- Graduation Year: May 2014
- Major: Agricultural Communications with a concentration in Advertising
- Minor: Business & Food and Environmental Systems
- Hometown: Tinley Park, IL
Campus Activities
- Kappa Delta Sorority
- Phi Chi Theta, Professional Business Fraternity
- Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT)
Internship | Ag Literacy Intern at Cook County Farm Bureau
Duties
The intern position included the development of several major programs, two involving educator conferences and several other children’s educational programs. During the summer, I was given responsibility for all planning including site selection and research, travel agendas and reservations, development of educational materials, social media publicity/marketing, extensive public speaking and public relations. In addition, I was given additional duties such as writing a monthly column in our Member Newsletter which goes to over 45,000 members, coordinating summer library programs and attending board meetings.
What did you most enjoy about your internship?
All of the events I planned, I was able to attend. I gained first-hand experience that I would not be able to get anywhere else. As an ag communications major, I often find myself at a disadvantage because I am not from a rural area, but rather a south suburb of Chicago. As I was teaching students and educators, I was also teaching myself in the process. Additionally, two of the events I planned were multiple days of exposure to different aspects of the agriculture industry. Included in this event, I was able to tour a mushroom plant, a dairy farm, a swine farm, a harvester plant, a wind-farm, an alpaca farm and numerous soybean and corn fields to name a few.
What was the most difficult aspect of the internship?
There was a lot to learn in a short amount of time. Once one program ended, the planning for another started, and majority of the time we were juggling many projects at once. I didn’t have time to hesitate or be insecure with my work. I had to problem solve, work independently, and always had to be responsible for my work. The Farm Bureau also held a new program this summer, Passport to the Farm, a children’s summer camp, which required planning from scratch and a lot of organization. I enjoyed the busyness of the internship and am extremely proud of all I accomplished.
How did your experience at ILLINOIS and in the College of Media prepare you for your internship?
Some important parts of this internship were the abilities to problem-solve, be detail oriented, make deadlines, and submit great work that you can be proud of. I learned my work ethic by being a good student at the University of Illinois. I’ve had some great Ag Communications and Advertising professors who have developed me into the professional I am today. Even when I applied for the position, the first thing I did was reach out to one of my Ag Cmn professors on advice and interviewing tips. If I did not have the resources and guidance given by both professors and advisors, I would not have landed this awesome internship.
How has your internship prepared you for a career?
It has taught me how to be a good employee. I always knew I was a good student, but never knew I would be a good employee. When you’re a student, you do work for yourself; for your own grade. When you are an employee, you have to do great work because you are representing a business. This internship showed me that I am capable of so much. It has taught me that I am trainable, flexible and a hard-worker and I can apply this to my future jobs.
What recommendations do you have for other students about doing an internship?
Do not hesitate to apply! Internships are learning experiences and if you never apply, you’ll never learn what you love to do. If there is an internship you really want, be confident in your abilities. UIUC and College of Media has given you the tools to succeed but you need to present these skills with confidence in all interviews.