Summer Internship Program: Culpeper County

Primary Program Area Focus: 4-H

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

The FCS summer intern would be involved in a variety of VCE programs and activities including the following:

• Support food rescue, food safety, and nutrition education programs.

• Recording and editing how-to videos for equipment in a shared-use commercial kitchen.

• Social media content creation focused on food waste, food rescue, nutrition security, food safety, and food entrepreneurship.

• Support community engagement events such as sensory testing at farmers markets and a farmer / buyer mixer

• Develop and implement a food science class for a youth camp

• Support the Culpeper, Madison, Rappahannock Farm Show through judging and organizational activities

The intern will spend a minimal amount of time on administrative office tasks, and there will be opportunities to support other VCE programs including horticulture, animal science, and youth programs based on interest and capabilities.

2. Please describe the knowledge/skills you expect the intern to gain?

The intern will learn how to plan community-based educational programs with a focus on food rescue, food entrepreneurship, food safety, and nutrition. I expect that they will learn or hone skills such as social media content creation, video creation, and developing lesson plans with hands on activities.  They will learn time management skills as they balance office tasks and time at events with other extension activities.  They will also learn about food business regulations through regular partnership with the Carver Food Enterprise Center.  Much of their work will interface with other community organizations, and so they will have significant networking opportunities.

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

The intern will support 4-H programs through summer camps and the CMR Farm Show.  They will also have an opportunity to support horticulture and animal science programs.