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Summer Interns Get a Taste of Extension Work

For 25 undergraduate students, the summer of 2007 was the season they spent learning what a career with Virginia Cooperative Extension is all about. Through the Summer Internship Program, these young people experienced real work situations under the direction and guidance of a knowledgeable Extension agent.

Ray Ali, director of field operations, who oversees the program, expects the investment in the internship program to pay off with an increase in the number of applicants for Extension agent positions down the road. “It is a way to promote careers in VCE and to give students a chance to see the merits of the work we do,” Ali says. “In addition, they learn new skills and abilities that make them stronger candidates for any career they might pursue.”

Agents who request an intern are required to develop a plan of work for them that will increase the intern’s knowledge of Extension’s mission. Jeremy Johnson, 4-H agent in James City County, made sure that his intern, Wayne Freeman, learned not just about working with youth, but also about the land-grant system, VCE program areas, and about how Extension focuses on needs-based programming.

From his perspective, Freeman appreciated learning how to work with children in a camp situation when they might be exhibiting homesickness or behavior problems. “Watching the older adults handle different situations really helped me learn how to handle kids when they are not acting perfect,” Freeman says. He also learned about what he calls the “business side” of Extension – or how the organization works. His most challenging situation of the summer? Dealing with a broken down van on the way to camp – an experience most seasoned Extension agents can identify with.