This summer, I had the opportunity of serving as the Neosho County Extension intern in Erie, Kansas. Neosho County is part of the Southwind district along with two other counties. From May to August, I gained exposure to all aspects of an extension program. This experience allowed me to learn about the different roles within a district and discover my interest in working in extension. As an intern I got to take on many responsibilities of my own, including planning and hosting a district-wide event. Additionally, I was able to design flyers and promotional materials, assist with county and district events and help coordinate the Neosho County Fair.
My biggest accomplishment was the event I coordinated. It was incredible to see the positive reaction to my barn quilt painting workshop. From choosing my event, to picking a date and designing and distributing a flyer, to getting all the supplies and materials ready for the big night. At first, I was very nervous that I would be doing this with little to no assistance, but once I pulled it off, it was very rewarding. It was my favorite and most challenging but fun thing I did during my internship.
While there were a lot of fun and new components to being an extension intern, there were also times that were not quite as exciting as others. One of those times was when I was in charge of the bucket calf show during the fair and, again, pretty nervous to handle it on my own. I read the wrong sheet of names to come into the arena and there were some pretty upset parents. Luckily, my supervisor defended me and diffused the situation.
All I can say is if you think you are interested in extension in any way, you are going to want to have some experience before you make the decision. I was not all that sure it was something I wanted to do for a career, but thought parts of it sounded fun. I’m so glad I did this internship because now I know that, even though there are parts of being an extension agent that aren’t as fun, it’s all important and I want to be the one doing it.
I found this particular position by contacting the office directly. However, similar internships in other counties are sometimes listed with Kansas State University. Students can apply through K-State and be place in a county if chosen. I hope more offices advertise with K-State in the future, because young people should not miss out on these opportunities.