Source: UNIV OF MARYLAND submitted to NRP
CREATING LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH EXTENSION INTERNSHIPS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1025972
Grant No.
2021-67037-34651
Cumulative Award Amt.
$499,855.00
Proposal No.
2020-09312
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Apr 15, 2021
Project End Date
Apr 14, 2026
Grant Year
2021
Program Code
[A7401]- Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates
Recipient Organization
UNIV OF MARYLAND
(N/A)
COLLEGE PARK,MD 20742
Performing Department
VPR
Non Technical Summary
University of Maryland Extension (UME) will create a summer internship program that will provide meaningful and technical skills to students at underserved institutions, community college, or non-Land Grant institutions to train a future agricultural workforce. With seven interns annually paired with competent mentors, interns will gain hands-on experience as well as participate in leadership and professional development training. The project will address the eight core competencies in career readiness. Along with professional development and one-on-one pairing with a faculty mentor, interns will have networking opportunities with private industry professionals. The experience will be a ten week program in which interns work full time. The objectives of the proposed project are to: 1) provide experiential learning opportunities in Extension and agricultural research to undergraduate students including those at community colleges and underserved institutions in Maryland through the creation of a summer internship; 2) develop internal hiring and mentorship skills in UME Faculty; 3) increase the career-readiness and leadership skills of student interns, and 4) increase the number of students from these institutions entering the agricultural workforce. The program will reach 35 undergraduate students and develop 30 newly trained mentors. Short term outcomes include building career readiness, completion of a weekly journal, resume and LinkedIn profile. Long term outcomes estimates 90% of interns will graduate, 60% of the interns continue a higher education degree, and 80% of the interns secure employment in the agricultural sector.
Animal Health Component
40%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
20%
Applied
40%
Developmental
40%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
80360103020100%
Goals / Objectives
The goals of the proposed project are to:1) Provide experiential learning opportunities in Extension and agricultural research to undergraduate students including those at community colleges and underserved institutions in Maryland through the creation of a summer internship;2) Develop internal hiring and mentorship skills in UME Faculty;3) Increase the career-readiness and leadership skills of student interns; and,4) Increase the number of students from these institutions continuing their education and entering the agricultural workforce.
Project Methods
1) Provide experiential learning opportunities in Extension and agricultural research to undergraduate students including those at community colleges and underserved institutions in Maryland through the creation of a summer internship;- Recruit and identify interns, 7 each year for 5 years- Pair with Extension Educator- Weekly professional development trainings- Campus Visit and Annual event2) Develop internal hiring and mentorship skills in UME Faculty;- Faculty participate in mentor training- Faculty mentor interns3) Increase the career-readiness and leadership skills of student interns,- Interns gain competencies in Critical Thinking/Problem Solving, Oral/Written Communications, Teamwork/Collaboration, Information Technology Application, Leadership, Professionalism/Work Ethic, Career Management, Global/Intercultural Fluency-Interns complete Extension tasks and develop a long term project4) Increase the number of students from these institutions continuing their education and entering the agricultural workforce.- interns enroll in 4 year degree programs in agriculture- interns enter into the agricultural workforceEvaluation Plan for Outcomes Based Reporting:The project will be evaluated before, during, and following the internship in order to effectively assess students' goals, progress, and achievements. Using formative and summative assessments is an important way to measure students' skills as they progress through the internship.Mentor training and evaluation of learning.Intern pre evaluation (assessment) will be conducted with each intern. This includes intern expectations and rate career competencies.Weekly Feedback - Informal discussion and polling of interns to assess progress and answer questions.Intern Post Evaluation (assessment) will be conducted with each intern at the completion of the program. This includes if the internship met expectations and rate career competencies. It will also ask about intentions of next steps including continuing education and career interest.Mentor Post Evaluation will be conducted to rate the administration of the program and evaluate the intern providing feedback and recommendations.Follow up Evaluation will be conducted annually to discover continuing education and career pursuits. It will also ask how lessons learned during the internship have been applied.All data will be in a secure location and aggregated to share results of the project with grantor, UMD administration and beyond.

Progress 04/15/24 to 04/14/25

Outputs
Target Audience:Highlights of the Workforce Development Extension Internship Summer 2024 Interns: Twelve interns were 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. Changes/Problems:The project faced challenges related to salary adjustments due to an increase in UMD hourly rates, which impacted budget allocations. Despite this, recruitment and application efforts were highly successful, resulting in a strong pool of candidates. The grant originally funded positions for seven interns, and through additional external funding, we could support five more interns, bringing the total to twelve. This expansion demonstrates the project's ability to adapt and leverage external resources to maximize its impact. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Pre-internship Training: The pre-internship orientation and training started April 25, 2024, and was five hours in length and composed of five self-paced modules. The goal of the training was to prepare interns with foundational topics for success when engaging in UME activities. Each module included a topic quiz. Topics included: Orientation, Land-Grant University & Extension's Mission, Professionalism and Ethics, Introduction to AGNR Library Services, Literature Review & Scientific Method, and Citation Management. Topics were covered by UME and UMD staff and faculty: Shannon Dill, Andrea Franchini, Ronald David Myers, Jennifer L Rhodes, Isabella Baxter, and Dr. Amanda Grev. Professional Development & Career Readiness: Included in the 40hr/10wk internship program, interns participated in a virtual Weekly Connection. Weekly Connections were one hour and forty five minutes long, containing ten career readiness modules and a guest lecture series. Career readiness modules were inspired by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE, 2020) eight core competencies of career readiness: Critical Thinking/Problem Solving, Oral/Written Communications, Teamwork/Collaboration, Information Technology Application, Leadership, Professionalism/Work Ethic, Career Management, Global/Intercultural Fluency. Topics were facilitated by UME and UMD staff and faculty from Agriculture and Food Systems, Family and Consumer Science (FCS), and FCS Digital Literacy. Week 1: Information technology Part 1: Welcome, Ice breakers, Introduction to Career Competencies, Expectations (blogs, final project) Part 2 : Workplace Digital Literacy Skills - Office communication tools, Workplace digital skill expectation & managing up- recognizing gaps and communicating need for help. Week 2: Critical Thinking/Problem Solving Skills Part 1: Workplace Digital Literacy Skills - Office communication tools, recognizing gaps and communicating needs continued. Part 2: Workplace Digital Literacy Continued - Tutorial on Excel and spreadsheets Week 3 : Career Management: Part 1: Check in Part 2: Wayne Stafford, President, Maryland Farm Bureau Week 4: Manage Conflict, Emotions & Empathy to Guide & Motivate: (Andrea will be at conference) Part 1: Check in Part 2: Kay-Megan Washington - Maryland Agricultural Conflict Resolution Services (ACReS) Week 5: In person Leadership Training - Teamwork & Networking Part 1: Myles Alexander Part 2: Antonio Silas Week 6: Global and Intercultural Fluency Part 1: Amanda Shaffer Part 2: Tarron Devero and Week 7: Oral/Written Communication Part 1: Part 2: Michele D. Walfred University of Delaware Carvel Research and Education Center Week 8: Emerging Themes in Agriculture Steve Darcy - Soil conservation district Climate Smart Ag Week 9: Week 10: Presentations and Closing Ceremony Guest Lecture Series: The second hour of the Weekly Check-In was the Industry Professional Guest Lecture Series. Agriculture and Natural Resource professionals spoke from the University of Delaware, the University of Maryland 4-H Youth Development, Agriculture and Food Systems, the Department of Geographical Sciences' NASA Harvest, the University of Maryland College Park, the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), and Prince George's County Soil Conservation District. Weekly evaluations were distributed for Weekly Connection activities for a total of 10 per intern. Experiential Learning & Reflection: Interns contributed a weekly blog post and a final presentation. All materials can be viewed at https://extensioninternships2024.blogspot.com. The purpose of these activities was to reflect on their internship experience and create supporting materials for their professional resume and networking activities. Campus Residency Tour & Leadership Training: Interns participated in an overnight visit to the UMD campus in week five. Interns visited AGNR faculty and research labs on the UMD campus, networked with UMD faculty and Staff at a networking event (mixer), and participated in Networking & Leadership Training with Antonio Silas, UME City Extension Director, and the Leadership & Community Service-Learning Program through STAMP. AGRN faculty and Staff presented from the Department of Entomology, Environmental Science & Technology, Animal & Avian Sciences, the School of Public Health, and Arboretum & Landscape Services. Annual Event: The internship concluded with a celebration event hosted by the Central Maryland Research and Education Center (CMREC). The event was sponsored by The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Each intern presented a final presentation showing the applied research and Extension activities they contributed to during their ten-week internship--opening remarks by Dr. Jinhee Kim, Associate Dean of Extension, and Dr. Darren Jarboe, UME Agriculture and Food System Assistant Director. The event was in person. Final presentations can be viewed at https://extensioninternships2024.blogspot.com. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Utilized blogs and press releases What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Will submit a no cost extension for one more year of internship program as we are on year 4 (2025). The grant funding was delayed and delayed our start of recruitment.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? To support the development of the next-generation agriculture workforce and the need for qualified individuals to apply for Agricultural and Extension positions, the University of Maryland Extension (UME) launched a summer internship program in calendar year 2022 to provide meaningful and technical skills for a future agricultural workforce. The novelty of the internship is the recruitment of students from institutions beyond UMCP who are located within commuting distance of a county Extension office or REC to remove transportation and housing barriers. Seven interns, paired with competent mentors, gained hands-on experience in applied research and Extension activities, participated in leadership and professional development training, and built educational and professional networks. The internship was a ten-week, full-time program with objectives to 1) Provide experiential learning opportunities in Extension and agricultural research to undergraduate students, including those at community colleges and underserved institutions in Maryland, through the creation of a summer internship; 2) Develop internal hiring and mentorship skills in UME Faculty; 3) Increase the career-readiness and leadership skills of student interns, and 4) Increase the number of students from these institutions continuing their education and entering the agricultural workforce. Highlights of the Workforce Development Extension Internship Summer 2024 Interns: Twelve interns were 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. Cumulative data: 28 undergraduate interns from 14 institutions (5 Two Year Colleges, 3 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)) Placement: Interns were paired with faculty mentors or faculty mentor teams at Extension Locations - 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). Interns reported to their Extension or Research & Education Center office for ten weeks, beginning May 28 through August 2, 2024. Fifteen mentors participated, and eleven were repeat mentors from the 2023 program. Interns gained hands-on experience in Extension activities, applied research, and non-formal education specific to their mentor and location programming. Cumulative data: 21 mentors from 18 Extension Offices and Research & Education Centers, including UMD campus. Experiential Learning & Reflection: Interns contributed a weekly blog post and a final presentation. All materials can be viewed at https://extensioninternships2024.blogspot.com. The purpose of these activities was to reflect on their internship experience and create supporting materials for their professional resume and networking activities. Annual Event: Final presentations can be viewed at https://extensioninternships2024.blogspot.com. Results: Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension Internships, Summer 2024, reached 12 interns and 14 mentors. Four industry professionals outside the UMD system participated as guest speakers or career-readiness facilitators. From the 2024 intern cohort, Cai Diggs started his Master of Science research on aquaponics simultaneously with his senior year in Dr. Isurza's aquaponics lab. Andrea Campos supported mentor Kelly Nichols at the Montgomery County Fair. Emily Stamper '23, finished her Bachelor of Science at Wilson College and continued part-time work at the WMREC under the supervision of mentor Jeff Semler. Danial Gustitus '23 started working part-time at the Aquaponic Greenhouse with Dr. Izursa, and the Baltimore City Extension Office with Neith Little and Andrea Franchini. In August 2024, '23 intern Cheyanne Van Echo, started Veterinary School at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. There was a statistically significant increase in Career Competency Critical Thinking/Problem Solving skills increase by 14%, Oral/Written Communication skills increase by 10%, Teamwork/Collaboration skills increase by 26%, Information Technology Application increased by 23%, Leadership skills increase by 25%, Professionalism/Work Ethic skills increased by 26%, Career Management skills increased by 32 % and Global/Intercultural Fluency increase by 15%. 100% of Interns and Mentors rated their experience as excellent or very good. 100% of Mentors felt they gained personally from their mentor-mentee relationship. As a result of this internship: 67% plan to continue higher education. 89% definitely plan to graduate from their current degree program. 78% plan to explore agriculturecareer options: In the six months following the internship, 100% of interns reported YES to using critical thinking, career management, teamwork/collaboration, and professionalism/ethics skills they developed during the internship. 86% reported YES to using leadership and Oral/Written Communication skills that they developed during the internship. 83% reported YES to information technology application, and 71% reported YES to using Global/Intercultural Fluency skills developed during the internship. 100% of mentors reported YES or MAYBE that they would volunteer to serve as a mentor again next year or in the future. %100 of mentors rated their experience as excellent or very good. Mentor Quotes "I was very rewarded to expose my mentee to aspects of agriculture and research she knew nothing about and teaching her research techniques." "Personally, I find providing professional development advice and experiences to undergraduate students very rewarding. Similarly, exposing those unfamiliar with agriculture to the variety and significance of the industry in Central Maryland is satisfying." Intern Quotes "This internship helped me learn what it means to create professional relationships with people. I also believe that my work ethic has improved since completing this internship, my grades are really good and I am on top of things like I never really have been." "My extension internship helped me connect with the agricultural community at a personal level, a skill that has proven useful to me as I contemplate options after graduation." "My knowledge on forages has greatly improved and I am thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow in a sector of agriculture that I never thought I would be interested in or have the opportunity to experience" "I have gotten better at creating graphs and analyzing data and also working on reports as well as outlines for reports or journals and other academic things."

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Dill, S., Fiorellino, N., Franchini, A., & Grev, A. (2024). Creating an Extension Internship Program. 2024 NACAA AM/PIC, Leadership and Administrative Skills Seminars. Dallas, TX.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Dill, S., Fiorellino, N., Franchini, A., & Grev, A. (2024). Creating an Extension Internship Program. 2024 NACAA AM/PIC, Dallas, TX, Proceedings pg 241 https://www.nacaa.com/uploads/userfiles/files/Proceedings%202024%20web%203.pdf


Progress 04/15/23 to 04/14/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Interns - Recruitment for 2023 cohort began reaching as many institutions, collaborators, and partners as possible. UME solicited and accepted nine interns (2 with external funds) for the summer program. These are undergraduates recruited primarily from institutions in Maryland where students do not have exposure to Extension or in some cases agricultural programming. This includes two-year degree institutions and other institutions in the UMD System. As our faculty mentors are located throughout Maryland, we recruited interns that are as geographically dispersed like our mentors - including rural farming communities in the Eastern and Western regions of Maryland, and populations in or near urban centers (Baltimore City and Washington DC) who do not typically interact with UME. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Pre-internship Training: The pre-internship orientation and training started April 24, 2023, and was five hours in length and composed of five self-paced modules. The goal of the training was to prepare interns with foundational topics for success when engaging in UME activities. Each module included a topic quiz. Topics included: Orientation, Land-Grant University & Extension's Mission, Professionalism and Ethics, Introduction to AGNR Library Services, Literature Review & Scientific Method, and Citation Management. Topics were covered by UME and UMD staff and faculty: Shannon Dill, Andrea Franchini, Ronald David Myers, Jennifer L Rhodes, Isabella Baxter, Dr. Alan Leslie, and Dr. Amanda Grev. Professional Development & Career Readiness: Included in the 40hr/10wk internship program, interns participated in a virtual Weekly Connection. Weekly Connections were two hours long, containing ten career readiness modules and a guest lecture series. Career readiness modules were inspired by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE, 2020) eight core competencies of career readiness: Critical Thinking/Problem Solving, Oral/Written Communications, Teamwork/Collaboration, Information Technology Application, Leadership, Professionalism/Work Ethic, Career Management, Global/Intercultural Fluency. Topics were facilitated by UME and UMD staff and faculty from Agriculture and Food Systems, LEAD Maryland, and AGNR Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Guest Lecture Series: The second hour of the Weekly Check-In was the Industry Professional Guest Lecture Series. Agriculture and Natural Resource professionals spoke from the University of Delaware, the University of Maryland 4-H Youth Development and Agriculture and Food Systems, the University of Maryland College Park, the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), Prince George's County Food Equity Council, and Horizon Farm Credit. Weekly evaluations were distributed for Weekly Connection activities for a total of 10 per intern. Experiential Learning & Reflection: Interns contributed a weekly blog post and a final presentation. All materials can be viewed at https://go.umd.edu/blogs. The purpose of these activities was to reflect on their internship experience and create supporting materials for their professional resume and networking activities. Campus Residency Tour & Leadership Training: Interns participated in an overnight visit to the UMD campus in week six. Interns visited AGNR faculty and research labs on the UMD campus, networked with UMD faculty and Staff at a networking event (mixer), and participated in Networking & Leadership Training with Antonio Silas, UME City Extension Director, and the Leadership & Community Service-Learning Program through STAMP. AGRN faculty and Staff presented from the department of Environmental Science & Technology, Plant Science & Landscape Architecture, Nutrition & Food Science, Animal & Avian Sciences, Agriculture Education Law Initiative, and Arboretum & Landscape Services. Annual Event: The internship concluded with a celebration event hosted by the Wye Research and Education Center. The event was sponsored by The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Each intern presented a final presentation showing the applied research and Extension activities they contributed to during their ten-week internship--opening remarks by Darren Jarboe,UME Agriculture and Food System Assistant Director. The event was in person. Final presentations can be viewed at www.go.umd.edu/blogs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension Internships, Summer 2023, reached nine interns and twelve mentors. Six industry professionals outside the UMD system participated as guest speakers or career-readiness facilitators. An additional 25 professionals from the UMD system participated in or contributed to internship activities. From the 2023 intern cohort Heather Knauss was hired part time as an Office Assistant at the Anne Arundel County Office under the supervision of Dave Myers and Gretchen Sumbrum. Emily Stamper continued as a part time contingent 1 staff at the Washington County Office under the supervision of Jeff Semler and Amanda Grev. Danial Gustitis from BCBC matriculated into UMGC as a sophomore in Environmental Health and Safety. Cole Chapman and Emily Stamper supported mentors Nathan Glenn, Kelly Nichols, Mark Townsend, Amanda Grev and Jeff Semler with UME's MD Ranching For Profit Workshop, and Danial Gustitis volunteered his support to assist Neith Little in judging 4H grown vegetables at the 2023 Maryland State Fair. Cohort 2022 intern Kayla Harris was hired in 2023 as the Nutrition Educator for Maryland SNAP-Ed, Charles County Extension Office. In the six months following the internship, 100% of interns reported YES to using critical thinking, oral/written communication, teamwork/collaboration, and professionalism/ethics skills they developed during the internship. 50% reported using career management skills and information technology application that they developed during the internship. 50% reported MAYBE to utilizing global/intercultural fluency skills, career management, and information technology application. 100% reported MAYBE to using leadership skills. 100% of mentors reported YES or MAYBE that they would volunteer to serve as a mentor again next year or in the future. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Looking forward to the 2024 summer internship.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Highlights of the Workforce Development Extension Internship Summer 2023 Interns: Nine interns were selected from colleges across Maryland, including Anne Arundel Community College, Hagerstown Community College, Community College of Baltimore County, the University of Maryland College Park, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. And an intern joined us from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA. Cumulative data: 16 undergraduate interns from 12 institutions (4 Two Year Colleges, 2 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Placement: Interns were paired with faculty mentors or faculty mentor teams at Extension Locations - Somerset County, Wicomico County, Wye REC, WMREC, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Montgomery County, Frederick County, Dorchester County. Interns reported to their Extension or Research & Education Center office for ten weeks, beginning May 30 through August 4, 2023. Twelve mentors participated, five were repeat mentors from the 2022 program. Interns gained hands-on experience in Extension activities, applied research, and non-formal education specific to their mentor and location programming. Cumulative data: 16 mentors from 11 Extension Offices and Research & Education Centers

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Dill,S. Fiorellino,N. Franchini,A. (2023). Creating Leadership & Professional Development symposia at Advancing Agricultural Production Systems, University of Maryland College Park, MD.


Progress 04/15/22 to 04/14/23

Outputs
Target Audience:Interns - Recruitment for 2022 cohort began reaching as many institutions, collaborators, and partners as possible. UME solicited and accepted seven interns for the summer program. These are undergraduates recruited primarily from institutions in Maryland where students do not have exposure to Extension or in some cases agricultural programming. This includes two-year degree institutions and other institutions in the UMD System. As our faculty mentors are located throughout Maryland, we recruited interns that are as geographically dispersed like our mentors - including rural farming communities in the Eastern and Western regions of Maryland, and populationsin or near urban centers (Baltimore City and Washington DC) who do not typically interact with UME. Mentors - Recruitment for UME Faculty mentors was seamless as there is a strong interest and support for this program. Changes/Problems:The students and program were amazing and seamless. The program assistant hired through this project has been instrumental in guiding and leading it. The greatest challenge was the administrative onboarding of payroll and timesheets. We have noted a number of issues that will be addressed to make it a smoother process for 2023. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Pre-internship Training: The pre-internship orientation and training started April 20, 2022, and was five hours in length and composed of five self-paced modules. The goal of the training was to prepare interns with foundational topics for success when engaging in UME activities. Each module included a topic quiz. Topics included: Orientation, Land-Grant University & Extension's Mission, Professionalism and Ethics, Introduction to AGNR Library Services, Literature Review & Scientific Method, and Citation Management. Topics were covered by UME and UMD-College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) staff and faculty: Shannon Dill, Andrea Franchini, Ronald David Myers, Isabella Baxter, Dr. Alan Leslie, and Dr. Sarah Potts. Professional Development & Career Readiness: Included the 40hr/10wk internship, interns participated in a virtual Weekly Connection. Weekly Connections were two hours long, containing ten career readiness modules and a guest lecture series. Career readiness modules were inspired by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE, 2020) eight core competencies of career readiness: Critical Thinking/Problem Solving, Oral/Written Communications, Teamwork/Collaboration, Information Technology Application, Leadership, Professionalism/Work Ethic, Career Management, Global/Intercultural Fluency. Topics were facilitated by UME and UMD staff and faculty from 4-H Youth Development, Family & Consumer Sciences, LEAD Maryland, AGNR Human Resources, and AGNR Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Guest Lecture Series: The second hour of the Weekly Check-In was the Industry Professional Guest Lecture Series. Agriculture and Natural Resource professionals spoke from the University of Delaware, the University of Maryland, the Maryland Department of Agriculture, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services, Horizon Farm Credit, AGCO Corporation, Produce Safety Alliance, and Delmarva Chicken Association. Weekly evaluations were distributed for Weekly Connection activities for a total of 10 per intern. Experiential Learning & Reflection: Interns created and contributed a weekly blog post, a digital resume for their Linkedin Profile, and a final presentation. All materials can be viewed at www.go.umd.edu/blogs. The purpose of these activities was to reflect on their internship experience and create supporting materials for their professional resume and networking activities. Campus Tour & Leadership Training: Interns participated in an overnight visit to the UMD campus in Week six. Interns visited AGNR faculty and research labs on the UMD campus, networked with UMD faculty and Staff at a networking event (mixer), and participated in Networking & Leadership Training with LEAD Maryland and the Leadership & Community Service-Learning Program through STAMP. AGNR faculty and Staff presented from the department of Environmental Science & Technology, Plant Science & Landscape Architecture, Nutrition & Food Science, Family & Consumer Sciences, Animal & Avian Sciences, and Agricultural & Resource Economics. Annual Event: The internship concluded with a celebration event hosted by the Prince George's Soil Conservation District. The event was sponsored by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR). Each intern presented a final presentation showing the applied research and Extension activities they contributed to during their ten-week internship--opening remarks by AGNR Dean Beyrouty and closing remarks by Susan Schoenian, Professor Emeritus. The event was in person and streamed with 23 participants. Final presentations can be viewed at www.go.umd.edu/blogs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Shared extensively through college and social media channels - https://extension.umd.edu/news-events/news/university-maryland-extension-internship-experience-builds-professional-development-and-community What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Following the 2022 cohort - Intern K.W. has continued employment as an Agricultural Worker II at Somerset County Extension while finishing her biology degree. G.T. is organizing a Spring 2023 Professional Development Event for UMD Sigma Alpha featuring multiple Extension faculty. Currently developing the program and materials for 2023.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? First year results: Highlights of the Workforce Development Extension Internship to date include: Interns: Seven interns were selected from Saint Mary's College of Maryland, the Institute of Applied Agriculture at the University of Maryland, the University of Maryland College Park, Morgan State University, College of Southern Maryland, and Salisbury University. Placement: Interns were paired with faculty mentors at Extension Locations - Somerset County, St. Mary's County, Charles County, Wye REC, WMREC, Anne Arundel County, and Baltimore City. Interns reported to their Extension or Research & Education Center office for ten weeks, beginning May 31 through August 5. Interns gained hands-on experience in Extension activities, applied research, and non-formal education specific to their mentor's and location's programming. Results: Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension Internships, Summer 2022, reached seven interns and ten mentors. Nine industry professionals outside the UMD system participated as guest speakers or career-readiness facilitators. An additional 23 professionals from the UMD system participated in or contributed to internship activities. 100% of interns and mentors rated the internship program as good or excellent. Critical Thinking/Problem Solving skills increased by 15%, Oral/Written Communication skills increased by 9%, Teamwork/Collaboration skills increased by 9%, Information Technology Application increased by 22%, Leadership skills increased by 15%, Professionalism/Work Ethic skills increased by 19%, Career Management skills increased by 57 % and Global/Intercultural Fluency increased by 11%. As a result of this internship: 83% Percentage of Interns plan to graduate from their current degree 50% Plan to continue with higher education 83% Plan to explore agriculture career options In the six months following the internship, 100% of interns reported using critical thinking, oral/written communication, teamwork/collaboration, professionalism/ethics, and career management skills that they developed during the internship. 83.3% reported YES to utilizing information technology applications, and 50% reported using global/intercultural fluency skills. 100% of interns reported supporting diversity and inclusion in the agricultural workforce. 83.33% reported utilizing the following information literacy skills developed during the internship: Citation management and tools to evaluate information sources to support project research. 100% of mentors reported that they would volunteer to serve as a mentor again next year or in the future.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Dill, S. (2022). Creating Leadership and Professional Development through Extension Internships. Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts.
  • Type: Websites Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: https://umextensioninternshlps.blogspot.com/


Progress 04/15/21 to 04/14/22

Outputs
Target Audience:Interns - Recruitment has begun for the first cohort of interns. UME has solicited intern applications and will accept 7 interns for the summer program. These are undergraduates recruited primarily from institutions in Maryland where students do not have exposure to Extension programming, including two-year institutions and other University System of Maryland (USM) institutions. As our faculty mentors will be located throughout Maryland, we hope to recruit interns that are as geographically dispersed as our mentors - including rural communities in the far Eastern and Western regions of Maryland, and populations in or near urban centers (Baltimore City and Washington, DC) who do not typically interact with UME. Mentors - Recruitment has begun for UME faculty mentors. Efforts are being made to distribute mentors across the state each year. A call will be placed to all UME faculty at the beginning of the calendar year to gauge mentor interest and mentors will be selected before recruitment begins. Changes/Problems:Delays in this program for the summer of 2021 were caused by restrictions due to COVID-19. The team felt it was important to delay the program to better plan and ensure a meaningful experience for the participants. With the hiring of a program coordinator and COVID-19 restrictions lifted, this program can move forward. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?A number of press releases have been sent as well as specific recruitment to target colleges and institutions. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The next reporting period, the first intern program will have been conducted with initial evaluations.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? University of Maryland Extension (UME) will create a summer internship program that will provide meaningful and technical skills for a future agricultural workforce.Seven interns annually paired with mentors will gain hands-on experience as well as participate in leadership and professional development training. The internship will be a ten week program in which interns work full time.Topics for professional development training were inspired by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE, 2020) eight core competencies of career readiness: Critical Thinking/Problem Solving Oral/Written Communications Teamwork/Collaboration Information Technology Application Leadership Professionalism/Work Ethic Career Management Global/Intercultural Fluency Special training in information literacy skills including developing a research question from a broad topic, literature review, citation management and tools, and evaluation of information sources to support project research. These topics will be covered by guest speakers on campus and from private industry. Goals of the program include: 1)Provide experiential learning opportunities in Extension and agricultural research to undergraduate students including those at community colleges and underserved institutions in Maryland through the creation of a summer internship; - Hired a program coordinator and began recruitment of interns and mentors for Summer of 2022 2) Develop internal hiring and mentorship skills in UME Faculty; - Reviewing curriculum and creating summer training program currently - Team meeting is planned for review 3) Increase the career-readiness and leadership skills of student interns, and 4) Increase the number of students from these institutions continuing their education and entering the agricultural workforce.

Publications

  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: https://extension.umd.edu/resource/workforce-development-extension-internships