Creating Leadership and Professional Development through Extension Internships

Summer 2025 Workforce Development Extension Internship Program: Creating Leadership and Professional Development Through Extension Internships. 

The University of Maryland Extension (UME) is seeking undergraduate student applicants interested in careers in agriculture. Multiple students will be selected for this ten-week full-time internship, which includes a competitive salary and opportunities to interact with agricultural leaders and Extension specialists. Interns will participate in an experiential learning and professional development opportunity while exploring Extension careers, applied research, and non-formal education outreach. Interns will be placed at one of the State's Extension Offices or Research and Education Centers (REC). Interns will come together as a cohort for weekly virtual professional development sessions, an overnight University of Maryland College Park tour, in-person leadership training, and the annual end of internship celebration. The remainder of the time, the interns will work with their personal UME faculty Mentor and supervisor. Work location varies depending on your projects. Expect to work at your assigned UME office or Research & Education Center, in research or meeting locations, and virtually (telework days). Interns are expected to attend virtual pre-internship training sessions before the internship start date on 5/27/2025. 

Interns will:

• Work one-on-one with a UME faculty mentor

• Gain hands-on experience through professional development and Extension activities

• Work on research projects and non-formal educational programming 

• Have the opportunity to engage with leaders in the agricultural community

• Explore professional development topics and core competencies of career readiness

• Participate in an overnight University of Maryland, College Park campus residency and research tour. 

• Gain leadership skills with LEAD Maryland Foundation Inc. 

• Earn credit hours (eligibility specific to your university) 

Ideal applicants are:

• Interested in exploring and/or pursuing an Extension career, or a career in agriculture and related fields.

• Excited about the opportunity to work with a mentor

• Willingness to learn new skills

• Able to communicate effectively and learn experientially

• Motivated to continue learning and growing professionally

• Need to be challenged, professionally and personally

• A team oriented person who is curious to learn all aspects of Extension

• Willingness to participate in the full (10wk full time ) program

*Accommodations can be made for reasonable personal/vacation leave.  Opportunities will be available to make up hours missed from reasonable personal/vacation leave. 

Applicant must:

• Be enrolled full-time at an accredited professional certification program, two-year or four-year college or university

• Have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident

• Be a licensed driver with their flexible and reliable transportation ( this position requires some local travel) 

• Major in agricultural, environmental, natural resources, food science, nutritional science, biology, geology, geography, or related STEM fields.

*Preference will be given to applicants with a sophomore or junior status at the time of application * if enrolled in a four- year institution. We encourage applicants from relevant certification programs and two-year institutions. 

To Apply:

1. Identify up to four Extension or REC locations within commuting distance of your home

2. Identify one or more focus areas you are interested in exploring: Animal Science, Farm & Agribusiness, Fruit & Vegetable Production, General Agriculture, Ornamental Horticulture, Row Crop & Forage Production, Urban Agriculture. Learn more about Extension programs Here 

3. Complete the Online Application 

4. Submit along with your application (send supporting documents to andrea1@umd.edu

• A cover letter: include your personal goals and career goals. (do not exceed 1000 words)

• A supplemental essay expressing your interest in an Extension, agriculture or natural resource career (do not exceed 1000 words)

• Current resume or curriculum vitae (CV)

• A PDF version of your unofficial transcript(s) reflecting all earned undergraduate credits and grades through December 2023

• Two Letters of recommendation from your current institution or from a previous and related job or internship

* Incomplete applications will NOT be considered.

Compensation: Interns will be paid $15.53 an hour for a 40-hour work week. Sick leave and any vacation leave will not be compensated. Vacation leave is recommended for after the internship. Any vacation leave  will need to be approved by your mentor and the District Director. 

Deadline to Apply: 

Interns will be notified of their application status early to mid April,2025

Pre-internship sessions will begin late April (optional live via Zoom or self paced) 

This position is subject to a Criminal History Record Check. Volunteer appointment, re-appointment, and continued appointment are contingent upon successful completion and clearance of the Criminal History Record Check.

https://go.umd.edu/extensioninternships

Program Contact

Shannon Dill, Extension Educator - AgFS

410-822-1244 | sdill@umd.edu

Andrea Franchini, Program Coordinator 

301-226-7416| andrea1@umd.edu

This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, AFRI Competitive Grant Workforce Development, project MD-UME-09312.

About the University of Maryland Extension: University of Maryland Extension (UME) is a statewide, non-formal education system within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. UME educational programs and problem-solving assistance are available to citizens and are based on the research and experience of land grant universities such as the University of Maryland, College Park. In Maryland, UME employs approximately 200 faculty and approximately 200 support staff and contractual employees located at the University of Maryland, College Park; University of Maryland Eastern Shore; 23 counties; Baltimore City; and four research and education centers. Many UME faculty members located on the College Park and Eastern Shore campuses have joint appointments with research and academic programs. These joint appointments promote the exchange of knowledge between the universities and among academic specialties.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider

Check back in Winter for application announcement for Summer 2025

Ms. Shannon Dill, Principal Agent, University of Maryland

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This Spring, the University of Maryland Extension will hire the second Cohort for 'Creating Leadership and Professional Development Through Extension Internships,' Summer 2024.  

The University of Maryland Extension received a grant on April 15th, 2021. The grant was endowed by the United States Department of Agriculture and sponsored by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to create a summer internship program that will provide meaningful and technical skills to students at underserved institutions, community colleges, or non-Land Grant institutions to train a future agricultural workforce.

University of Maryland Extension (UME) created a summer internship program with seven interns annually paired with competent mentors; interns will gain hands-on experience and 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 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 creating a summer internship; 2. Develop internal hiring and mentorship skills in UME Faculty; 3) Increase student interns' career-readiness and leadership skills; and 4. Increase the number of students from these institutions continuing their education and entering the agricultural workforce.

The Application for Summer Internship 2024 is open. For more information and to apply, visit https://go.umd.edu/extensioninternships

Program Contacts:

Shannon Dill, Extension Educator - AgFS

410-822-1244 | sdill@umd.edu

Andrea Franchini, Program Coordinator 

301-226-7416 | andrea1@umd.edu

Ms. Shannon Dill, PI, is the Project Director and oversees the entire project. Co-PI’s include Dr. Nicole Fiorellino, and Dr. Alan Leslie. The project runs from April 15, 2021, to April 14, 2026.

This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, AFRI Competitive Grant Workforce Development, project MD-UME-09312.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. 

Esta institución ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.  

2023 Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension Internships. 

The University of Maryland Extension is happy to announce  the second cohort for ‘Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension Internships'. Nine interns have been 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 is joining us from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA.

Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension Internships. 

Seven interns have been selected from colleges across Maryland, including St. Mary's College of Maryland, Institute of Applied Agriculture at the University of Maryland, University of Maryland College Park, Morgan State University, College of Southern Maryland, and Salisbury University. On July 6th and 7th, student interns will visit the University of Maryland campus to talk with educators and researchers across a variety of agricultural disciplines and to participate in an in-person leadership training with LEAD Maryland and the University's Maryland Leadership Education and Development Program. 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.