Summer Internship Program: Wythe County - Position 2

Primary Program Area Focus:   FCS – Food Safety

1. Describe your plans for this internship.  (i.e. What specifically will the intern be doing?)

Southwest District Food Safety VCE Intern

(Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth, Washington & Wythe Counties)

Intern Duties, Work Expectations, and Opportunities:

• Assist the Area Food Safety Extension Agent on the development of hands-on activities for the new Food Allergy Food Safety for Retail Food Establishments curriculum
• Assist the Area Food Safety Extension Agent with the marketing, rollout and delivery of the new Food Allergy Food Safety for Retail Food Establishments curriculum
• Assist the Area Food Safety Extension Agent with ServSafe trainings (Food Protection Manager and Food Handler)
• Assist the Area Food Safety Extension Agent with food preservation trainings (canning, dehydration, fermentation, etc)
• Assist the various 4-H Agents and the Area Food Safety Extension Agent with “Kids in the Kitchen” 4-H Summer Fun Day Camps as requested
• Coordinate with area ANR agents, Extension Specialists and the Area Food Safety Extension Agent to coordinate FSMA-Produce Food Safety Rule/GAP trainings and/or onsite visits as needed for area produce growers
• Devote time to grant funds investigation geared towards food safety program offerings
• Plan and conduct at least one (1) educational program during the internship period
• Write at least one newspaper article that helps educate the public on a relevant food safety topic
• Promote SWVA Food Safety through improvements in social media/website efforts
• Assist the Wythe County Unit with the Virginia Household Water Quality Program Results meeting and presentation
• Assist with other food safety programming opportunities as they arise throughout the internship
• Document with media and/or written narrative, the food safety intern experience and deliver a presentation to area Board of Supervisors and District Director/Unit Coordinators

2. Describe the knowledge / skills you expect the intern to gain from this experience.

• Develop a better understanding of food safety and the food safety needs in Virginia from farm to fork and the integral role VCE plays to meet those needs
• Gain conceptual understanding that VCE is an integral part of the local community and serves as a conduit for information delivery and collaboration
• Develop awareness that VCE is a front door to the University and serves as a local avenue to its resources
• Develop awareness of local government issues/community needs and the ability to gear programs towards those needs
• Improved public speaking and presentation skills

3. How will the intern learn about the breadth of VCE and our various program areas?

While much of the focus of the duties of the intern will be in the area of food safety, he/she will have the opportunity to attend and work on collaborative programs with VCE agents from all program areas (ANR, FCS, 4-H) throughout the southwest district as well as various extension specialists to better understand how all disciplines within VCE work together.