July « 2025 « OSU Extension Internship Program

My name is Lucia Rocha, and as a 38-year-old mother of two, I am not what usually comes to
mind when you think of a typical college intern. My road to higher education hasn’t been easy
or linear. It’s been shaped by grief, perseverance and a deep desire to create a life of purpose
for myself and my family.

Lucia Rocha smiling with her two children at her recent graduation from Chemeketa Community College. Photo: Rosy VanHorn

Growing up in a low-income household, college wasn’t something my parents could afford for
me. I entered the workforce right after high school and quickly worked my way up. Then, as I
began to grow in my career, my mother and I were in a car accident that took her life.
Heartbroken, I pushed forward and continued working hard and trying to rebuild my life.

My perseverance and potential were recognized by the company’s owner, who awarded me a
small scholarship. This reignited my dreams of pursuing a higher education. I enrolled in college
and worked full-time while attending school full-time, determined to succeed. But just as I was
nearing the completion of my degree, the company went out of business. I lost my job,
scholarship and once again had to put my education on hold.

I soon started a new job, worked hard and found stability in my career. Shortly after, I became a
mother, and my dreams of a higher education were pushed even further back. Just as I was
preparing for a promotion, my brother and 12-year-old niece passed away unexpectedly. Their
loss reminded me just how fragile life is and forced me to reflect on what truly mattered.
In late 2023, I made the difficult decision to leave behind the career I had worked so hard to
build and return to school full-time. Although not an easy choice, it was the best choice for my
children and me. I wanted them to see that it’s never too late to start over or chase your
dreams.

My hard work and dedication paid off. This June, I received my associate’s degree in business
from Chemeketa Community College. I was also awarded the Ford Family Foundation
Opportunity Scholarship to pursue my bachelor’s degree at Oregon State University. I have the
honor of interning with the Oregon State University Extension Service in Marion County, where
I support the Juntos and Open Campus programs. I’ve spent much of my life in service to
others, through my work at the Oregon Department of Human Services, creating a youth group
at my church, co-founding a nonprofit and volunteering in my children’s schools.

Jerry Phillips presenting Lucia Rocha with an awared with a nlue curtain behind them. — Jerry Phillips presents Lucia Rocha with an award from the Ford Foundation Scholarship Award Ceremony. Photo: Keri Blue Photography

This internship has given me something new: the opportunity to serve my community while
growing in my role as a student and professional. So far, I’ve been helping with outreach to high
school graduates, guiding them through college orientation, registering for classes and
whatever they may need as they step into their future. I’ve reached out to students and
families in both English and Spanish, offering support in a way that feels natural to who I am.
It’s been rewarding to be that helping hand, especially for families who might otherwise feel
unsure about navigating these systems.

What I’ve appreciated most is having a unique opportunity to connect with students, parents
and the passionate professionals I’m learning from. I am currently in all their shoes, which
allows me to connect with them in a way that not all interns can. However, even with my
experience, I’m still growing, I’m still learning and I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity.
This internship isn’t just a stepping stone, it’s part of a bigger journey, a reminder that starting
over isn’t failure; it’s a choice. And sometimes, it’s the bravest one we can make. I am excited
for the future, both in and out of this internship.

Hi, my name is Macy Jones, and this summer I am an intern for Oregon State University
Extension Service in Clackamas County; mainly working with Family and Community Health.
This is my first time interning and so far, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I currently attend Oregon
State University and will be a 2nd year student studying agricultural and food business
management. I have always enjoyed having a sense of community and building relationships
with others and this role does a great job of allowing me to branch out.

Macy Jones tabling at the First City Celebration in Oregon City. Photo: Natalie Padilla

Thus far, this position has allowed me to be more active in the community and helped me start
to develop more communication skills. My position includes being a co-leader with the Walk
with Ease program, which is focused on helping older adults walk with arthritis, Tabling events,
Free Food Markets and advancing my creative and organizational skills.

The Walk with Ease program meets twice a week for about an hour and is designed to support
older adults in improving their health and physical activity, particularly those managing
arthritis. As a co-leader, I help guide participants through a variety of activities such as warm up
stretches, a group walk and cool down stretches. We’ve also integrated resources from the
Food Hero website into the program by featuring a Food Hero Monthly newsletter and
distributing an incentive item on Tuesdays. On Thursdays, we hand out a related recipe to
reinforce healthy habits. In addition to Walk with Ease, I have also assisted with the Free Food
Market, which takes place on the second Tuesday of each month. At these events, we highlight
a Food Hero recipe that participants can prepare using ingredients they receive from the
market. So far, this role has allowed me to connect more deeply with the community and
strengthen my public speaking and communication skills.

Another event I have participated in while being an intern at Clackamas County is the Oregon
City First event. At this event, I helped run the Oregon State Extension booth where I got to
inform the public about Extension and all it has to offer. Before signing up for the event, the
other intern, Natalie, and I met with each department of Extension to gather information we
could then give to the public. This was a great learning experience as before this role I was not
aware of what all Extensions had to offer. At the event, we got to pass out flyers as well as
spread the word of the different types of services not only FCH provides but also Extension as a
whole.

Overall, this internship so far has been very beneficial, and I am excited to keep learning and
advancing my skills.

Hello! My name is Dean Burwash, I am a freshman at Oregon State University,
majoring in natural resources. I am an intern for the Oregon State University Extension
Service in Polk County. I have worked for OSU Extension previously as a Summer
Education Assistant at the Oregon Outdoor Education Center (formerly the Oregon 4-H
Center), where I taught at camps and helped manage the facility. I have been very
involved in 4-H for the last eight years, where I have served as a Polk County and 4-H
State Ambassador, camp counselor and 4-H intern. I have also attended numerous
conferences and taught various classes.

Dean Burwash at the Oregon 4-H Center. Photo: Sarah LaDuke

I just attended the 4-H Summer Conference for the last time as a youth, and I will
be a Junior Camp Director at both 4-H Wild West Camps this summer. I have been
going to camp since I joined 4-H. This year for the fair, I plan to enter some photos, a
wood mosaic (which is incomplete) and other miscellaneous static exhibits.
Previously, I worked for Oregon State University as a student employee at the
Oregon 4-H Center. I spent almost every night last summer living there and getting to
participate in each camp beyond the normal workday. I taught all kinds of activities and
classes, including archery, leatherworking, ropes course, big swings, arts & crafts and
canoes. This was my first job, and I feel like it gave me some unrealistic work standards
because of my love for camp. I am glad that I now have a wider range of work
experience types. This summer is primarily online and last summer was spent teaching
outdoors all the time.

This summer, for my internship, I am primarily working on grant applications to
begin with. These include requests from 4-H clubs, getting robotics curriculum,
purchasing incubators and funding art/welding classes. I am looking forward to
improving my grant application skills and hopefully seeing positive results. I am also
excited to be creating social media posts and learning how to use our new embroidery
machine! So far, I have started some grant applications, and I am working on finding
more.

Hello!

My name is Taiva Steed, and I’m heading into my third year as a natural resources
student with an emphasis in communications and conflict resolution at Oregon State University. I
am originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, but Oregon won me over with its mountains,
oceans and huge trees!

Taiva Steed working at the Brownsville Farmers Market. Photo: Jessalyn Horton

In the future, I hope to work as an environmental mediator, someone who helps people
come together to solve environmental and social challenges. I’m particularly interested in
working internationally and for people’s voices that are often underrepresented in these
conversations. This is why working for OSU Extension is perfect for me because it allows me to
connect with different communities and learning from people with all kinds of perspectives.

This is my first summer as an intern for OSU Extension, and I am working for the
Groundwater Protection Program out of Benton County. So far, I have been traveling to farmers
markets across Oregon, offering free nitrate screenings for well water and sharing educational
materials to community members about healthy drinking water, wells and septic systems. It has
been such a fun way to spend time outdoors, meeting new people and learning more about
Oregon! I have only been to a handful of events so far, but I already feel how meaningful this
work is, and how much I still have to learn.

When I am not working at a screening clinic, I am helping plan future events. This
includes figuring out where we will go next, making social media posts and designing postcards
and flyers to help advertise these events. I also spend time in the office learning about all things
groundwater, wells and septic systems. Coming from a city background, most of this is brand
new to me, and it has broadened my scope of the different ways people live and how those
differences can impact someone’s health and daily concerns.

I’m excited for what’s ahead and can’t wait to explore what OSU Extension has to offer. I
have plans to explore the other OSU Extension programs like Small Farms and Master
Gardeners. I’m looking forward to more farmers markets, more community conversations and
continuing to learn why it’s important to protect our water!

Hello, my name is Abigail Cape, and this is my second-year interning for Oregon State
University Extension Service Polk County Extension in Dallas, OR. I am going into my third year at
Oregon State University majoring in psychology. After I graduate, as of right now I am hoping to go to
graduate school to get my doctoral degree in counseling psychology. For my future career I hope to either
have a career as a counselor with a specialty in trauma or becoming a counselor for teens and young
adults, with a Christian backing. Along with studying psychology, I am also going into my third year in
the clarinet section of the Oregon State University Marching Band, this is an activity that I just started
doing while at Oregon State and I have learned and grown so much in. This is also an area both on and off
campus where I am constantly making new connections as well as new friends. My past experience with
Oregon State Extension primarily is being a member of 4-H for nine years, volunteering with 4-H
Extension for a year and my internship with Extension last year. I was also granted the opportunity to take
a class on Extension that is taught by Oregon State. Throughout my time in 4-H I showed rabbits, bred
and owned market rabbits, turkeys and bred and owned market turkeys, as well as various leadership
roles.

Students at the Polk County Jr. Master Gardeners Camp begin learning about floral arrangements. Photo: Abigail Cape

Over this summer I hope to continue to learn about the various aspects of behind the scenes work
that goes into 4-H and Extension. In my internship last year, I was able to learn so much and I am
eternally grateful to have this opportunity for the second year in a row. Last year I worked with multiple
different project groups that I had never worked with before in the pre-fair weeks of planning and
preparation, particularly with horses. I was also able to do projects that were closer to what I did as a 4-
H’er by conducting a small animal master showmanship class. This class was meant to teach youth the
basics of handling different animals that would be found in a small animal master showmanship class,
basic knowledge about those animals and other information about your show presence that can help you
stand out while showing. Throughout this summer I am excited to learn more about how to plan and run a
variety of classes with different topics. I will also have the opportunity to learn more about marketing for
the 4-H program, working with various fundraisers and senior scholarship/graduating senior related
promotions. I also will have the chance to work on a multitude of fair related tasks. Through my past
internship experience I have learned so much and I hope to continue to learn and grow this summer! I
have grown up with a deep love of 4-H, which was developed quite a bit here in Polk County, and I am so
excited to help the program grow in any way that I can!

Hi, my name is Ashton Rask, and I am excited to introduce myself and be a part of the
OSU Extension services internship program. I am located in Columbia County, where I currently
reside. Though I am originally from the central valley of California, where agricultural roots run
deep. I have always been involved in some form of agriculture; I am a huge advocate for
agricultural education and take pride in being a part of a larger community. I was an active
member of 4H and FFA throughout my youth. I am entering my last year at Colorado State
University online, finishing my bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business. From here I hope to
continue to be an advocate for agriculture and move forward in a career that is rewarding and
impactful.

Garden sign displaying the Luffa in Columbia County’s demo garden. Photo: Ashton Rask

As I enter the 6th week of my internship here at OSU Extension, I have experienced a
number of exciting events. Including WIC/Snap-ED programming, Master Gardener events
along with viewing and lending a hand in our community & demo gardens. One of my recent
projects has been creating new signs to label our demo garden beds. This is a project that we
wanted to get done before our county fair, which is a goal we accomplished. I also had the
opportunity to sneak out of the office and get my hands dirty doing some weeding in our
experimental gardens located at the demo garden here in St. Helens.

I saw a need for signs to be made and placed in our demo garden. With the help of both
our agriculture Extension agent, Janhvi Pandey and A few of our master gardeners, who were
so kind to help me through this process, I was able to head out to the demo garden and learn
about all the things we are growing and showcasing. Our demo garden is flourishing, so having
proper signage to address people’s questions and celebrate the hard work of our community
members was important! Our demo garden has been a joy to work in over the past few weeks.
Watching all our unique plants and garden beds bloom and start to produce fruit has been
exciting. I am fortunate enough to be a small piece of this bigger puzzle and cannot wait to see
how our community members react throughout the fair and its showcasing.

These signs highlighted companion planting, our pollinator garden and our three sisters’
garden bed. Along with a really unique plant that has been introduced this year by a master
gardener, the Lofa plant! The Luffa plant is edible, but we often see it used in its sponge form!
Some signs needed to be created from scratch, whereas some just needed an updated look. I
spent about a week and a half creating these, printing and laminating them to help limit some
of the exposure from the elements, to hopefully make them last a while. From there I was able
to go out and place them on each plaque.

Hello! My name is Riley Hampton and I’m an Umatilla County 4-H Intern this
year. I’m an incoming Junior at Southern Oregon University in the emerging media and
design program. This is my second year working with OSU Extension through the
summer internship program.

Rylee Martin presenting her cupcakes during Cupcake Wars at Umatilla County’s PreFair. Photo: Riley Hampton

Umatilla County is already gearing up in the 4-H world, with last Thursday
marking the end of Umatilla County Pre-Fair!

Last week we held live food contests, where contestants prepared everything
from a steak dinner to a dozen cupcakes! Thank you contestants, for my spaghetti and
chimichurri breakfasts.

Throughout the week our Fashion Revue and Presentation contestants showed
up in numbers. We had a combined 40 more contestants than last year, which made for
a busy week!

Thursday morning, I got the opportunity to work with 4-H Youth Leaders while
meeting with the future members of 4-H during Cloverbud Camp. Ambassadors and
volunteers led different stations, teaching the kids about different parts of 4-H in a fun
and engaging way. I’d like to thank my youth leaders as well as the kids who came to
make the day the success that it was.

Well, that’s all for me (for now). Hope to see you at the 2025 Umatilla County
Fair, August 6-9th in Hermiston, Oregon!

My name is Rachel Fuller, and I am an intern for the Oregon State University Extension Service
in Hood River County. This is my first time working with Extension, and my three weeks here
have already been very impactful. I am a senior at OSU, studying crop and soil science. Prior to
going to university, my background was primarily in small scale vegetable farms with a focus on
rural communities.

Rachel Fuller stands proudly in front of the FISH Food Bank Garden in Hood River County. Photo: Megan Wickersham

Through OSU Extension, I have been working at the FISH Food Bank Garden. The garden
produces vegetables that go straight to the food bank, providing the community with hyper-
local produce. The garden also serves as a classroom for groups of kids to learn about the
garden ecosystem.

In the garden I oversee the irrigation systems, plant health, harvesting, seeding/transplanting,
pest management, nutrient management and weekly flow of volunteers. I primarily work with
Master Gardener volunteers. They are a lovely bunch of people with a variety of passions,
knowledge and interests that I have learned a lot from already.

When I’m not in the garden, I have been working on projects in the Extension Office. I have
taken a grant writing class and am preparing to take the second course next week. After I have
completed this, my goal is to write a grant to create a funded Garden Manager position. In
addition, I have made a binder of garden lesson plans, created a record keeping system for the
garden and worked on systems to streamline the productivity of the garden.

The three weeks that I have been here have gone by so quickly and have been very enjoyable.
I’m excited for what the rest of the summer has in store!

Hello! My name is Savannah Barron, and I am currently an intern working for Oregon State
University Extension Service in Columbia County, specifically the SNAP-Ed and Small
farms/Master Gardeners programs. I am going into my third year at Oregon State as an
undergraduate in botany, specializing in ecology, evolution and conservation, while also
minoring in chemistry and anthropology. This is my first year with OSU Extension, and the
experience so far has been amazingly full of community outreach and learning. It’s truly
wonderful to have such a hands-on experience in which you can see part of the impact you’re
having on the people you’re working with.

Savannah Barron, alongside coworkers, manage a booth at the Columbia County Fair. Photo: Janhvi Pandey

Entering my sixth week at OSU Extension, I have been able to participate in many different
programs and events. In fact, I just finished tabling at the Columbia County Fair! The diversity of
people I got to talk to and learn about was very insightful, and I cannot wait for more
opportunities to engage with the community. One program in particular that I have been
focusing on is completing a small farms and gardeners’ needs assessment. Part of OSU
Extension’s mission is to help teach the community, and we can only do that once we know
what they need help with. There are two different surveys I’ve been getting people to complete,
one for gardeners and one for small farms. Both have proved incredibly insightful into the
community’s needs, and as more people answer them, we get more accurate information. My
job is to spread awareness of the surveys and try to garner greater participation. I do this by
compiling information on small farms and calling them and working events like farmers markets
and fairs to do in-person assessments.

Besides the needs assessment, I have just started a few other projects. The biggest one I’m
undertaking is the Community Garden at Louis and Clark Elementary School. Due to lack of
time, this garden has been left to fend for itself for about a year. My job is to get it back in
working order—a thistle-and-native-plant filled journey that I am happy to embark upon—so that
the children and community members can have access to the wonderful teaching tool that is a
garden. On the SNAP-Ed side of things, I will be starting to help with summer lunch programs,
and exercise programs with Food Hero.

I am so grateful for this opportunity to be able to play a part in helping my community. I can’t
wait for the next few weeks on this journey and all the opportunities that await!

Hello everyone! My name is Nyla Bennett. I’m an intern based in Wheeler County. This is my
second summer working for this enriching program and I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to
return to this position. Since my previous blog post, I have finished my first year of higher
education at Eastern Oregon University, I was accepted into Oregon Health Sciences
University’s 3-year nursing program, and I am one year closer to obtaining my Bachelor of
Science in nursing with a minor in business. I can’t even begin to describe how thankful I am for
this past year; everything I learned and experienced.

Nyla Bennett teaching youth at a 4-H photography clinic. Photo: Miesha Bennett

Now looking forward, I am eagerly anticipating the antics of a busy 4-H summer. I started
working only recently, but I’m already about to dive into some of our most intense projects. Tri-
County 4-H Camp started the same week I did. So, I drove over to Heppner to help organize
campers and guide counselors. I jumped from this camp to my county’s Cloverbud Day Camps
shortly after. We created curricula and crafts that centered around life sciences and basic
chemistry concepts in the hopes of curating curiosity for future scientists. And with the number
of questions I was asked, I think we did just that!

Last summer, I was a large part of planning and organizing events like these, as well as leading
the hands-on activities with youth. I hope to expand on those responsibilities by being less
dependent on superiors. That’s actually my biggest goal for this summer: working more
efficiently independently. The reason I applied for this position, and am so happy to be back, is
the pure dedication to this program that so many people share. I was in 4-H for nine years, and
the effort I devoted to the projects paid me back tenfold with the knowledge, skills and
friendships I gained. I love seeing the same growth happening with the next generation of
youth. As 4-H’ers face responsibilities and requirements, they flourish. I hope to continue
working as a scaffold for future leaders, helping promote scientific questioning, independence
and, of course, 4-H fun!

As for specific projects I’ll be facing over the future course of this summer, I have a menagerie
of duties ahead. Along with working in the Extension office on materials to make the 4-H
program run smoothly, I also have many event responsibilities. I tutor 4-H youth, providing one-
on-one assistance. I plan and teach clinics with topics such as record books, photography and
animal science. I am so excited for our county fair and leading the community service
opportunities presented to 4-H youth. Thank you for reading!

OSU Extension Internship Program

Monthly Archives: July 2025

OSU Extension intern redefines the journey

OSU Extension intern builds community one step at a time

OSU Extension intern builds a path toward environmental mediation through local action

OSU Extension intern builds on 4-H roots to make a lasting impact

OSU Extension intern enhances demo garden with educational signage

OSU Extension intern shares highlights from a busy 4-H pre-fair week

OSU Extension intern is rooted in service and growing in knowledge

OSU Extension intern bridges botany and outreach in Columbia County

OSU Extension intern leads with a heart to serve the community

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