Hey there! My name is Gracie Cox, and I’m going into my third year studying planning, public
policy and management at the University of Oregon’s Clark Honors College with minors in legal
studies and political science. I grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon, but I’m now proud to call
Eugene home. This is my first year interning with Oregon State University Extension Service in
Lane County, and the experience has been equally rewarding, challenging and enjoyable so far!

Career-wise, I’m interested in pursuing community health, public interest law and overall, any
path related to public service. Extension has been an excellent outlet for me to explore these
interests, and I’m especially grateful to the 4-H and Nutrition Education programs for
encouraging me to dive right into learning and leaving my mark on Lane County.

Over this summer, I look forward to learning more about the “behind the scenes” of community
development and community health programs; the glimpses I’ve taken of this so far have been
truly inspiring. Also, I’m curious about the work-life balance in public service and how programs
hosted by Extension are responding to changes at the federal level. In observing my Extension
office’s flexibility, it’s become clear to me that this organization is adaptable yet deeply
committed to its community development mission.

So far, my internship has largely revolved around completing projects related to 4-H and
Nutrition Education camps, preparing for the Lane County 4-H and FFA fair and working on
digital outreach for 4-H. In these roles, I’ve had the delight of meeting and working with such
compassionate and diverse individuals, from campers to Extension staff to community leaders.
Only a few weeks in, I already feel so much more connected to the county that I’ve called home
for the past two years, and I look forward to this continuing as summer progresses.

Now three weeks into my summer with Extension, I’m excited to continue educating myself and
my community about the things that matter most: lifelong learning, health and well-being and
our relationships with one another.