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Agricultural Communication & Journalism Internships

Category: Event Planning

Kansas City Summer – Emily Meinhardt

Posted on by kjburke

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.

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

Posted on by kjburke
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.

Great internship right here in Manhattan – Addie Buetler

Posted on by kjburke

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.

Chappelow Events- Elizabeth Cooper

Posted on by kmtully

When I told everyone I was going to intern at a wedding and nonprofit events planner this summer I got one of two reactions: “Wow! I am so jealous,” or “Good luck dealing with bridezillas!”  But I would not have traded this summer for the world.  Stepping out of my comfort zone allowed me some of the best opportunities for growth and learning about another industry’s trends.

From May to the end of July, I interned at Chappelow Events, a wedding and non-profit event planning company started by Beth Chappelow.  I first learned about the internship from a family friend, who thought I might be a good fit for the position.  The application process was a fun challenge that required creating a vision board for a stylized shoot, drafting sample emails for vendors and creating an event timeline. After submitting my application materials, I was offered a video interview and received the position a few weeks later.  That spring I attended the internship orientation in Kansas City where I was able to meet Beth, her assistant and the other intern from the University of Missouri.

A few of my responsibilities this summer included attending vendor and client meetings, creating materials for both internal and external events, managing client profiles and timelines, providing assistance for event days and assisting in the development of social media strategy and content.  While that may seem overwhelming, the work was fun because it was something new or different everyday.

Some of the most rewarding aspects of my internship were the long event days.  We had a series of different events we worked during the summer ranging from weddings, styled shoots at the Grand Hall,  a venue launch party at Camp Miola, the annual Bank of America Celebration at the Station, and a hospitality event for vendors and clients of Chappelow Events.  These days kept our team on our toes and were great opportunities to build connections.

My favorite aspects of the position were being able to create and design tablescape for our internship project and learning about how the event industry utilizes social media. The internship project Beth created, allowed each intern to create an original tablescape from the ground up.  We were then able to learn from different vendors to create our vision.  One of the most interesting aspects I experienced was learning about how the event and wedding industry uses social media, especially Instagram.  Their work is very visual, so Instagram is the perfect platform to share their content.  As a team, we created social media strategy to plan out the Chappelow Instagram Events for an entire year.

This summer was truly one of my favorite experiences and if I had not been able to be flexible and willing to step outside my comfort zone, I would have never been able to meet the wonderful people or gain the experiences I did.

To apply for this internship, look for updates on the Chappelow Events website: chappelowevents.com.  This would be a great internship for someone who wants to live in Kansas City for a summer and are interested in social media and stepping out of their comfort zone.

KANZA Inc., KMZU 100.7 FM – Molly Bertz

Posted on by kmtully

Sarah Evans wrote a song in 2005 called “Missing Missouri.” I listened to it on repeat during the fall and spring semester of my sophomore year. After spending two continuous years in Manhattan, Kansas, I badly missed the summer breeze floating into the open windows of my parent’s farm house. I knew that this would be the last time to be  “dependent” on my parents, to see my brother enter his senior year of high school and to enjoy nights under the stars with my family. So I took the chance to take a summer internship that allowed me to be located at home and gave me the flexibility to enjoy a sweet Missouri summer.

During the months of May through August, I interned at a local farm broadcasting station in Carrollton, Missouri called KANZA Inc., KMZU 100.7 FM. I heard about the internship while listening to the radio as I was driving home one weekend. I emailed my resume and cover letter to my supervisors and attended a formal interview in their office a few weeks later. There were two interns including myself and our duties were catered towards our interests and skills.

During my internship, I conducted interviews, wrote news articles, conducted live remote broadcasts, coordinated a promotional giveaway and managed social media and design.

As an intern, I learned more about the medium of broadcast journalism. This form of journalism relies heavily on sales and advertising, as advertisement dollars are needed to fund the music and programming that airs on the station. Our radio station also offered 24-hour local news coverage, which meant we remained updated on the current events in over 15 counties.

My duties throughout the summer were various, but I spent most of my time working on our promotional giveaway that occurred throughout the entirety of the summer. I attended many remote broadcasts and collected entries to win our $14,000 Mahindra XTV. We partnered with a local Mahindra dealership to create a promotional campaign for both their business and KMZU. We conducted “pop-up” entries throughout the summer as well through social media and on air call-ins.

I quickly learned that no matter where you work, big or small, you will always encounter someone who does not agree with your idea. It was humbling to learn that I couldn’t be married to an idea, story or design. Although I may have thought the product was outstanding, the approval of my supervisor was superior to my wants. Because I was willing to adapt and change based on the decision of a group, my employers were pleased with the end result.

My favorite part of the summer was attending remote broadcasts. Throughout the course of the summer, these events also challenged my thinking and provided me with a better understanding of what I hoped to do in the future. I learned through these events because I saw what an importance this small, local radio station was to the community. People were eager to talk with the DJ and finally put a face to the name they listened to every day. Every tractor in west central Missouri was tuned in to hear our bottom and top of the hour farm market reports. KMZU was many community members source for local news. People came to fairs, festivals and fundraisers because they “heard about it on the radio.”

Although my internship didn’t have a fancy title or wasn’t attached to a widely known company, I still found it to be worthy. Many believe that radio, along with newsprint is a dying breed. Broadcast journalism mediums may be changing, but I believe they still have a large role in the continuation and success of rural America.

Through this internship experience, I have a better understanding of where my interests lie. I hope to work not in broadcast journalism, but in advertising and marketing communications. More importantly, this internship highlighted the benefits and challenges of working a rural community. I want to live and raise my family in a small town similar to those I was able to work in this summer. This “dream job” may not come with an engraved nameplate or a fancy office suite, but I can help impact the lives of others through my work and give back to a community and a place that has given so much to me.

American Shorthorn Association- Leah Giess

Posted on by kmtully

Growing up in the cattle industry I knew instantly that I would love to intern at a breed association. I am very active in my Junior Association and knew I had the knowledge and experience to feel comfortable in this internship setting. However, going behind the scenes of a junior nationals or leadership conference is A LOT more work than what it seems when you are just attending or participating in the event, it was truly a learning experience.

In May I started my position as the Communications and Marketing intern for the American Shorthorn Association in Kansas City, MO. In my position I assisted in the planning and scheduling of the social media pages for ASA, AJSA and NJS. I researched for promotional items and assisted in the production of the Association’s publications. Other duties included graphic design, press releases, website updates, photography, and videography.

Some of the projects I enjoyed the most this past summer, were working on the exhibitor folder for the National Junior Shorthorn Show, and interviewing junior exhibitors for spotlight articles in Shorthorn Country magazine that will be published continuously throughout the year. Another fun activity the other interns and I did was weekly blog posts. These blog posts included everything from beef recipes to our go-to stockshow jam playlist.

Another exciting opportunity about this internship that I loved was the opportunity to travel. The National Junior Shorthorn Show was in Tulsa, OK and the IGS-Summit Youth Leadership Congress was in Lincoln, NE. These trips were filled with hard work but also spontaneous trips to the Tulsa aquarium and Karaoke nights in Lincoln.

The most important thing about this internship is that it is amazingly fun. Everyone in the Shorthorn office is so kind and really wants the interns to learn and grow. The other interns and I would host spontaneous hula-hoop competitions and insist on fiesta potlucks. I would recommend this internship to anyone who has a strong connection or interest in the cattle industry and would like to understand the ins and outs of a breed association.

Kansas 4-H Foundation Intern- Janae McKinney

Posted on by kmtully

As a freshman it was a bit of a struggle to find an internship which was welcoming and inviting to underclassmen. However, I found my perfect fit at the Kansas 4-H Foundation where I worked with two other interns, Mikey Hughes and Ben Yarnell. I started in April, where I tried to help complete as many projects as possible before I left on my Italy study abroad trip. In May, I would be gone in the thick of the foundation’s event planning. Luckily my trip finished just two days before the first event I helped with, the 4-H Emerald Circle Banquet.

I had attendee the banquet before but I had never seen the ins-and-outs of the operation. After helping with both the banquet and Friends of 4-H Day, I discovered my passion for event planning which has led me to dual-major in Hospitality Management and Agricultural Communications.

Throughout the summer I was able to work well with different mentors in various areas of the foundation. I started with events, completed writing and press releases, made donor contacts and finished the summer with a well-rounded experience. I loved getting to dabble in multiple areas of communication and work with a team. Coming to work and catching up with everyone in the office was always fun.

I would highly recommend this internship to anyone interested in communications, agricultural or otherwise. This internship would also work well for a person with a background in 4-H since I worked with 4-H projects and donors all summer. For a first-time interning opportunity, I loved getting to see how a great team works together and communicates effectively. It created a high standard of a working environment for me to work in one day.

Kansas Wheat Commissions – Hannah Schlapp

Posted on by Courtney Boman

Since October of 2016, I have had the pleasure of working at the Kansas Wheat Commissions office as a communications intern. Working at the wheat office has given me a completely different perspective on the wheat industry, and for the better. Coming from northern Illinois, wheat is not something we typically see, so even though I was the communications intern, I have learned a manifold of information about wheat and the industry surrounding it.

Kansas Wheat’s main goal is to produce profitable innovations in wheat. They are in a cooperative agreement with Kansas Association of Wheat Growers to help fund research projects to get new wheat technology to the producer’s hands more quickly.

Since working here, I have had the opportunity to write articles, help design monthly magazines in InDesign and design ads. I also had the opportunity to help with the National Festival of Bread competition by interviewing all competition finalists and writing a bio.

Working for Kansas Wheat has been a huge benefit to me in terms of knowledge and growth. I have learned so many things about the communications side of a business, that there are multiple different types of wheat (because I really had no idea), and I have even had some of my articles get published in the High Plains Journal and other sites.

Since I had recently switched my major, I had very little experience with most things in communications and journalism going into my internship. While interning I have grown my writing skills and design skills, including InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator.

The Kansas Wheat Commission is an internship I would suggest to anyone who is looking for a communications job. Between the great people who work there, a snack table with goodies, and the work required, you are able to learn so much and have fun at the same time.

Kansas FFA Foundation – Chance Hunley

Posted on by Courtney Boman

This past summer, I worked as the Events and Marketing Coordinator for the Kansas FFA Foundation in Manhattan, Kansas.

In my position, I worked on a wide range of tasks, from event logistics during the Kansas FFA State Convention to social media and public relations. For most of the summer I worked to develop materials that could be provided to donors and supporters of the Kansas FFA that showcased FFA members and their accomplishments.

During my internship, I learned and became proficient in several Adobe Creative Cloud programs, including Illustrator, InDesign, and After Effects. These allowed me to create graphics for social media, handouts and flyers for donors, and highlight videos for the various programs that the foundation supports. I also learned about the inner workings of the foundation, and the basic framework of a nonprofit organization.

My favorite work this summer was the ability to create videos using Adobe Premiere and After Effects. The videos included highlights of how the Kansas FFA has grown in the past year, as well as a recap video of the Kansas FFA State Convention. The highlight video was played during one of the convention’s sessions, so that was a very gratifying moment. These projects did take a while in terms of fine tuning and processing, which was probably my least favorite part of the summer, but the time passed quickly and also let me get to know those that worked around me even better. The skills that I picked up this summer have allowed me to grow my portfolio, as well as allowing me to be more confident and comfortable with future projects that involve creating media.

My internship became my part-time job during the school year after the summer concluded, so the dates of the summer internship were May 16 to Aug. 19. I heard about the internship through two ways: I was friends with the previous intern who was graduating, and a notice for the position went out over the ag communications listserv. Upon my graduation in May there will most likely be an open position, and those that are interested can contact Jodi Mason, the executive director of the foundation, about any potential opportunities. I would recommend this internship to anyone who had a strong connection to the FFA and has an interest in being involved in a behind-the-scenes way, likes social media management and/or wants to see how a nonprofit organization operates and grows.

One size does not fit all when it comes to internships – Kenzie Curran

Posted on by Courtney Boman

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.