Extension summer internships

for college students

Source: Martha Thompson, extension personnel director

The Extension Summer Intern Program allows college students to work in a professional role in one of our county or state Extension offices during the summer. By working closely with County extension Agents or extension Specialists, students learn if Cooperative Extension is a career they would like to pursue upon graduation. The program’s success is enhanced by the inclusion of a diverse group of students, some who have prior knowledge of our programs and some who do not.

There is an Extension office in every Kentucky county. In each office, the professional positions include agents for family and consumer sciences, agriculture and natural resources and 4-H youth development. Some counties also have extension agents for horticulture and/or fine arts. County-based interns are assigned a supervising agent according to their background and interest.

The internship may also be in a state or area office working with extension specialists in the area of agriculture, 4-H, family and consumer sciences or community resource development.

Agriculture and family and consumer sciences are required to have majors in those areas. The 4-H youth development positions do not have a required major.

An interest and desire to work with young people is most important. In addition to family and consumer sciences and agriculture, some of the other students have had majors in education, social work, recreation, public relations and psychology.

Interns are selected for their potential to work in Extension after graduation. Many of our current extension agents were summer interns at one time.

Internships are full-time positions with a monthly salary of $1,700 plus reimbursements for job-related travel expenses. The hours will be the same as the extension professional with whom they are working. They will likely average 50 hours per week.

Students can go through their college’s co-op/experiential education department or through a sponsoring faculty member to earn college credit hours for the internships.

Interns must have completed at least four semesters of college (sophomore or junior status.) Preference is given to juniors and seniors.

Depending on their placement, interns’ roles will greatly vary. Interns can expect that as a part of their professional role, they may be interacting a great deal with the public, giving presentations, producing radio programs, writing newsletters or news articles, attending a week of 4-H Camp and/or participating in extension-sponsored meetings and field days.

Review of applications will begin Dec. 2. Application deadline is Dec. 31. Applicants should know by mid-March if they are selected for a position.

To learn more about the internship and to access the application visit: http://ukjobs.uky.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=245894

For more information about Cooperative Extension, visit our web site at http://ces.ca.uky.edu/ces/ or contact the Clinton County Cooperative Extension Service.

Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.