Feeding the people of the world healthy and nutritious foods is a major endeavor, and to be successful, University of Maryland Extension (UME) has been training the next generation of agricultural professionals.
The most recent class of “Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension” interns successfully completed a summer internship experience, learning about and actively participating in the solutions-based outreach and service agents provide to Maryland communities.
The 2025 team of interns included ten students from ten different institutions, working with more than 17 Extension mentors across the state. The internship 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 students with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in their future careers by working closely with UME faculty mentors on Extension activities and applied research at UME offices and Research and Education Centers in Maryland.
“Agriculture isn’t just about food, it’s about people and their stories,” said Veda Sanhai, a University of North Carolina - Charlotte student who worked in the Baltimore City Extension office with mentor Neith Little.
Along with the one-on-one mentoring with Extension specialists and educators, the 10-week program featured ‘Weekly Connections’ which gave the interns an opportunity to discover other aspects of the agricultural industry and meet industry leaders, as well as a two-day College Park Campus Residency where the students had the opportunity to visit innovative research and technology labs advancing climate-smart agricultural practices while networking with some of the top agricultural scientists in the nation.
“The knowledge I learned in the classroom, I was able to put to use on the farm,” said Mike Ribblett, a student with the University of Maryland Institute of Applied Agriculture.
Interns published weekly blogs to detail their experiences working with animals, farmers, equipment, youth, and the public. Read about all of their adventures at https://2025extensioninternship.blogspot.com/.
“We’re dedicated to creating educational opportunities to nurture the next generation of agricultural leaders contributing to resilient food systems in America,” said Andrea Franchini, program management specialist with UME. “We want our students to take what they’ve learned here and use it out in the world to improve people’s lives.”
The project “Creating Leadership and Professional Development Through Extension Internships” is funded by a USDA Agriculture and Food Research Grant. For more information on the UME professional development internship program, including information on how to apply for next summer’s session, go to https://go.umd.edu/extensioninternships.