4 Interns, 1 Summer, 1 Pennsylvania Farm Bureau! #internship #pfb

When summer comes around, college students have the opportunity to get summer jobs and potentially work at internships. This summer I have had the opportunity to work alongside three of my colleagues at the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. We all are Penn Stater’s in the Agriculture Extension and Education Major! Below is an outline of what each of us do in our areas.
 
Katie Andrews (@klandrews_24)-
 

Katie Andrews 2016 Student Teacher

This summer I have had the opportunity to be the Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture Foundation's intern! I heard about the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau at the career fair and also read about it on this blog when Jeanne Case was the intern last year! This opportunity has provided opportunities to learn about a different part of agricultural education in another type of atmosphere. 

I come from a background in farming so my family supported me when I received the job! They, as well as I, believe in what PFB has to offer all agriculturists. Since I am working with educationally focused projects within the Foundation I am able to see a different educational operation involving something I am truly passionate about. Another benefit of working within a professional setting is not only gaining transferable skills but growing my personal network.Some of the events that I have worked with this summer are National Teach Ag in Classroom Conference and the Annual Golf Outing, which were both held in Hershey, PA. The projects I have been focusing on developing this summer are two extension sheets for the new traveling Mobile Ag lab lessons, developing a project for Ag Progress Days and, in conjunction with my fellow interns, the FACE conference! This internship provides me with new perspectives, skills, and relationships that has made my summer of 2014 extremely worthwhile.

 
Matt Reutlinger (@mreutlinger) -

My journey with the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau began four years ago, while I was serving as a Pennsylvania FFA State Officer. Through my year of service, I had a few key opportunities (Farm Show, Penn State Ag Progress Days, etc.) to work with the dedicated staff and members of the Farm Bureau. At the time, I thought the only way to advance agricultural issues was through the classroom and FFA. In hind sight, I see several key decisions and interactions, that brought me to where I am today with the Farm Bureau.

Matt Reutlinger 2015 Student Teacher

Within the agriculture industry there is a small niche of people who are the agricultural education clan. I’m proud to be a part of the agricultural education clan, and the people who are there with me are phenomenal! One person, Jeanne Case, really encouraged me to pursue the opportunities here with Farm Bureau; after she had enjoyed her experience as one of the 2013 Summer Interns. She told me about the great staff and the challenging experiences I would have here at the Farm Bureau. I wasn’t initially sold. I had spent the last four years of my life in a classroom and workshop setting, so a transition to the “other side” of businesses, policy and industry seemed daunting. My mentors and friends urged me to take the plunge. How could I know that I belonged in a classroom without seeing the “other side” and understanding its purpose?

So I applied, and was blessed with the opportunity to serve the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau as one of the two interns for the Government and Communications Department. My time here has been filled with a lot of learning. I drove head first into the mission and goals of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. The staff here is truly dedicated to providing a genuine service to the members of the organization, who employs them. This time on the other “other side” has given me a sincere appreciation for the time, talent and resources it takes to make our industry prosper in the field, classroom, or on Capitol Hill.

Sarabeth Royer (@sb_royer)-

Sarabeth Royer 2016 Student Teacher

I first heard about this internship through being involved in FFA. I had the opportunity to come visit the Camp Hill office and learn more about what Pennsylvania Farm Bureau does. Coming from a Dairy and Poultry farm, my whole family knows about PFB, but I never realized the scope of their involvement and influence throughout agriculture, Pennsylvania, and all over the United States.

PA Farm Bureau not only has incredible member benefits and services, many of which my family uses, but they also advocate for agriculture. Whether it be to government officials and policymakers, or explaining agriculture to the general public, PFB is on the front lines helping to tell our story.

 As a minority, we agriculturists need to work together to better tell our story. This is what attracted me the most to the PA Farm Bureau internship, the fact that this grassroots organization is truly helping advocate for agriculture.

Because of my lack in experience in government and policy, I was at first a bit nervous to be interning in the Government Affairs and Communication Division. However, this has truly been an incredible experience for me to learn more about policy, law, lobbying, and advocacy. As the average consumer and policymaker become even further removed from the family farm, it is even more important to have strong voices speaking up for agriculture.

I am thoroughly enjoying my internship at PFB, and strongly encourage other students to apply for next summer.

Olivia Murphy-Sweet (@OSweetMurph)-

Olivia Murphy-Sweet 2016 Student Teacher

I never knew that much about the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau until I actually started this internship. I knew little things here and there but never the entire story. When I came to PFB, I quickly learned what an awesome organization it truly is and what it has to offer for farmers and non-farmers.

I work in the Member Relations side of the office. My main responsibilities are to work on social media content, organize paperwork and activities for the FACE conference, help send out flyers for events, and so much more! The FACE conference was actually an opportunity for me to help design and organize an event where 50 students throughout PA could come and learn about the legislative process. The week was a long one, but everything went well and the students learned a lot!

Overall this job has made me work on my organization skills and work on my professional development which I know I can use for the future in or out of the classroom. I hope that others can apply to see what this job can do for you!

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I hope that by seeing this you can understand what an amazing experience that this has been for everyone and that you apply in the future. The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau has a booth at the Career fair in the fall so make sure you keep an eye out and talk to one of the representatives there!

To learn more about starting on the path to having a career that makes a positive impact on the lives of students across the globe by becoming an agricultural educator, please contact the agricultural teacher education program at teachag@psu.edu. Follow us on Twitter at TeachAgPSU, on Facebook, or on our blog! 

 Olivia Murphy-Sweet
Student Blogger
Teach Ag! Avenger
Twitter Handle- @OSweetMurph
2016 Agricultural Education Student Teacher