking skills into everyday actions.”

 

Women in the meat lab

Clemmer, an animal science major who was heavily involved with FFA growing up, has had her job help her reach a better understanding of animals as she studies to become a veterinarian, intending to help large animals.

The Millbrook, Virginia, native gained a better understanding of the anatomy of different species, how animals are built, and how their muscles perform by working with animals every day. 

As a member of the first all-female staff, Clemmer has played a vital role in turning the traditionally male-dominated industry on its head.

“We want this staff to give people the encouragement to get out there and do what they want – to enjoy what they do,” Clemmer said. “It doesn’t have to be the meat industry. It can be anything. It’s just important to have a passion for your work regardless of what it is.”

And the passion of the meat center’s all-female staff is available to customers at the center’s storefront, led by Shelby Smith of Stroudsburg, Virginia.  

Smith makes sure that the store is stocked and ready to go when doors open to the general public on Friday afternoons, serving about 200 people – a massive increase from the 40 served when the storefront initially opened.

“We get ourselves hyped up when those doors open because it’s exciting for us and our customers who come in because they know we have great products,” said Smith, a senior in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. “Knowing that we have such an impact on the Blacksburg community means so much to us. We make connections with our customers and are excited to chat and check in on them each week. They’re more than just customers to us.” 

And that feeling extends beyond the customers. The entire Meat Center staff is a family.

“I’m speechless when I think about it. I never would have thought I'd be a part of a family like this,” Smith said. “We’re not only making a difference in the industry but also coming together and surrounding ourselves with people who want us to be at our best.”