Hi, my name is Jacob Falk. I am originally from Wallowa County, and had the privilege of returning as an intern for Oregon State University Extension Service in Wallowa County for a second year. My internship was slightly different this year, allowing me to gain a wider acquaintance with the Extension office in Wallowa County.

Jacob Falk poses in front of boxes in Wallowa County
Jacob Falk in Wallowa County

This year, I had the privilege to intern under Pet Schreder helping to collect data for the East Moraine Virtual Fence project on the Wallowa Lake Moraine. Each day started out hiking or 4-Wheeling in the beautiful Wallowa County outdoors to check trail camera footage and monitor grazing impacts on “exclusion zones”. I found my time spent surrounded by the outdoors educational and refreshing. It was an amazing opportunity to learn more about a new technology, improve my record keeping skills, and expand the scope of career choices.

Carrying over from last year, I had the opportunity to work with an incredible team of youth leaders in preparation for the Tri-County 4-H camp in Summerville. This was another highlight of my summer. Through the 4-H portion of my internship, I helped train councilors, organize events and execute plans to help positively impact youth in this regain.

Although this internship has been fun, growth does not come from the most enjoyable moments. It is important to notice the difficult aspects of our work, learn from the challenge and grow as an individual. One of the most educational moments of my internship was when an individual showed extreme apprehension to attending an overnight 4-H event. After a long conversation and much reassurance, I was able to give this individual a tour of the facility while explaining what our event was about. Although this individual was unable to attend the event, I left the situation with a sense of accomplishment that this person may be more comfortable attending overnight 4-H events in the future.

As a returning intern, I can honestly say this experience provided an opportunity to grow professionally, personally and practice career ready skills. Overall, my experience has been incredibly beneficial in developing new skills and deciding future career paths.

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