Nebraska Corn Board Internships from Lincoln to DC to Panama

Say the word “intern” and it may conjure up images of filing papers, taking out trash or making a coffee run for the staff. But an internship through the Nebraska Corn Board is about being engaged at a high level with some of the leading agricultural organizations in Nebraska, the nation and around the world.

“We want to help students gain a greater awareness of the scope of the industry and help them develop both personally and professionally,” said David Merrell, a St. Edward, Nebr. farmer and chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board. “It’s about developing the next generation of leaders and advocates for agriculture.”


The Nebraska Corn Board has funded internships for more than 20 years. Currently, seven internships are supported including several with national/ international organizations that receive corn checkoff funds from Nebraska.

All intern positions are paid, and the Nebraska Corn Board provides a strong support system prior to and during the internships.

Colton Flower

“They conducted an intern orientation seminar before we left, which prepared us for our summer and gave us greater confidence,” said Colton Flower of Scottsbluff, Nebr., who worked at the National Corn Growers Association office in Washington, DC, during summer 2016. “They were a really great resource and we were in constant communication.”

Interns from Nebraska have proven themselves to be valuable contributors to the organizations for which they work. “We have really enjoyed our Nebraska interns. So often in DC, the quality of summer interns is hit and miss. All of the interns we have had from the Nebraska program have been outstanding people. They are smart. They are interested and they put in the effort to learn and benefit from their DC experience,” said Jon Doggett, executive vice president of the National Corn Growers Association.

Andrea Gurney

Andrea Gurney from Huntley, Wyo., is a senior ag business major at UNL who intends to pursue a law degree. In summer 2016, her internship took her to Panama City where she worked at the Western Hemisphere Regional Office of the U.S. Grains Council. “Working internationally had never really crossed my mind before,” she said. “But now I see opportunities that are very encouraging and exciting to consider.”

Kelsey Scheer

Kelsey Scheer of St. Paul, Nebr., worked for the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) in Denver. Kelsey’s background as a member of the UNL meat judging team gave her an edge in terms of both getting the internship and being up to speed when she arrived in Denver. “My work at USMEF helped me better understand the importance of the criteria we use in meat judging as it relates to market value around the world,” she said. “It completed the circle for me.”





Internships include:

• Communications internship with the Nebraska Corn Board in Lincoln, Nebr. 
• Communications internship with the Nebraska Corn Growers Association in Lincoln, Nebr. 
• Marketing and Communications internship with the National Corn Growers Association in St. Louis, Mo. 
• Public Policy internship with the National Corn Growers Association in Washington, DC
• Promotion and international Relations internship with the u.s. Meat export Federation in Denver, Colo. 
• International Relations internship with the US Grains Council in Washington, DC 
• international Agricultural Relations internship with the US. Grains Council (international location)

The deadline to apply for Nebraska Corn Board internship programs is typically in mid- to late october each year. For information, visit nebraskacorn.gov or call the Nebraska Corn Board office at 402.471.2676.

NAYC Connects UNL Ag Students with High Schoolers

For 45 years, Nebraska has had a group of college-aged agricultural ambassadors who help tell the story of agriculture to high school students and consumers across the state.

The Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council (NAYC) is sponsored by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, with financial support from the Nebraska Corn Board and other ag stakeholders.

Morgan Zumpfe from Friend, Nebr., has been a member of the NAYC for three years. This past year, she served as one of two head counselors for NAYC. Morgan is a senior at UNL majoring in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Communication and also a past intern with the Nebraska Corn Board.

“In essence, we serve as the youth outreach team for the Department of Ag,” Morgan said. “Becoming a part of NAYC involves a competitive interview process. From there, 23 college students are selected to share their passion for agriculture with others, especially with high school students.”

Morgan Zumpfe

The Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI) is the largest NAYC event of the year. The five-day institute is held on UNL’s East Campus and is attended by high school juniors and seniors. “The intent is to expose high school students to the wide range of careers in agriculture,” Morgan said. “Attending NAYI as a high school junior and senior was a big reason I chose to come to UNL and pursue a career in agriculture.”

NAYC is very involved in youth outreach throughout the year, and even arranges farm tours for elementary students in the Lincoln Public Schools. The organization also participates in promotional and educational activities at AKSARBEN, the state FFA convention and other events to help raise awareness of and appreciation for agriculture.

During her college career, Morgan has had four internships. “My internship in the Nebraska Corn Board offices started it all off,” she said. “They took me as an intern when I was a sophomore and gave me great experiences for an entire year. I’m really blessed that the Nebraska Corn Board offered me that internship, and it convinced me that a career in agriculture was right for me.”

When she graduates in May 2017, Morgan will begin her career with Cargill Animal Nutrition in the company’s junior management program.

Morgan says that pursuing a career in agriculture does not require growing up on a farm or ranch. “I strongly encourage people with different backgrounds to consider a career in agriculture—from finance to business to engineering,” she said. “We have a big world to feed, and it’s going to require a wide range of experience, talent and ideas in order to help us meet the challenges ahead of us.”

Building Career Skills Beyond the College Classroom

Successfully preparing for a career in agriculture is not The Leaders Conference includes a progressive series simply about meeting the academic requirements in of intense four-day workshops that focus on key success college. It’s also about making the most of one’s college experience through involvement and engagement, while also developing the soft skills needed to become a leader, collaborator and productive employee.

That’s the objective of AFA—Agriculture Future of America.

“AFA invests in young men and women that share three characteristics – they are talented, passionate and committed to a career in agriculture. We deliver the

programs, experiences and connections that stimulate leader development and fuel passion in order to equip tomorrow’s leaders to shape agricultural innovation for the betterment of the world,” said Mark Stewart, CEO of AFA.

AFA’s flagship program is its annual Leaders Conference, which features a four-track leadership development program. Students must apply to attend the conference. Some 700 students are selected from across the nation to participate annually.

Mark Stewart

AFA Leaders Conference areas—from professional skills development to time management, from problem solving to conflict resolution. Qualified students move through four tracks over the course of their college years.

“We’re not redundant with the students’ college education. Instead, we’re focused on personal development training that enhances their college experience and prepares them for success in the workplace and in life,” said Mark Stewart, CEO of AFA. “We want to challenge their perspectives and help them hone the skills they need to work collaboratively in a diverse and challenging environment.”

AFA also offers specific institutes focused on key areas such as policy, leadership, crop science, animal agriculture and food. Programs for young professionals who have already begun their careers are also available.

The Nebraska Corn Board provides scholarships for qualified Nebraska college students to participate in the AFA. “By supporting AFA, the Nebraska Corn Board

Emma Likens

is making it clear that they believe in the personal development training we offer students,” Stewart said.

Emma Likens, a UNL graduate from Swanton, Nebr., went through three of the four AFA Leaders Conference tracks and participated in many other activities. “If you are passionate about rural agriculture, entrepreneurship, and personal development—and you have a real drive to get connected with other students and career professionals from across the nation—AFA is definitely for you,” she said. “It gives you a larger, more diverse perspective than you’ll get on campus. I learned about everything from strawberry farming to pecans from the connection I made with other AFA students—things I would have never thought of as ‘farming’ if I hadn’t had the chance to network with students from those backgrounds.”

For more information on AFA, visit: www.agfuture.org.

Nebraska Corn Board invests in ag leadership and literacy development

The Nebraska Corn Board was the first ag organization to commit funding for Raising Nebraska, the award-winning interactive experience on the grounds of the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island. Open year round and staffed by a full-time Nebraska Extension educator, Raising Nebraska helps students, adults and consumers discover more about their food and the families who grow it. In 2016, the Nebraska Corn Board provided additional funding to create the interactive quiz game which features a competitive learning experience about GMOs.



The Nebraska Corn Board supports Ag in the Classroom, a flagship program of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation. Ag in the Classroom connects farmers and ranchers with elementary students, provides state-approved ag curriculum for Nebraska teachers, and presents dozens of educational programs across the state.

Corn checkoff funds support the LEAD program in Nebraska. Now in its 36th year, LEAD is a two-year experience for those involved in farming, ranching, agribusiness and related industries who wish to hone their leadership skills and become even better advocates for agriculture on a local, state and national level.

The Nebraska Corn Board donates a flex fuel van for use by Nebraska’s State FFA Officers as they travel across Nebraska visiting FFA chapters and participating in leadership training and educational activities.

DC Leadership Mission

Young farmers and students take part in the annual DC Leadership mission to our nation’s capital to meet with policy makers, learn about key agricultural organizations and see how the legislative process works. The mission is sponsored in part by the Nebraska Corn Board.

Corn & Soy Mentor Program

Each year, ten students are selected from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln to take part in the Corn and Soy Collegiate Mentoring Program jointly funded by the Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Soybean Board, Nebraska Corn Growers Association and Nebraska Soybean Association. A two-day industry tour is a highlight of the program, during which the students visit virtually every link along the food production chain—livestock operations, crop farms, seed genetics facilities, truck and rail transportation, and grocery retailers. Through the mentor program, students also learn about state and federal policy issues, the role of checkoffs and commodity membership organizations, and the breadth and scope of agriculture careers in Nebraska. They also are prepared to become well-spoken “agvocates” for Nebraska agriculture.