Extension County Agent Summer Internship Program Now Accepting Applications

REBEKAH HALL

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS

For college students interested in a hands-on career helping their fellow Arkansans, the Cooperative Extension Service offers a paid, 10-week county agent summer internship program. Past interns who have since been hired with the organization credit the program with opening their eyes to the direct impact agents have in their communities.

Incoming college juniors and seniors pursuing degrees in agriculture, horticulture or family and consumer sciences are encouraged to apply. The internship is a program of the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Carla Due, extension Ouachita district director for the Division of Agriculture, said the internship “allows future employees to determine if this is their career path.”

“Many times, interns come in and aren’t sure what they’re getting into, but by the time the internship is over, they are convinced that being a county extension agent is their future career,” Due said. “When they are hired with us, they already have a great idea of what to expect.”  

Interns work with county extension agents to coordinate and implement educational programming and events in the focus areas of agriculture, family and consumer sciences, 4-H youth development and community, professional and economic development. When students apply, they should list their top three county preferences, so they can work close to where they live. Extension does not provide housing, but county faculty may be able to help interns find an affordable place to live during the program.

Students can apply at bit.ly/2024-county-agent-internship. Applications are due by midnight on Jan. 31, 2025, and students will be notified of their acceptance no later than March 1, 2025.  

Due said the program will kick off with a session of team building skills, including the high ropes course at the C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center, and a personality assessment to help interns learn to work with others effectively. The program will conclude with Arkansas 4-H State O-Rama, a week of competitive activities for youth at the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville.

Former interns, current employees

Sarah Dickerson, Jackson County extension 4-H and agriculture agent, said she originally applied for the program in 2022 because she was curious to learn about 4-H programming behind the scenes.

“I learned a lot about the expectations, programs and responsibilities of an agent,” Dickerson said. “It was the best and most reassuring thing for me to know that I had chosen the right career path. Having the experience gave me an advantage when I applied for my current position as a county extension agent, and I also made lots of connections with agents who could help answer my questions when I started.”

For Brent Clark, who grew up in Arkansas 4-H, “seeing the difference the extension agents made in my community and life proved to me how valuable their role is in our local communities.”

“So, when the internship opened up, it was my opportunity to begin a career in an organization I was passionate about,” he said.

Clark, who now works as an agriculture extension agent in Sebastian County, said he was especially grateful for the mentorship he received during his internship in 2022.

“When I was interning in White and Faulkner counties, I was able to learn under such great mentors, who showed me that there is more to an extension agent’s job than just providing unbiased, researched-based information to the producers of the county,” Clark said. “These agents were friends and members of their community.

“In today’s world, it’s hard for a farmer to succeed with the inflation of prices, and the agents I learned from helped improve the producers’ farms with honest and realistic advice,” he said. “These actions had a lasting impact on me, and I am now building my own career with the Cooperative Extension Service.”

Ashlin Lippe, Boone County extension 4-H program assistant, said she applied for the 2023 internship because she wanted to learn more about how extension works. As a former 4-H member, she wanted to combine her animal science degree with her passion for educating and helping farmers.

“Getting to talk to farm families, work with 4-H kids and attend family and consumer sciences canning classes showed me how expansive this system is and how it really reaches all aspects of the community,” Lippe said. “You get to see the direct impact of what your extension office has to offer, so I decided to come back and work to be a part of the community growth.

“On a different side of the program, you get to intern with some of the best people,” she said. “You get to network with peers and make connections and friendships that you might not have without the program.”

When Belle Craig, Yell County extension 4-H program assistant, applied for the internship program in 2022, she said she was unsure what direction she wanted her career to take. But Bob Powell, Yell County extension staff chair, helped her learn the extension ropes.

“My mentor was the best in terms of showing me new things,” she said. “We were hardly ever in the office, and we very rarely did the same thing twice. During my time as an intern, I got to experience everything from oat harvest to making jam with 4-H members. Bob was also great in giving me advice on the potential career paths I was considering.”

Craig said she encourages other college students who may be unsure of their path to apply for the internship.

“I got to dig further into different sectors of agriculture as well as explore the world of 4-H,” she said. “In this program, it’s important to keep an open mind, work hard and ask all the questions. Doing these things will help you make the most of your internship. If I had started this close-minded, I would have missed out on a lot of new opportunities that have now become my passions.”

Awesome opportunities

Due said it’s important for students to network with their fellow interns, who come from different disciplines and different universities from Arkansas and beyond.

“Take this opportunity during the internship, especially in the first few days, when so much time is spent networking and learning,” Due said. “Building these relationships will serve you throughout your career, whether you work for extension or for another organization that our agents partner with in their careers. The networking element of this is invaluable, both with other interns and with county staff.”

Lippe said she recommends the internship program because the county agents are “willing to show you the ins-and-outs of everything.”

“It’s hands-on, and my best advice is that you get out of it what you put into it,” she said.

Clark said it’s important for the next cohort of interns to get to know the agents they work with during the program. “These will be the people you rely on for advice and expertise as a new extension agent,” he said. “After all, it is the Cooperative Extension Service!”

Dickerson said future interns should explore all the opportunities given to them across their 10 weeks.

“Open your calendar to try everything offered, and ask lots of questions,” she said. “Create a program while you are there. Personalize your experience to fit you and try to leave an impact. You never know where it may lead to in the future.”

Due said the county agent summer internship is “one of the programs I am most proud of in my career.”

“To see these students grow during this internship over the summer is very rewarding,” she said. ∆

REBEKAH HALL: University of Arkansas