Social Media « OSU Extension Internship Program

Hello! My name is Aspen Bowling, and I am currently in week five of my summer internship with the OSU Extension Service in Clatsop County. This fall, I will be entering my fourth year at Oregon State University, where I am pursuing a degree in agricultural science with a minor in agricultural and natural resource communications. This is my second summer interning with OSU Extension, and returning has given me the opportunity to continue building on the experiences and skills I gained last year.

Aspen holds up an Oregon State University pennant; Go Beavs! Photo: Cayden Pricolo

One of the most valuable parts of this internship has been seeing the broad scope of OSU Extension and learning how many different programs work together to serve our communities. Before joining OSU Extension, I knew very little about everything it offered. Over the past two summers, I have had the opportunity to work with programs such as 4-H Youth Development, Master Gardener, Small Farms and Oregon Sea Grant. Each program has a unique mission, but they all share the common goal of providing research– based education and resources that improve the lives of Oregonians.

Throughout the internship, I have been able to take part in many hands– on experiences that have helped me better understand OSU Extension’s impact. I have participated in dock walks with Oregon Sea Grant, where we educated the public about seafood and commercial fishing industries. I have been able to represent Extension at local farmers’ markets, helping answer questions about soil and connect community members with available programs and resources. I have also volunteered at local food pantries through the Family and Community Health program, where we helped distribute healthy food information and educational materials to families. I have also had the opportunity to help with several youth activities through 4-H, which has been one of my favorite parts of the summer.

Aspen asks questions to a cloverbud participant regarding her home economics project. Photo: Alisabeth Ogier

One of the highlights of my internship so far was serving as a judge for the 4-H Home Economics Skills Contest. It was inspiring to watch the youth demonstrate their knowledge, creativity and confidence while showcasing the skills they have developed through 4-H. Seeing the pride they took in their work reminded me of the positive impact Extension programs have on young people and how these experiences help build lifelong skills. It was rewarding to play a small role in encouraging and recognizing their hard work.

Returning for a second summer has also allowed me to strengthen my skills in social media management, graphic design, photography, educational outreach and communication. As I prepare to enter my fourth year of college, this internship has reinforced my passion for agriculture, communications and community education. It has shown me how OSU Extension connects university research with local communities while creating opportunities for people of all ages to learn and grow. I am grateful to continue learning from the dedicated faculty, staff, volunteers and community partners in Clatsop County, and I look forward to making the most of the rest of my internship.

Hello again! My name is Aspen Bowling, and I am currently getting ready to go into my third
year at Oregon State University. As I enter the final few weeks of my internship with the Oregon
State University Extension Service in Clatsop County, I’ve had time to reflect on all that I’ve
learned, the connections I’ve made and the meaningful work I’ve been fortunate to be part of.
From hands-on experience with local programs to helping at one of the county’s biggest annual
events, this internship has given me a deeper appreciation for community-based education,
agriculture and wellness.

OSU Extension intern, Aspen Bowling, snaps a photo of livestock showmen at the Clatsop County Fair. Photo: Aspen Bowling

One of the highlights of this half of my internship was attending the Joy of Gardening
Conference in Corvallis in July. This event brought together Master Gardeners, educators and
plant lovers from across the state to learn, connect and grow. I had the chance to sit in on
fascinating workshops, meet new faces and expand my knowledge of sustainable gardening
practices. Being part of a space where people were so passionate about sharing information
and building stronger garden communities was incredibly inspiring. Back here in Clatsop
County, I’ve continued supporting the OSU Master Gardener Program by helping with
educational events, prepping materials and working alongside volunteers who are committed
to teaching others how to grow food and care for the environment. It’s been a great experience
seeing how this program connects people of all ages and backgrounds. This summer, I also had
the opportunity to get creative with some digital media production. I’ve been involved in
everything from photography and graphic design to helping manage social media posts that
promote events and share the story of Extension’s work. While much of this happens behind
the scenes, it’s a big part of how Extension reaches wider audiences and keeps the community
informed and engaged. I’ve enjoyed learning how to blend creativity with communication to
support outreach and education.

One of the most meaningful parts of my internship was working at the Clatsop County Fair. Not
only was it exciting to be involved in the planning and support side like helping with 4-H events,
capturing moments through photography and being part of the team, but it also brought back
personal memories from when I was in 4-H myself. Walking through the barns and seeing youth
proudly show their animals reminded me of my own experiences growing up. It was truly
inspiring to see today’s 4-H members building confidence, learning responsibility and creating
the same kinds of lasting memories that shaped me. Being there reminded me of how impactful
those moments are and how important it is to keep supporting the next generation. Lastly, I’ve
continued working with the Family and Community Health program, assisting with outreach
and learning more about wellness education and nutrition resources. I have continued
participating in the Mobile Produce pantries, and it is still just as rewarding to see that program
firsthand. This work really showed me how Extension touches every part of community life,
from gardens to kitchens to classrooms.

With just a few weeks left, I’m grateful for everything this internship has taught me. I’ve grown
professionally, gained new skills and met so many inspiring people who are passionate about
helping others. It’s been an incredible season of growth for both the community and for me.

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.

Hi there! My name is Emily Killebrew! Next year at Western Oregon University, I will have
completed my business major, with a concentration in marketing and minors in
communications studies and English studies. I am exploring career options that may be
humanitarian, marketing and/or writing. This program will help me learn more about myself
and gain more experience in my passions, such as working with photos and sharing the
memories those photos contain. Finding the best photos that have perfect clarity is a value I
keep when posting on social media. After all, they say photos are worth more than a thousand
words.

Emily Killebrew snaps photos of the Marion County meat goat showmanship class at the Marion County Fair. Photo: Elvira Alvarez

I used to work with Jared Hibbard-Swanson and Emily Griffith at the Marion and Polk County
Food Share Youth Farm every Friday for the summer after my freshman year of high school. We
transformed a big pile of mulch with pitch forks into a mulch path between the south crop
beds, took care of and harvested the plants that grew on the farm and we made lunch out of
our harvest. Overall, it was fun and rewarding.

One of my main goals for this summer is to verbally communicate in a way that relays the
message intended for another person to receive. As an external thinker, I struggle to think
before I speak, use intentional words and get to the point. I would like for others not to be
offended by me on accident and for me to speak more professionally.

The Oregon State University Extension Service in Marion County is in need of county
awareness. This summer I will join events and projects that the Marion County Extension Office
Outreach Coordinators oversee. I will ask many questions about their work and how they
communicate, present and edit outreach style posts on the OSU Extension Service, Marion
County Facebook page and hopefully create an Instagram account to reach younger audiences
in hopes to increase public awareness overall.

So far, I have begun organizing the Marion County Box photo folder that has photos previously
taken by the Marion County Extension Service Staff. I traveled with Collins Bugingo to the Grass
Seed and Mint Grower Fields in the outskirts of Salem and into Silverton. And I have walked
around the warm, noisy livestock pens and the cool, calm Columbia Building tables at the
Marion County fair (as shown in the photo). Finally, I have begun posting on the Marion
County Facebook Page for the Marion County fair, and soon I will begin posting subjects related
to the outings I have been and will be a part of.

Thank you for taking me aboard. I am looking forward to getting to know the Marion County
staff and being a part of varied events this summer!

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!

Farm Camp campers take on the task of making strawberry jam with the help of the Lane County Extension’s Master Food Preservation program. Photo: Jordan Bethel

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.

Hi, I am Cydney Stables and this is my last week as an intern for the OSU Extension Communications office. As I am wrapping up the last week of my internship, I have taken some time to think about all the amazing opportunities this summer has provided me. Throughout this journey, I have learned a number of life skills that not only relate directly to my majors but also to any career path I choose to take.

During my internship, I had the opportunity to rotate among four teams in the Extension communications office: news and public issues, marketing, web and content strategy and publishing. While each team brought a new perspective to the overall outlook of the Extension communications department, I also had the opportunity to complete new and exciting tasks.

Some of my favorite projects this summer included:

Traveling across the state to explore county Extension offices.
Writing and publishing a news release.
Developing a 4-H postcard, brochure and templates.
Adding publications to the Extension website.
Creating and conducting an activity to help Extension with web organization.
Formatting the main Extension website topic pages.
Creating a social media plan to promote publications.
Editing various web articles.
Voting on my favorite T-shirt design to use as promotional material.

4-H instructional sheet template designed by Cydney Stables.

This list may seem long but there have been so many other tasks that have taught me new things, brought me out of my comfort zone, and helped me learn tips and tricks for my future success.

While working towards all of these goals, I also had the opportunity to work with interns in county offices on their blog posts. By reading each post I felt like I experienced an even broader perspective of the work Extension programs do. Being the intern for central Extension communications has provided me with an outlook on Extension from a new perspective.

My internship overall has been a great learning experience. By rotating among the different communications teams, I had the opportunity to learn a wide variety of skills including problem solving, seeking out advice, using outside resources, thinking outside the box, as well as drafting and revising.

I have had the opportunity to develop great connections among each employee in the office and work with different teams, different personalities, work environments and new and exciting tasks.

I have seen the hierarchy it takes to run a strong outreach organization and while leaders are important, every member of every office is just as important. Extension needs a communications network to bring the actions and efforts of county employees to the eyes of legislators while communicators need county employees to do the work and perform the outreach.

Instagram post for nutrition publication designed by Cydney Stables.

From traveling around that state at the beginning of my internship – seeing the day-to-day functions of county Extension employees – to working on central communications teams and even meeting important program leaders my internship has provided me with a well-rounded outlook of the tiered functionality of the Extension program in the state of Oregon. Growing up in Yamhill County I had the opportunity to call the Extension 4-H program home and I hope to someday work, volunteer or participate in the outreach of Extension, now and into the future.

I would like to thank all of the people I have had the opportunity to work with. It has been amazing to see how each team functions to bring together the value of Extension as a whole. Every individual is important in making an impact on the public, educating youths, connecting communities and empowering individuals. This internship has shown me what the purpose of Extension truly is from all levels. I have developed a great appreciation for county workers who assisted me in all my years through the 4-H program, for legislators and county commissioners who allocate the funding to support impactful programs, and for volunteers, staff, and faculty whose purpose it is to serve our communities.

Hello everyone!

This is my second-to-last week interning for OSU Extension Service this summer. The summer has gone by so quickly and I am sad to see this experience come to an end. I came into this internship with some experience coordinating social media for SNAP-Ed’s Food Hero Program but ended up learning so much more than just scheduling and posting content.

Eradicating powdery mildew Instagram graphic I made using information from an Extension Ask an Expert question.

Throughout my internship, I have been able to meet with different social media coordinators from other Extension programs and was taught many new skills and strategies for reaching Extension’s audience. I enjoyed the process of brainstorming content to share across our social media platforms and learning more about which types of graphics and posts receive more engagement. Looking at our platform’s analytics to track engagement and audience reach, I found it very helpful when determining what and when to post our content. While my work for Extension Communications largely focused on content development, I thoroughly enjoyed learning and seeing how Extension is impacting the community through other Extension counties’ social media and hearing about programs from summer interns. One of the projects I was excited to see finished was launching OSU Extension’s Instagram account. This was a longer process than I originally thought but I was very pleased with how much support and help I received with the start of the account. Although I am finishing my internship in a week, I am eager to see the growth of the account in months to come. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out!

Before my internship, I did not know a lot about what resources and Extension has for the community. But, through researching and brainstorming content for our platforms, I was quickly introduced to an abundance of resources and programs Extension has to offer. My favorite thing I learned is how Extension has something for everyone. Whether you are a home gardener, commercial farmer, youth in 4-H, a fisherman, etc … there is helpful information for anyone. OSU Extension is seriously a go-to resource for Oregonians and is significantly impacting the community through research-based information. Our community would not be the same without the work Extension provides for our counties. If you have not gotten to be involved with Extension, I encourage you to join a program or visit our website to learn how Extension can serve your needs.

While I am hoping to pursue a career in the medical field I hope to stay involved with Extension, whether it be volunteering or maybe working with Extension’s nutrition education programs I am confident that this internship will not be my last experience with Extension’s work. This experience taught me so much and I cannot be more grateful for the opportunity I had with the Extension Communications office.

Hello, my name is Angeleen (Leen) Somoza. I’m 21 years old and I have two younger identical twin siblings: Happy and Shai. We live with my mom in Astoria, Oregon, and I’m doing my summer internship at the Oregon State University Extension Service office in Clatsop County. I’m currently finishing my associate degree, with a major in biology, at Clatsop Community College. I’m very excited and enthused to have this opportunity to work with OSU Extension.

My favorite subjects include anthropology, biology, mathematics, psychology, sociology and religious philosophy. I aspire to be research biologist, but I also just crave experiences and to try everything. I just want to learn from my surroundings. I enjoy knowledge and structure.

My impression of Extension in Clatsop County before I started was that it was in a small office in a big building with programs such as Master Gardeners, 4-H, and fisheries. It was where I applied – and won – a Master Gardener’s scholarship in my senior year of high school in 2017.

View of Astoria and the mouth of the Columbia River.

In my Extension internship, I’ve been working with Lindsay Davis, administrative office manager and local liaison for Clatsop County Extension. I’ve been doing case studies on small businesses in Astoria from a psychological and sociological aspect. I then create social media posts, blogs and other things they need to communicate to other businesses.

I’ve become a social media “consultant” for OSU Extension in Clatson County. I meet with Joyce Senior Angulo, who works in Extension’s Family and Community Heath and SNAP-Ed programs, the Latinx/Latino Club at Clatsop Community College, and may other things. Joyce has me being a fly on the wall, so to speak, during the Latinx meetings on Mondays and she’s available whenever I have questions and concerns.

At the same time, I’m working with Lindsay with two small businesses in Astoria – Finn Ware and Forsythea. We recently had our assessment needs meetings with both businesses and we’re planning to do a few different things in social media case studies.

In the short time of working with Extension, I have felt that doing one’s research is extremely import to the Extension office. The research they’re doing is impacting the community in many ways that we as the residents are not aware of – even though most of us participate in the activities that Extension offers, such as the Clatsop County Fair, and many other events. It is very eye-opening as an Astorian and an Oregonian.

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