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Agricultural Communication & Journalism Internships

Author: kjburke

Learning About Wheat – Mary Marsh

Posted on by kjburke
Mary snapping photos in the greenhouse.

This school year, I started a whole new job- I was the communications intern for Kansas Wheat. This job was way different than any of my other jobs. This was my first office job. I heard about this job by word-of-mouth from one of my friends. Other students can apply for this internship by filling out the application, emailing their resume and cover letter to Jordan Hildebrand.

Kansas Wheat Commission has the checkoff program, and two cents from every bushel of wheat sold goes into this program. This funds efforts for communication and lobbying on behalf of the farmer. It is the job of the Kansas Wheat Commission to give a voice to the Kansas wheat farmers.

My job as intern was to report to Jordan Hildebrand and Marsha Boswell. They were great to work for. They wanted to see the interns excel and were willing to help in any way they could. We were in the same building as the Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom which meant more people who could help if I had a question about different programs and ideas.

Coming into this internship, I swore I was not interested in writing. I did not want to be a writer. I was more interested in doing social media, graphic design, and video work. After creating social media content for a few months though, I found that it was not really my forte. I enjoyed seeing my posts getting attention, likes and shares and being creative and quirky was up my alley. On the other hand, we were trying so hard to build a lot of content that many posts were unnecessary. They noticed I was getting bored with content creation, so they let the other intern be in charge of that task. Without having to do the social media content, I was free to work on various writing assignments.

My three favorite writing assignments were “What is Hopping with Wheat Beer”, “Norman Borlaug” and “Heritage versus Modern Wheat”. This gave me a chance to learn more about the science behind beer, what makes a wheat beer, and if wheat would affect flavor, color, or body of the beer. It was a chance for me to learn more about chemical processes behind beer creation and it debunked many previous notions I had about wheat beer! I got to really dive head first and find out about the life and times of Norman Borlaug. As for the heritage versus modern wheat article, I got to learn more about what it is and the differences are. I did not realize how much I love and miss writing. I was really proud of the stories I wrote and submitted. This has given me some direction for what I want to go into after graduation.

The best day at work though was easily the day when I got to take pictures in the greenhouse. I took my personal camera and I went crazy! I took so many pictures of the wheat in different stages of growth. It was fun getting to shoot in a variety of lighting all in one swoop!

Overall, this internship was excellent and I had a great time. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a little bit unsure what direction they want to take with their degree. It was easily one of the best jobs I have ever had. I cannot wait to continue with them next year.

Broadcasting Ag on Campus – Brityne Rucker

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What do you want to do for a living? Do you have an internship lined out? Where do you want to live? Where do you see yourself fitting in the communications world?

These were all questions I was getting (and dreading to answer) my sophomore year at K-State. Frankly, I had no idea where I exactly fit in the big wide world of communications… but little did I know I would stumble across an internship that would change my path forever.

Broadcast Intern: Agriculture Today

Going into my fall of my sophomore year at K-State, I had no idea what path I would take in communications. I had friends going into extension, graphic design and ag policy work. Whenever I was asked what I envisioned my future job holding, I would respond with “I’m not completely sure, but I want to be around and talk to people for a living”. Little did I know, I would soon be offered a job that would change my path forever.

That same semester I was sitting in ‘Video in Food and Agriculture’ (AGCOM 435) and was approached with an opportunity by my professor. K-State Research and Extension was searching for a broadcast intern for the radio program ‘Agriculture Today’ and the video production team with K-State Research and Extension. The internship would run from Spring of 19′ to Spring of 20′.

Being that this was a broadcast and radio internship, the application and the interview process was different than I have experienced before. I had to first go through an audio audition tape process and then go in for a live interview. Along with my video submissions, I received the position as the broadcast intern with K-State Research and Extension.

The position involves audio content creation for the radio program ‘Agriculture Today’. Including; researching relevant subject matter and getting in contact with the correct individuals to get the most accurate information out to the public. I also work on any video production needed for K-State Research and Extension. My daily duties include editing video and audio tracks, researching interview topics, interviewing professionals in the agricultural field, voicing over and creating announcements such as daily news, ag stories, PSA, etc.

If you’re interested in this opportunity, you should reach out to K-State Research and Extension. I personally would recommend this internship to anyone who truly enjoys talking to people and relaying their information and stories. If you’re interested in media production, this is a fantastic learning opportunity and creates connections within the agricultural field.

Where the Grain Commodities Align – Tarra Rotstein

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Pasta, leavened and unleavened bread, meat, soy milk, tofu, and ethanol may appear to have nothing in common but all of these products can be produced from four main commodities: wheat, corn, sorghum and soybeans. In summer 2018, I served as the communications intern for the IGP Institute. The IGP Institute is an entity of the Kansas State University Department of Grain Science and Industry. At the Institute they educate professionals in the industry about grains and their different processes to help those professionals run their facilities more efficiently. Through this opportunity I was able to learn about the grain industry and the impact that U.S. grains has world-wide. I was able to work closely with the communications team: Lisa Moser, marketing and communications coordinator, who served as my supervisor; Pat Hackenberg, educational media coordinator; and Kelly Boswell, events coordinator. The IGP Institute is located in Manhattan, Kansas. This allowed me to have extra learning time, because I started the Monday after finals and had my last day the Friday before school started.

I found out about this internship through a friend who had the internship the previous summer and enjoyed it so much. I knew I had to apply for the opportunity.

Each day of my internship gave me the opportunity to learn more. My tasks day-to-day differed, but I had the same tasks each time a course was taking place. Every time a course took place, it meant that I was in charge of capturing the photography and videography for the course, writing a news release, creating a video recap of what happened during the course and interviewing a few participants on camera. This involved planning out my entire week, the Friday or Monday of to ensure I took pictures and videos at the most optimal times, along with coordinating with the course instructor times for interviews and who to interview. I also scheduled a time with the course instructor to record their portion of the video recap for the course.

One of my biggest projects over the summer was redesigning the Department of Grain Science and Industry website. I felt a huge honor in being the one to come up with the plan for redesigning it and when it was approved by the Department Head it felt awesome. I was not interested in web design before entering this internship, and now I am. I have been exposed to web design and have lots of hands-on experience that I can take with me throughout my career.

During my internship I knew there were opportunities to work on video projects and I let my supervisor know I was interested in those. She assigned more projects to me where I worked in videography which was beneficial to my interest and has made me want to continue to pursue those interests.

If there was one thing I learned this summer more than anything, it was that I learned how to learn. In the communications world everything is always changing from social media platform algorithms to updates on Adobe software to working on a new type of computer; there will always be changes that are challenging. I learned how to overcome those changes by learning from others and the internet. If you are ready to learn and want to experience what a ‘real’ job is like, apply! In this position I never felt like just the intern, I was doing projects that needed to be done for the organization and was making a difference.

Quality Beef, Quality Internship – Sarah Moyer

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Sarah at Certified Angus Beef in Ohio

Scanning the meat section at a grocery store, I spot a familiar golden yellow seal and crimson banner, signifying a brand that stands out among the rest. It’s also recognizable in many top-quality eateries across the country and in other parts of the world. This year, the Certified Angus Beef® brand (CAB®) celebrates its 40thanniversary and continues to be a premium brand in the market.

Their producer communications internship centered about writing and, of course, beef. It stood out to me for these reasons as I searched for additional professional experience between my junior and senior years. Originally, I heard about the internship from one previous intern and a course instructor of mine, both of whom encouraged me to apply. I took advice and applied online quickly in early November or late December, interviewed and was presented with the opportunity to work for Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) during summer 2018.

In early January, I flew to Wooster, Ohio for my first full experience with the brand. Young beef leaders gathered at the Culinary Center for a short seminar; and we spent time in the meat lab with beef carcasses, in the conference area with CAB professionals, and in community with one another. It was an all-around educational program for beef lovers in attendance. This only scratched the surface for what was to come. To learn more about the brand, visit certifiedangusbeef.com or CABpartners.com.

I decided to work and live in Ohio for my summer internship from the end of May to mid-August. Producer communications interns in the past have not normally migrated out to the corporate office (since the Manhattan office closed), but the move enriched my overall experience tremendously. I leveraged office contacts and stories for my team, connected with co-workers in other divisions, learned about retail and food service, attended an all-staff meeting in July, and participated in biweekly staff breakfasts — one of my favorite CAB company culture trademarks. The work environment of a company can’t be understood remotely, so I encourage other students to work in a traditional office setting at least once before graduation.

Working with the CAB writing team across the country, I created technical news releases, columns, features on brand partners, posts for the Black Ink®blog (www.blackinkwithcab.com) and video scripts. Interviews included ranchers with registered Angus bulls, culinary chefs and other partners in the beef cattle community. I will utilize many writing and media pieces from this internship in my portfolio as I search for a full-time job.

Strong writing students who are coachable and can handle independent projects should apply. Although I worked in the corporate office, my supervisor and “writing coach” work remotely; so effective email and phone communications were critical. Basic photography skills are also highly important for assignments.

Harvest and Grain-Working for a Co-op – Mikey Hughes

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I spent every summer of my childhood on my family’s harvest crew. In mid-May, we would load up our belongings and head toward Texas, spend the summer cutting crops throughout the Midwest, then come back home right after school started. I never got to spend my summer at the pool with my friends, but I wouldn’t change anything about my upbringing. I remember the co-op as an essential part of my family’s business. Traveling to the co-op not only meant receiving some candy, but also dropping off the grain and earning money the farmer had worked all year to collect.

My name is Mikey Hughes. I served as a communications intern for Mid Kansas Cooperative in summer 2018. I am currently continuing my education at K-State as a junior in agricultural communications and journalism.

I began my internship with MKC in February as a member of the Collegiate Career Development Program in Manhattan, Kansas, but I worked in Moundridge, Kansas for the summer. My internship extended past the summer and I am yet again a member of the CCD.

Since joining MKC, my knowledge of the cooperative system has greatly expanded. One of the best parts of working for MKC has been experiencing the value this company places on interns, employees, member-owners and the surrounding communities.

During the summer, I worked on most of the communications materials produced by MKC, both internally and externally. My regular tasks included: writing a producing a monthly employee newsletter, writing bi-weekly articles, managing content on social media, designing graphics as needed, managing content on the website and taking photographs for use in publications.

My final project this summer was writing and directing a short commercial for MKC. My plan included producing a compelling, short commercial that will represent the company for several years that can be used for many different outlets. You can find the finished product, and much of my other work on MKC’s Facebook page.

I have enjoyed working in many areas across the communications field. As an agricultural communicator, I am well-aware that my future role will likely be as diverse as my internship was. I learned how to write for the audience I am targeting, run analytics on social media and develop strategic communications plans for the project I am working on. Those skills are just a few of the concepts I will transfer to my future career.

MKC’s internship was a taste of what my future career will look like. If you’re seeking an internship that provides actual experience and treats you like a member of the team, this one is for you. I went into work every day this summer knowing that my job was valued and necessary for the success of the company. I cannot think of an internship that places so much responsibility on the intern and I am thankful for the opportunity to work for a company like MKC.

My Internship, My Career Path – MiK Fox

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What a summer! Crazy, hectic and fun are some of the most descriptive words that sum up how my summer flew by. I had the privilege of interning with communications department at the lovely Kansas Department of Agriculture in Manhattan, Kansas, in summer 2018. The Kansas Department of Agriculture is devoted to the total support of agriculture in Kansas. KDA works for the entire Kansas agriculture sector, including farmers, ranchers, food establishments and agribusinesses. As an intern, I had a lot of roles and responsibilities that were assigned to me. Managing social media platforms, creating social media content and calendars, and designing graphics were just a few of the numerous projects that I had a hand in completing this summer.

With no previous experience in the Adobe programs besides the basic layout class that I took this past spring, I think that this internship has helped to solidify those things and push me to learn more. Looking ahead into the future with graduation right around the corner, these skills will help put me to the forefront of prospects. The absolute worst thing (but also one of the best things because it taught me a lot) that I was able to experience was the changing of ALL printed materials in an under 24-hour time frame. This was something entirely out of my control but it was something that we all had to rectify in a VERY small window of time. Something I will take away from this: always ask questions. Ask if this is their final version. Ask if they have checked the content they are using. Ask if they are sure the name they have chosen is the final decision. Ask. Ask. Ask. Never feel silly for asking questions.

I think that one of the most memorable events that I was able to be a part of this summer was the day the United States Secretary of Agriculture came to visit. Where else would a college student be able to be a part of an experience like this except at the department of agriculture? Let alone be able to take a selfie with him and shake his hand? Being in the department of agriculture allows you to work in ways that probably would not have been previously thought about. I was able to help out with the FFA state convention – this was something I had not thought would happen. I also was able to go to the local sale barn for lunch – this was something some of the other interns had never done before so it was neat to hear their reactions and listen to what they thought about sale barns in general.

Thanks to this internship, I think that my career plans for after graduation have been altered just a little bit. I learned through a networking event this summer that not all lobbyists go to law school. I also learned that networking goes a long ways in helping you find a job after college graduation. That being said, I had a feeling before this summer began that I did not want to go to more school after I graduate – meaning law school after graduation is probably not going to happen, at least for a while. I realized that I really do want to be involved in the agricultural policy world. I love talking to people and hearing their stories. Those stories end up having an impact on more laws, rules and regulations than most people realize. I want to see how the story of a single farmer impacts an entire piece of legislation. I want to see how the farm bill is created, updated, changed and put into law. I want to understand everything that impacts both the farmer/rancher and the end consumer. I also want to be a big part in helping educate the end consumer on the products that they use every single day.

This internship went by a lot faster than I had anticipated. Before I knew it, it was the week before school and I was preparing for my class load that senior year had in store for me. I highly recommend this internship to anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of Kansas agriculture, enjoys sharing the story of Kansas agriculture, and wants a very hands on internship. I heard this summer that you learn what you really like and what you really don’t like during internships. Having an internship that opens doors can play a huge role in the outcome of your future endeavors.

Kansas City Summer – Emily Meinhardt

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Growing up, I had a huge interest in learning about the breed associations. Being involved in the Hereford breed for many years, I knew I wanted to expand my horizons and learn about another breed. In summer of 2018, I was the Communications Intern for the American Shorthorn Association in Kansas City, MO. I began this internship at the beginning of June and completed it in early August.

The biggest responsibility in this internship was helping plan and put on Shorthorn Junior Nationals and The Summit Leadership Conference. This position gave me a lot of experience with creating content and scheduling posts for the American Shorthorn Association and American Junior Shorthorn Association Facebook pages. I planned out weekly motivational posts and Throwback Thursday post. Other responsibilities involved designing promotional graphics, press releases, and photography. I learned about creating a publication and getting it prepared to send to press. My biggest area of growth was in working in Adobe. I got to spend every day this summer creating content for social media which allowed me to fine tune my skills. I found that I really enjoy creating publications and would like to apply that to my future career. One of my favorite things about this internship was creating promotional content that I got to see the engagement it received on social media. I also enjoyed getting to know the youth within the breed and making connections in another breed.

The American Shorthorn Association internship was sent out on the K-State AgCom Email Listserv. The details for applying for this internship are typically always sent out by the department. Individuals who have an interest in registration, youth activities or communications should look at this internship. It is a great work environment and gives the intern several areas to grow in. The American Shorthorn Association always loves having K-State students, so I encourage anyone interested to apply.

Livestock, Writing and Communications – Megan Green

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I worked for the American Angus Association during the summer of 2018. I worked in the editorial and communications department. I had the opportunity to do multiple projects such as organizing and preparing the photo contest, editing the Angus Journal and Beef Bulletin articles, writing press releases and scanning historical photos.

I learned about this internship through being an active member of the National Junior Angus Association. I have been showing cattle for most of my life and served many offices in the Kansas Junior Angus Association.

This internship helped me improve not only my writing and communication skills, but my professional skills as well. Getting to attend meetings and participate in the day-to-day work force was an awesome learning opportunity. My favorite part of the internship was getting to watch the Angus Report and learning about script writing. The other interns and I interviewed to be on a segment of the Angus Report.

This summer was truly an amazing experience and I would recommend this internship to anyone interested in livestock, writing and communications. Overall this was a great experience for me and I think I became a better writer and communicator. I enjoyed being a part of the Angus team and helping out around the office. This internship experience helped shape my future career goals and I look forward to where I’ll go after graduation.

Advocating for Kansas Farmers, Ranchers and Rural Life – Kyler Langvardt

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Food bank work is just one of the many opportunities during a KFB internship

Advocate, educate and serve. These are the three pillars of Kansas Farm Bureau. I was able to intern with Kansas Farm Bureau for the past two years as a Communications Intern, actively engaging in all three pillars. I have thoroughly enjoyed my experiences serving the state’s largest farm organization.

With headquarters in Manhattan, Kansas Farm Bureau serves over 90,000 members across the state, representing their interests on the state and national level. Although the majority of our work focuses on farmers and ranchers, the organization also focuses on rural life and member services. Because of the breadth of KFB’s activities, the communications division has to work with each area to correctly communicate their goals and mission.

As a KFB intern, I have been able to work on a variety of projects in many different communications outlets, such as writing, graphic design, radio and more. My favorite projects include those I was able to accomplish for county Farm Bureau organizations. Because each Kansas county has a Farm Bureau organization, many will need communication projects for their events and programs. They are able to submit requests to the state organization, and I am able to provide them with needed materials.

It is great as an intern to see your materials being used in real world situations. I was able to see works be used at the Kansas State Fair, at the Kansas Farm Bureau Annual Meeting and even at local county fairs through county Farm Bureau programs. Kansas Farm Bureau also has done an excellent job of making interns feel a part of the company culture and providing educational opportunities with agriculturists, as well as service opportunities, like packaging over 10,000 meals for food banks across Kansas.

Kansas Farm Bureau searches for interns who are available for multiple years and can grow in their skills during their time interning with the organization. KFB accepts interns during the school year as well as the summer. If advocating for agriculture, educating consumers about food or serving the state’s largest farm organization sounds interesting to you, I would recommend searching for opportunities at Kansas Farm Bureau (and even if you can’t intern, be sure to join Kansas Farm Bureau for all of the great benefits!).

Making the Best Better—My Internship with K-State Research and Extension – Katie Harbert

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Katie Harbert (left) during her Extension internship in 2018

In summer 2018, I worked as a communications intern in the Kingman County K-State Research and Extension office. I heard about this internship through a connection with one of the extension agents. They had changed a full-time program assistant to a summer-only position, providing extra assistance in communication and outreach programs during the busiest time of the year. Never having been in 4-H, I was apprehensive about the job, fearing that my lack of knowledge of the organization would affect my performance. However, I decided to take the leap and use the internship as an opportunity to learn more about 4-H and extension.  

As the communications intern, I was able to create graphics for social media posts, design flyers for community outreach programs and assist with seasonal projects in the office. Doing such a wide variety of tasks, I learned how to apply concepts from the classroom in real-world situations. I also gained valuable experience in working in a full-time job environment. My biggest area of growth throughout this internship was in professionalism. Only having part-time jobs in the past, I had never experienced many of the new responsibilities that come with working full-time.I learned that no matter how skilled I may think I am in a certain area, there is always room for improvement. Through this opportunity, I was able to expand my knowledge in how to present myself in a professional manner and learn from my coworkers.

County fair week was definitely the most exciting week of my internship, and also my favorite. Despite the late nights and early mornings, watching 4-Hers proudly show off the projects they spent all summer creating and finally bringing the livestock they have worked with for months into the show ring is always worth the stress that comes with the fair. Seeing the months of planning and preparing for the fair come to fruition is a highly rewarding experience. I also enjoy having people from all across the county coming together to look at the exhibits, participate in the food and livestock auctions and come to the community-wide events throughout the fair.

With my favorite part of my internship also comes my least favorite. With the vast array of events all happening at the same time during the fair, unexpected turns of events and problems are bound to arise. Handling these situations involves thinking of solutions on the spot, a skill that I am not strong in. Although this was challenging, learning to find quick resolutions and being willing to accept changes in plans were valuable lessons that I will use in any career. 

Through this internship, I have realized my passion for extension and plan on applying this experience to my career plans through the possibility of working as an extension agent in the future. I would recommend this internship to any students, regardless of a background in 4-H, who are looking for an exciting, fast-paced internship where no day is the same. Students interested in extension work can apply for similar internships, which typically run May through August, through the K-State Research and Extension Intern Program.

On the Right Career Path – Kaitlyn Vicker

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My name is Kaitlyn Vicker, and I am a senior in Agricultural Communications and Journalism, with an emphasis in environmental sciences. This past summer, I was the Summer Communications Intern at Kansas Wheat Innovation Center located in Manhattan, Kansas.

The following points are some intern responsibilities:

  • To research, prepare and write press releases and new articles for distribution
  • Conduct interviews and write harvest reports
  • Write blogs for Kansas Wheat websites
  • Assist with editing and design communication tools, including newsletters and websites
  • Answer phones and greet visitors as needed
  • Carry out special plans and projects with various Kansas Wheat staff members in support of the marketing plan
  • Assist with design of the annual recipe book

I learned three things during my internship: relationships are key, the things we are doing matter, and communication. There are multiple familiar faces outside the organization of Kansas Wheat. Getting to know them personally and building those relationships continues business growth and creates new possible connections. We are all advocating for the same idea and purpose at Kansas Wheat: farmers investing in their future through wheat genetics research. The projects you are working on or the articles you are writing might feel like they aren’t impacting the public. I learned the work I was doing was making an impact on the public, not just in the United States, but worldwide. People have an interest in the wheat produced in the United States and possibly Kansas wheat specifically. Putting out correct and accurate information regarding wheat is important to create a consistent message to the public. I also learned communication is important in any work place or environment. In order to effectively and efficiently get projects done, we need to communicate with coworkers to help collaborate on their tasks for the end project. This will not always create an easy road to the finish line, but it could help answer questions and confusion.

My biggest area of growth was the connections I made, as well as discovering a new interest of mine. Since my internship, I have had the opportunity through my classes this fall to have conversations with coworkers of mine from Kansas Wheat, who happen to be K-State AgCom alumni. This experience helped me gain experiences as well as connections. I can reach out to these individuals for advice on agricultural or ag communications questions. They are willing to lend a helping hand by giving me firsthand experience in their career(s) in ag communications and journalism.

This internship taught me three things: I am in the right direction of a career for myself, I learned a new skill in graphic design and there is always room to grow and learn new things. The more and more I get into classes that are geared toward my major, the more I know I am in the right career choice for me. Even though I am not for sure which direction I would like to go, I can be confident in my choice with Ag Communications and Journalism has a job out there that is best suited for me. During this internship, I picked up a new interest or skill in videography. In the same way that “a picture is worth a thousand words”, a video can help capture a moment or connect the viewer to the subject of video in a different way than words or a picture might. This is a skill I am researching more on my own and would love to use it in the future. The last thing I learned was there is always room to learn something new. There is always a different way something can be done or a different way to express an idea. I look forward to all the new ways I will learn in how to communicate with the public in the future.

I would recommend this internship to anyone who is wanting some hands-on experience with agricultural topics and issues. This internship gave me experiences in social media, writing press releases and articles for the website, as well as communication with farmers and co-ops. These experiences are things I will take with me for a long time.

Bittersweet Endings – Janelle Marney

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Although my journey with Central Valley Ag as a Marketing Intern may have been short-term, the experiences and skills I gained will last a lifetime. Starting off the summer away from home and Manhattan I can honestly say I was nervous but also really excited for what was in store. Right out of the gate, I was working behind the scenes on the production of Allen Eilert’s #WEARECVA video and helped take still shots throughout the process. Soon after, the other marketing intern and I were off to Courtland, KS and Hampton, NE producing videos of our own! The learning and engagement never ended throughout my summer. I had experiences that I can say were both good and bad but, nothing that I couldn’t take on.

One of these challenges was flying the drone while shooting for our videos. As non-difficult this task may sound, it was a bit more challenging than even I expected. I had to learn how to change the settings on the drone’s camera in order to match the settings on our video cameras. Another challenge I had with the drone was with the flying. Depending on if the day was windy, at times you would have to compensate more while flying forward and could then see the blades in the video film, making it unusable. However, I did get better with practice and although some of my first experiences weren’t the best, they did get better and I became quite a “pro” with it.

One of my favorite parts of this summer was engaging with the other interns and coworkers at our CVA locations. I enjoyed learning more about each person I met and learning about what they do. I feel like this helped me gauge what people would like to see in the work that we produce. For example, what they would want to see on social media from CVA.

I had many great experiences with CVA. I feel bittersweet about my internship ending. I enjoyed my time and the projects I worked on. But I also am excited to be back at Kansas State University and furthering my education. Simone Biles once said, “At the end of the day, if I can say I had fun, it was a good day.” For me, every day was a good day regardless of the challenges I had to face because I know at the end of each of the 82 days, I became a better marketer and a better communicator.

Merging Ag Communications and Ag Education – Bryanna Cook

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In the Summer of 2018, I had the opportunity to intern with Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (KFAC) in Manhattan, Kansas. My adviser passed along information to me that they were hiring a Communications and Database intern. I was excited to apply for this opportunity as I had not yet had an internship. This was also a great opportunity to build my portfolio which was pretty bare at that time. Broadening my knowledge of how nonprofits work was another benefit of this position.

KFAC’s mission is connecting classrooms to Kansas agriculture. They are able to do this by providing free lesson plans for teachers, resources such as the Kansas Kids Connection magazines, professional development opportunities and much more. This would not be possible without the support from their donors, as well as grants.

From the beginning of my internship, I could tell that KFAC wanted to change their brand style. To start this process, we used colors from our current logo. We had recently started to build a new website, which had been a project even before they hired me. On our new website, we needed to update all of our lesson plans and resources for teachers. We also wanted more analytics to show who was downloading our lesson plans and which ones were actually getting downloaded. With this new website, we were able to do just that.

I was assigned to make new templates for all of our materials to match the look of the new website. I started with making a new lesson plan template and updating more than 45 lesson plans in this template. I then moved on to our companion resources, which all had to be updated a bit differently, but with a cohesive brand. This was not a simple task since there were so many of them, but with time and patience I was able to complete each task.

Another big task was our Foundation on the First, which is a monthly newsletter that we send out to donors and teachers to stay up to date on what KFAC is doing. We wanted to put news, our teacher feature, a donor feature and a lesson plan feature into the newsletter.

After our website was complete, we decided we needed new marketing resources for when we travel. We needed three brochures; one for our Agri-Tag, an about us card and a support brochure. It was up to me to design these, and I really wanted to make sure they matched KFAC’s brand. Making each of these brochures took time and they each needed their own look so they are easily identifiable but also separate from each other. We also made new business cards that matched our new brand colors as well.

During my internship, I got to use skills that I was taught in AgCom courses that I had never been able to use before. One of my big projects was to create a logo for our school year theme, “Plants on the Planet.” For our school year theme, we are able to take lesson plans and resources that fit the theme and put them all together for teachers. For my logo design, I had to draw the Earth in Illustrator as well as crops like grain sorghum, milo, corn and sunflowers. Once each part of the logo was done, I was able to bring them into Indesign for the finished product.

Interning at KFAC has been a learning experience for me, not just as a communicator but as a professional. The freedom I have been given to create real materials on my own has been a great asset to prepare me for my future career. My boss, a K-State agcom alumna, has helped me with projects while working in Adobe, resumes and even cover letters. This has made my internship so much more memorable than it already is and I know that I will be ready for my future when I graduate.

The World of Livestock Photography – Ashley McKenny

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In summer 2018, I had to the honor to be an intern for Legacy Livestock Imaging. Legacy is a livestock photography company. For my internship I traveled to five different junior nationals with Legacy.

I found out about this internship in my Imagery in Agriculture class. Heidi Anderson, the owner of Legacy, came and spoke to my class. She spoke about Legacy and how they started a photography company and building that brand. After Heidi spoke I talked to her about the internships Legacy offers.

Each junior national lasted about a week. The first junior national we attended was Red Angus. Red Angus was a fun junior national to attend and great that it was the first one. Red Angus is a smaller breed and they have fewer people attend their junior national compared to Hereford or Angus. With less people coming to this show it was a great week for us interns to “get our toes wet” and meet a lot of new people.

The second week we went to Shorthorn Junior Nationals in Madison, WI. This was the “bigger” junior nationals we attended. This was also the first junior nationals that we were not the official photographers. Not being the official photographers made this week very different from the week before where we were the official photographers. We were not allowed in the ring at this show and we also did not make sure we have photos of every exhibitor. Instead we photographed from outside the ring and only of past clients.

Week three, Legacy went to Brangus Junior Nationals in Hutchison, KS, one of the smallest junior nationals, while I attended Hereford Junior Nationals in Grand Island, NE, the largest junior nationals. I attended Herefords to show my Hereford heifer. Although Legacy did not attend this junior national I still captured some photos of clients.

For the fourth week we all met back up in Madison, WI for Angus Junior Nationals. This is the junior national I have the most experience with being that I have shown Angus since 2013. Angus junior nationals was similar to Shorthorns in that again we were not the official photographers. We interns did get to do more with editing though this week.

From Madison, WI we headed all the way to Denver, CO for Limousin Junior Nationals. This was our last junior nationals of the summer. Here we were the official photographers, so we had more to do and were in the ring almost every day. This week I gained more experience with organizing photos from Angus. We had so many photos from Angus of different clients and they needed to be put in specific folders for each client. This was a great skill to learn.

Overall my summer was great interning for Legacy Livestock Imaging. It was the perfect combination of photography and show cattle. I have since been asked back to shows in the fall with Legacy and am excited to see what the future holds.

USDA Rural Development – Amber Kelly

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During the summer of 2018, I had the opportunity to intern with USDA Rural Development in Kansas as a public information officer intern through the Pathways program. I didn’t know what to expect with this job, but it ended up being really cool and allowing me to practice all of the things I’ve learned at K-State.

While many of the internships I had heard about from my peers had a main summer project, mine didn’t. I consider my “main project” to be learning how to work in a federal office job environment. My duties were exclusively determined on a day-to-day basis, and every day was something different.

Various projects included:

  • Internal communications
  • Writing and editing
  • Communications assistance
  • Photography
  • Learning!

Internal Communications

Any time the state director had information or events that the entire Kansas staff needed to know about, I got to write and send it. This was the most creative part of my job, as USDA has a strict policy for communications to the public but is less strict on intra-agency communications. I could include pictures and graphics and practice creative writing in these announcements.

Writing and Editing

Rural Development helps build housing, businesses, and utilities in rural America through loans and grants. Employees meet with people every day to help with grant applications and to connect them with opportunities. Equally important is recognizing the amazing work my coworkers did by writing “success stories” and press releases. The national Rural Development office sent a list of grant and loan recipients and I localized it by highlighting the ones in Kansas. These are posted on the Kansas Rural Development website. Another way of highlighting the good things happening in rural Kansas were “success stories,” which were in-depth articles about specific projects.

Communications Assistance

Communication is important in every job, not just as public information officers. Often, the loan specialists would ask the communications department for help with their communications. These were typically my larger projects and more diverse. One of my favorite projects was revising and editing a directory to ensure 508 compliancy. That’s making sure the document is compatible with screen-readers and accessible for those with disabilities. Another task I had was to cross reference cities with multi-family housing and summer food programs within walking distance, two Rural Development programs that go hand-in-hand. A third project I had was to design an award certificate that one of the loan specialists wanted to give to lenders to reward their hard work.

Photography

The best days were ones that I got to travel around Kansas! I often accompanied my supervisor and the state director to ground breakings, and even got to tour a hospital construction site and see behind the scenes. Sometimes I even got to drive the government car! At these events I typically got to practice some photog skills and meet the people who were affected by the work USDA does.

Learning

By far the best part of this internship was learning. I had to familiarize myself with the programs Rural Development has in order to write about them. This included approximately a bajillion acronyms! My last week on the job, I was able to attend Rural Development’s national public information officer training and learn all about the newest guidelines for social media usage, inspirational press release writing, effective interviewing, and a thorough photography lesson. I was able to really explore my interests with this job and learn more ways of using an agricultural communications degree.

Great internship right here in Manhattan – Addie Buetler

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If you are looking for a great starter internship where every day you are faced with new and exciting tasks, are able to work and communicate directly with amazing people and able to be creative and think outside the box, then Kansas Department of Agriculture’s (KDA) From the Land of Kansas internship would be a great option!

I was fortunate to hold this internship position this past summer of 2018. Because of my internship, each day of my summer was packed with excitement, connections, and learning.

I learned of this internship opportunity through the AGCOM’s Department email. Last semester was my first year in AGCOM and I was very thankful for their internship opportunity emails, because without it I would not have known where to look!

To apply for my internship, I sent in a resume through the Kansas Governor’s Internship Program. Though I was at KDA all summer, my internship was through the governor’s program which was an amazing opportunity to connect with others in the internship program, learn professional development skills, and learn more about the great state of Kansas! The Kansas internship program opens in the spring and is very simple to apply for.

My internship started right when classes were finished in the spring and lasted until August 10th. Because KDA’s office was conveniently located in Manhattan I was able to keep my same apartment and enjoy Manhattan in the summer.

One aspect about my major that I love is connecting and working directly with people. This internship was a great opportunity to do so as I was able to connect with so many passionate, caring and downright amazing Kansans. I was able to travel the state and learn more about their business and passion behind them, and well as plan a major event basically from the ground up!

I would highly recommend this internship to anyone that loved working with people, has a desire to be creative and is hardworking and willing to learn.