The University of Maryland Extension's Workforce Development Internship, ' Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension Internships,' is thrilled to announce its third cohort. This unique Program offers hands-on experience, mentorship, and professional development, making it an ideal opportunity for college students interested in agriculture and professional growth.
Twelve interns have been selected from colleges across Maryland and the region, including Salisbury University, Institute of Applied Agriculture at the University of Maryland, University of Maryland College Park, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Chesapeake College, Rutgers University, and West Virginia University to participate in a 10 week full time internship program starting May 28th. This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, AFRI Competitive Grant Workforce Development, to create a meaningful summer internship program for students to gain technical skills and train a future agricultural workforce.
Interns will have the unique opportunity to work closely with UME faculty mentors and mentor teams on Extension activities and applied research at UME offices and Research and Education Centers across the state. This year, a diverse range of locations, including Baltimore City, Cecil, Frederick, Montgomery, Dorchester, Talbot, Wicomico, Somerset, Howard, Anne Arundel, and Garrett County offices and the Wye and the Western Maryland Research and Education Centers (Wye REC and WMREC), offers a rich learning experience for interns to contribute to research and programs that reach local and statewide communities.
The Program's leadership and professional development curriculum, based on the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) framework for career readiness, is designed to equip interns with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in their future careers. Weekly Connections will provide insights into industry leaders and careers in agriculture and agricultural support industries, and the two-day College Park Campus Residency will offer a unique opportunity to visit innovative research and technology labs advancing climate-smart agriculture and network with staff and faculty from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Visit https://go.umd.edu/extensioninternships to learn more.