Matt Syrotiak ‘25 (CAHNR) may only be in his first year at UConn, but he’s already got a lot of kids to support. In fact, he’s about to welcome 26 new members to his family this May.
These kids won’t need diapers or onesies since they’re goats, but Syrotiak knows that they will still require constant attention and care in their early days of life and beyond.
“It’s not just about feeding them. Weaning, grooming, general healthcare, helping them with pregnancy and delivery – there’s a lot that goes into caring for goats and other farm animals.”
Syrotiak has been expanding his livestock knowledge since he was 13, when he adopted two adult goats and discovered one of them was pregnant. He needed to learn more about caring for these animals and their future babies fast.
The Bethlehem, Connecticut native had the opportunity to join UConn 4-H in Litchfield County with his cousin and sister to meet the challenge of being a new goat “dad.” In addition to gaining valuable goat knowledge, Syrotiak quickly became a leader in many of the program’s clubs at the county, state, and national level.
“At first 4-H was a place where I met cool friends and got to participate in interesting clubs,” says Syrotiak. “But it offered me so much more than that. I had the chance to be really hands on. Getting your hands dirty is a learning opportunity, and that work ethic carries over into other aspects of your life.”
Throughout high school, Syrotiak worked with other goat lovers in his local 4-H. He worked on the program’s annual goat events, showed goats at regional fairs, and worked with younger 4-H members interested in the bleating farm animal.
“4-H is a really close-knit community, and I kind of became the go-to person in my club for anything to do with goats. This gave me the chance to mentor younger members, which is something they will do for future members later on. That’s really how 4-H works – it’s all about supporting the community now and in the future.”
Go(at)ing the Extra Mile with 4-H
Syrotiak learned that 4-H was about a lot more than goats for members who are interested in other aspects of the program.
UConn 4-H is the youth development program of UConn Extension within the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR). It serves all of Connecticut’s eight counties. The Goat project is one of 4-H’s STEM offerings, since participants learn about animal genetics, nutrition, and housing needs.
“4-H helps young people learn and develop skills so they can support their communities in traditional agriculture and emerging fields,” says Bonnie Burr ’83 (CAHNR), department head of UConn Extension and former 4-H member. “Matt’s a shining example of a youth leader taking advantage of opportunities to flourish with 4-H.”
In 2020, Syrotiak put his leadership skills to the test when the annual Litchfield Fair was forced to go remote due to the Covid-19 pandemic. At first, holding a virtual county fair seemed impossible. Syrotiak says forgoing the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of this beloved event wasn’t easy. But he implemented much needed organization to help the fair succeed and mobilized young participants to keep them engaged during a challenging time.
“We ended up having tons of participation. Kids needed something to put their energy towards when there was really nothing else to do because of the pandemic. Giving them this outlet was a make or break moment for a lot of people to stay in the program,” Syrotiak says.
At Home at Horsebarn Hill
When the expanded 2021 Litchfield Fair was held in person, Syrotiak was promoted to county president and was tasked with making sure the event went off without a hitch. This added responsibility meant he couldn’t personally show his beloved goats, but he did get the chance to meet with some community leaders. One of them was Dean of the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, Indrajeet Chaubey.
“We talked about my plans for the future, and he asked me why I was choosing UConn for college,” says Syrotiak who was a senior in high school at the time. “I told him I wanted to go to the university that supported me on this road. UConn 4-H helped me in so many ways.”
Staying in the state would also allow Syrotiak to continue his 4-H activities, work closely with the University’s award-winning dairy herd, and maintain relationships he’d formed over several years in the program.
“I had no idea going into UConn that I’d already have as many connections as I do. That has a lot to do with my time at 4-H,” Syrotiak says.
Syrotiak is also forming new bonds at the University. He has joined the UConn Dairy Club and has two jobs, one in the CAHNR Office of Academic Programs and another in the Kellogg Dairy Center caring for cows and calves.
As he pursues a degree in animal science, Syrotiak is also ramping up his commitment to 4-H. He is now a leader in the national program as a member of a select team of youth leaders from across the country. Syrotiak is part of the Design Team for the 101st National 4-H Congress, which is the premier leadership event for 4-Hers from the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada. Syrotiak is one of only eight 4-H youth from across the U.S. chosen for this honor. The event takes place every year around Thanksgiving in Atlanta, Georgia.
Syrotiak says he is in it for the long haul with UConn 4-H, even while he focuses on his studies at CAHNR. Thankfully his family’s support allows him to do both while ensuring the excellent continued care of his goat family at home in Bethlehem.
Syrotiak says he hopes to one day be an agriscience or Extension educator and inspire members of the community, one goat at a time.
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