Summer Internship Program: Augusta

Primary Program Area Focus:  4-H And ANR

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

This internship will primarily be focused on 4-H Youth Development, with agriculture and natural resource (ANR) projects, as well as food and nutrition (SNAP).   

The intern will work on various 4-H Youth Development program initiatives including: 

• Attend and assist with 4-H camp
• Assist with 4-H-related Augusta County Fair activities, such as the 4-H fair booth and the youth livestock shows and premier exhibitor skill-a-thon contest
• Planning and implementation of day camps and workshops 
• Assist with state-level 4-H events, such as Congress and contests  
• Help with the running of summer SPIN clubs
• Design, plan, and deliver a workshop or day camp 
• Label and laminate meats contest ID photos

Additionally, the intern will assist with several agriculture and natural resource projects: 

• Updating ANR beef, sheep, goat, horse and crops mailing lists
• Calling crop producers to line up farmer to farmer mentorship program opportunities
• Intern may analyze ultrasound carcass evaluation data for Augusta Market Animal Show

• Analyze and report on historic SVAREC McCormick Farm Cow Herd Data 1999-2013 and 2013-2022+
• Collect data on standard performance analysis for beef herds using a VCE Cow Calf Herd Performance Survey

SNAP Programming

• Assist with Community Garden crop harvesting and garden maintenance.

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

The intern will gain experience in designing and delivering educational, hands-on programming to youth ages 5 - 18 years old. Augusta has a strong youth livestock program and thus the intern will gain valuable experience in delivering youth livestock and agricultural programming, and have the opportunity to assist with state level events. The intern will gain experience in marketing programs by designing flyers and assisting with the management of social media platforms, and will also learn valuable skills regarding risk management planning by assisting with Junior 4-H Camp. 

The intern will gain experience in maintaining a contact/client list/customer file by updating the existing Augusta mailing list.  The intern will also gain experience building relationships with producers by contacting them and lining up producer to producer mentorship opportunities.  Additionally, the intern will gain experience with designing of flyers and marketing programs.  Lastly, the intern will gain experience in demonstration and research data analysis in both crop and animal projects.  Below is a bulleted summary.

• Public relations and communications – updating databases and contacting clients

• Marketing skills & VCE branding – program advertising materials

• Organizational skills – juggling programs, scientific data collection

• Analytical thinking – assisting with ANR field studies

• Assist with planning a summer field day for Summer Stockpiling with the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council.

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

The internship is primarily 4-H and ANR focused, the intern will be given the opportunity to gain experience in both crop and soil environmental science and animal science principles.  We hope our intern will be able to reach out to farmers to collect cow calf economic cost and production data.  Additionally, the intern will have the opportunity to work with our FNP program assistant.