Experience to Inexperience CAFNR Internship Panel
by Dalena Hardy, posted Oct. 22, 2007

The goals of most university students are to identify their strengths and interests and apply them to their career, often through internships. On Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2007, the College of Agriculture Food and Natural Resources hosted an internship panel.

“The purpose of this event is to provide a forum in which students who have had internships can share their experience with students who are seeking internships,” said Stephanie Chipman, director of CAFNR Career Services.

The panel was comprised of seven students of varied disciplines.

• Jaclyn DeWeese, a senior double majoring in agricultural economics and agricultural journalism, most recently interned at Anheuser Busch.
• Kerry Radcliff, a senior hotel restaurant management major, interned with Porteo Cinma.
• Natalie Kollars, a senior food science major, interned with McCain Snack Foods.
• Brooke Wilbers, a junior animal sciences major, interned with Merial Ltd.
• Jennifer Dudenhoeffer, a senior food science major, held internships with Archer Daniels Midland and the U.S. Soybean Export Council.
• William Pipp, a senior plant sciences major with an emphasis in turf management, interned with the Boston Red Sox and the Washington Nationals.
• Todd Weston, a senior fisheries and wildlife major, interned at the Omaha Zoo.

Katie Allen, a senior agricultural journalism major, works in CAFNR Career Services and moderated the discussion.

The common thread that connected the panelists was the passion they exuded when discussing how their internships impacted their lives. This impact led them to participate in the event.

“I think internships are important,” Wilbers said. “I am participating in this event to help students who are seeking internships to be aware of opportunities as well as benefits of internships.”.

Other panelists shared similar sentiments.

“When I was a freshman and sophomore, I was nervous about internships,” Dudenhoeffer said. “I am hoping by sharing my experience I will be able to help other students.”

Each of the panelists performed different tasks and explained the challenges they faced and the personal satisfaction they gained when they overcame obstacles.

While interning at McCain Snack Foods, Kollars was responsible for identifying the cause of black and grey spotting in bread. She was given two weeks to correct the formulation of the bread. With a lot of extra work and creativity, Kollars was able to meet McCain’s challenge and solved the problem.

Many of the panelists attributed their internship to a professor or a contact they met while attending MU.

Pipp met his mentor Justin Scott, an MU alumnus, when he was 16 years old.

“Get to know upper classman in your major,” Pipp said.

While networking was the advice all the panelists agreed on, the panelists deemed desire as the most important characteristic to attaining an internship.

“Offer to work for free to gain experience,” Kollars said.

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