OSU Extension Internship Program «

¡Hola! My name is Flor Gaspar Marquez. This summer, I had the fantastic opportunity to intern with the Oregon State University Extension Service in Lincoln County, where I focused on SNAP-Ed and Family and Community Health. As I approach the end of my internship, I want to reflect on the experiences, the impact these past three months have had on me and the valuable lessons I have learned.

Flor Gaspar Marquez, OSU Extension intern in Lincoln County

When I started this internship, I outlined specific goals: improve my teaching and public speaking skills, learn more about nutrition and physical activity, and build connections with various communities. I remember my first day well. I felt both excited and nervous about speaking to large groups but ready to take on these new challenges. Looking back, I am proud of how much I have grown from being a shy intern to someone who now feels confident and capable.

During my internship, I participated in many diverse activities that enriched my experience. I was involved in the Farmers’ Market Tours, Food-Tasting events at DHS and WIC offices, and the Lincoln County Fair. I also worked with local kindergartens and camps, where my supervisors, Beatriz Botello and Jennifer Pettit, provided nutrition information while I led the physical activities. My different experiences have been rewarding and helped me develop many skills.

One of the highlights of my internship was working on two impactful programs: Walk with Ease and A Taste of Latin American Heritage. Walk with Ease is a program developed by the Arthritis Foundation that promotes daily walking to enhance joint flexibility, reduce pain, and improve overall health through gentle exercises. My goal for Walk with Ease was to lead the classes independently, and I am pleased to say I successfully achieved that. Leading a few classes on my own was a significant accomplishment and a major confidence booster for me.

The second program, “A Taste of Latin American Heritage,” focuses on teaching families about healthy eating with a focus on Latin American cuisine. This program highlights the rich, plant-based food traditions of Mexico, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Participants learned about nutrition and discovered simple, healthy cooking methods inspired by Latin American dishes. Presenting this program in Spanish, my native language, allowed me to connect deeply with the participants and share my cultural heritage.

We also started monthly Eating Well classes at the Newport Library. These classes include a cooking demonstration followed by a presentation on nutrition information and tips. Although I was initially nervous about presenting in English, with preparation and determination, I overcame this challenge and delivered the presentation successfully.

This internship has truly been one of the most enriching experiences of my life. It has equipped me with valuable skills and connections that will shape me into the kind of nurse I aspire to become. These opportunities are crucial for my growth and will help me become a skilled, knowledgeable nurse committed to serving and supporting my community. I look forward to carrying the lessons learned with me as I continue my journey.

Hi again! It feels like just yesterday I wrote my first blog, and I can’t believe I’m in my last week of my internship. My time with Oregon State University Extension Communications has been wonderful and I’ve learned so much.

Bella Brown at the Benton County Fair holding a 4-Hers rabbit.

This summer, outside of creating some social media content templates and content for Extension pubs and articles, I worked on a campaign and I’m very proud of my work. I was part of creating a campaign for emergency preparedness that me and another student worker worked together on to create Blossom the Beaver to present the campaign to the public on the OSU Extension flagship accounts. It was a lot of fun having the creative freedom for a project like this and getting experience in creating a campaign of my own was extremely educational.

One struggle I had to overcome in my internship was just how different it was working in an office everyday instead of outside doing physical labor like I’ve done most of my life. It took some adjusting to the different style of work but by the end of the summer I learned how to work in a different way than I was used to. My biggest takeaway from this internship was how much planning and work it takes to market and create content for such a large program. I learned how big OSU Extension really is in Oregon’s community, and I will certainly use the planning and collaboration skills I learned this summer in a future career.

Thank you to the Extension Communication’s team for teaching me so much!

Hello, my name is Yolanda, and this is my fourth summer interning with Oregon State University Extension Service. This summer I lead a Walk With Ease group in Nyssa. This allowed community members to engage in physical activity at least three times a week and socialize with their neighbors. The goal for starting Walk With Ease in our county was to reduce isolation rates among community members, increase physical activity and increase awareness of healthy habits. Group members also received Food Hero resources each session. Seeing community members across all age groups enjoy each other’s company as we walked each morning was rewarding. I am beyond proud of my group because everyone started by walking 10 minutes the first week and over the course of the summer have now built up to walking 30 minutes three days a week. Walk With Ease was a beneficial and engaging program I highly enjoyed teaching this summer.

Yolanda Diaz showing an individual the Food Hero website at the WIC farmer's market. — Yolanda Diaz showing an individual the Food Hero website at the WIC farmer’s market. Photo: Barbara Brody

While I’ve worked at farmers markets in the past, this year I had the opportunity to work at the WIC (Women, Infant, and Children) farmers market hosted by the Malheur County Health Department. At the WIC farmer’s market, I engaged with over 400 families sharing the Food Hero website and explaining the various features they can utilize. Majority of the families I spoke to were not aware of Food Hero and everyone found it to be a very helpful resource. It’s always a delight to use my bilingual skills to assist community members who often struggle to access resources due to a language barrier. I learned that the WIC farmers market is more than a place to buy produce or share resources. It’s also a place to connect with families and community members who share the same environment, celebrate common successes, and face similar challenges.

Malheur County ranks at a high rate of food insecurity and there is much effort from families who do their best to tackle this challenge. Being at farmers’ markets and teaching about healthy nutrition, easy access and low-cost recipes, is one way I’ve seen Malheur County Extension contribute to the prevention and recovery of food insecurity. Community outreach has been one of my favorite parts of my internship. Being from Malheur County, I deeply value the opportunity to engage with families, students and community members. It feels like a direct impact is being made, leading to positive development. I am most fortunate to have been able to serve Malheur County this summer and look forward to contributing to all the continued work there is to deliver.

Hello again,

My name is Tayleur Baker, and I am a 2024 Extension Communications Intern, based in Harney County. Throughout my internship this summer, I have been able to engage with the OSU Extension Communications team to create meaningful content for our communities. This pursuit led me to counties outside of my own to capture the heart and story of Extension across Eastern Oregon. The media pieces I created were in the realms of videography, photography, journalistic written word and social media engagement. I am passionate about all of these different communication areas and I was pleased to gain further experience to refine my skills.

Tayleur Baker holding a camera in the field. Photo: Tayluer Baker

My favorite part about this summer has been the opportunity to engage with others and make long lasting connections. Whether attending a day camp, receiving feedback from the communications team or engaging with a county virtually, connections were formed that made a positive impact on my life that I am extremely grateful for. Additionally, Extension truly does care about their employees and set me up for success and professional growth every day.

I would suggest this internship to anyone who is searching for a way to improve themselves in their communication skills while having fun doing it. Extension has a welcoming staff, a patient environment, and an atmosphere that fosters growth. This internship is not a job full of busy work for the youngest member of the team, but a position that encourages interns to discover how they can make the most out of their internship. They hand over the reins and give interns the opportunity to tailor their experience to be beneficial in determining their future. Additionally, amidst the duration of the internship, staff are continually encouraging, pouring into their interns, and supporting their projects because they wish to see them succeed. It is an amazing experience that I recommend all who can to engage in.

As I have only about two weeks left of my internship, my page is about to turn. In the fall, I will be returning to Oregon State University to study Speech Communication with a minor in Agriculture Science. It is my hope to use my voice to make a difference in the world around me and support the people along my path. I am committed to serving others in whatever position I may find myself in, and I am grateful for Extension showing me this commitment by example. Thank you, OSU Extension, for another great year and once again, go Beavs!

This summer with Oregon State University Extension has been so gratifying, growing my skills as a communicator, leader, and organizer. My name is Nyla Bennett and I’m closing out my internship at Wheeler County. I worked with the 4-H program over this summer, spearheading two 4-H county events and getting to be a part of multiple other large scale 4-H endeavors. When looking back on the goals I had set for both my personal development and community impact in this position, I am happy to say I achieved them.

Nyla Bennett at 4-H field day with two sheep and one goat — Nyla Bennett at 4-H field day. Photo: Miesha Bennett

For my first goal, I wanted to bring educational opportunities to the rural youth in our county that they would not otherwise get to experience. Being part of 4-H myself when I was younger, I recognize how important this program is to introduce a wider variety of topics to kids and communities. The events I spearheaded achieved that, the first was our county wide 4-H field day. I chose classes, communicated with workshop teachers, organized class schedules and then led icebreakers, games and taught a class at the event. The field day set 4-H’ers up for success with their current projects, and introduced them to potential project interests. We had classes on photography, archery, rope halter making, ice cream science and so much more.

The other event I arranged was our Wheeler County Cloverbud Day Camps. This two-day event is something I’m incredibly proud of. The pre-K through third grade kids were fascinated with the workshops we offered, and had whole-hearted enthusiasm for every activity. I planned curriculums for interactive classes with topics such as “Wheat Ag”, “Chicken Anatomy” and “Buoyancy” that the younger age group could understand and engage with. I created the schedule, advertised, and worked with my supervisor to create this amazing, free event. Being able to bring youth together so they can learn and grow is so important to me and I’m glad I was able to be a part of these activities.

One aspect of this position I was excited for was getting to work with a variety of people in ever changing situations and settings. In my past jobs I generally stayed within set areas for predictable things. However, working in this position I was often thrown into new situations that tested my skills and pushed me to grow. For example, one day I was asked to teach a class in Mitchell. I had two days to prepare, then I traveled there and taught a pollinator class that introduced the students to bees’ effect on agriculture and robotics. I was given the responsibility of representing Wheeler County Extension on my own and this experience, along with others like it, strengthened my abilities to quickly organize and execute a plan.

Being an Oregon State University Extension intern in Wheeler County has been everything I wanted and more. I want to thank my supervisor, Amy Derby, for guiding and supporting me. Through this position I have grown my skills, tested my abilities, and brought opportunities to the community I cherish.

Hello again! My name is Chris Vasquez and I interned for the Oregon State University Extension Service this summer in Deschutes County, specializing in SNAP-Ed and horticulture. I am going into my third year at Oregon State University where I will be studying biohealth sciences with a minor in public health on the pre-pharmacy track.

Chris Vasquez teaches Food Hero recipes to resident at Bethlehem Inn Shelter for Homeless Individuals. Photo:Michaela Twarog

I grew up in Central Oregon and was extraordinarily fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the Extension Service in my home community. I decided to intern with OSU Extension this summer because I wanted to become more directly involved with my local community and more clearly understand populations I am not as experienced with. This internship taught me a lot about directly helping communities which I believe will extraordinarily benefit me in my future career endeavors. Since my last blog post, I have been productively busy with several side projects, online projects, and events. One highlight was our work with Bethlehem Inn where we taught cooking classes to homeless individuals. I could work directly with a community I was not as familiar with, a major goal I attempted to reach throughout this internship. Another highlight was the 2024 Deschutes County Garden Tour where I was able to help with tabling and guiding visitors to be more involved with the typically unfamiliar gardening community. I have also found myself working in our on-site demonstration garden, making Food Hero TikTok educational videos, attending local farmer’s markets, handing out recipes and samples at a mobile food pantry, volunteering in our plant clinic and finishing our Walk With Ease lessons at the senior center. The diversity in activities I have endured this summer allows me to leave with a strong sense of accomplishment I have been striving towards throughout my educational career. Throughout these endeavors, I have also learned to somewhat overcome my fear of public speaking. Through teaching opportunities, I have become comfortable with voicing my opinion and taking a leadership role in group dynamics. I feel that the work I have completed here will shape who I am for the rest of my professional life and inspire me to continue my community engagement efforts, as I am beyond fortunate for the opportunities presented to me during this internship.

Hello again! I am Georgette Brewer, and this is my second blog of my summer internship this year at the Oregon State University’s Extension Office in Lincoln County. I have been working currently for over seven weeks in the intern position and I can say that I have had a pleasurable experience this summer!

Georgette Brewer leading a 4-H project. Photo: Shelley Spangler

I was most looking forward to getting a look at the job field, what it looks like and giving me an idea of what I would get out of the experience. I can say that Extension Services did not hold back with the number of things there are available for people to engage in with others. I realized that there was more than I had expected outside of 4-H subjects I knew like archery and raising animals, such as cooking, gardening, photography and more. Thus far, I have been a part of the prepping stages of the State Shooting Sports Contest, the county fair and STEAM Summer Camp during the summer. I can say that I have been more than happy with the internship so far. It was entertaining to play a part in such a large community-held fair that I have been to a lot as I grew up, or to help with the preparation of the shooting sports state contest for the year 2024.

However, a struggle that I recognize I have is taking initiative in situations. It usually takes me a while to get into the groove of certain things and I know that it is something I can improve on. To make myself a better employee and intern for not just this job, but any others that I may have in the future. A key takeaway that I have of my experience this summer is that it was a wild ride. There were so many things to help with and do that I did not have much time to sit still. I am still thankful that I was able to do something with my hands that would help prevent that. A piece of knowledge I hope to use later from my time in this position would be the experience itself. This job had taught me job manners, or how to behave, along with the mindset it requires for one to work proficiently. My project is something that I have changed many times, trying to find what sticks. Going from just organizing files and supplies, to other ideas that I was not sure had fit. I felt that I could do more and my mind wandered to other subjects I have an interest in. One of the topics my mind drifted to was Forensic Science and Animal Science immediately. With a little brainstorming with my 4-H instructor, Shelley Spangler, I had produced something for my project that both aligned with my interests and could potentially be used for a game to identify things in nature.

Hi, my name is Heidi Moran and I have been an Oregon State University Extension intern in Union County intern. This summer was extremely busy but filled with so many incredible experiences! During my internship I mainly worked with 4-H and our Iron Chef cooking class through our Snap-Ed and 4-H programs. Before starting this internship, I was extremely involved in 4-H for nine years and my summers were always filled with many 4-H activities. As an intern I have enjoyed being able to work for 4-H and see all of the work and time that goes into putting on all of these summer 4-H events. Some of the events I helped prepare for were Eastern Oregon Livestock Show, Tri County 4-H Camp, Union County Fair, and preparation for the Oregon State Fair.

Heidi Moran, Lena Wheeling at Tri County 4-H Camp. Photo: Katie Hauser

One of the major 4-H events I helped with this summer was the Union County Fair. There is a lot of preparation work and behind the scenes work that goes into fair. The weeks leading up to fair I helped prepare exhibitor packets, clerk books and many other projects that were needed to be finished before fair began. During our pre-fair week, I clerked and helped out at the horse show. During fair I was able to clerk all of the livestock shows, help in our Oregon State Extension booth, and help prepare for the awards program. Even though it was a busy week at fair, it was fun being able to work at the fairgrounds and seeing 4-H members enjoying the fair.
Leading up to the Oregon State Fair I spent many hours preparing exhibits to be sent to Salem. I tagged all of the items, made sure that all of the exhibits had all of the necessary paperwork, and packaged them so they could safely to travel down to State Fair. It was a lot of work and took a long time but I enjoyed seeing the projects that kids had worked on all year and preparing them for State Fair.
This summer I also had the opportunity to work with our Iron Chef cooking class through the Snap-Ed program. Every Wednesday during the classes I helped make sure the kids were being responsible in the kitchen. The last class was a competition to see who could make the best one pot skillet meal. Kids were given the opportunity to be creative with what protein, grain, vegetable and sauce they were going to use in their skillet. I was asked if I would be one of the three judges for the competition. I enjoyed being able to see how creative some of the kids got with their skillets and how their cooking skills had improved over the course of the classes.
This internship has been an incredible experience. I was able to learn and grow from working with Extension. This internship has been a highlight of my summer the last two years and I am hoping to be able to do it again next summer. I am grateful for all of the experiences and relationships I was able to build this summer!

Hello! My name is Riley Hampton. This summer I served as the 4-H Intern for Oregon State Extension in Umatilla County. I am super grateful for my time working with OSU Extension this year. This summer has been full of amazing and fun work.
This summer internship was bookended by two fairs. At the beginning of the summer, I was able to help with our very first pre-fair, where exhibitors were able to compete in food contests, public speaking, fashion revue and more. This, being the first pre-fair for Umatilla County, was a learning experience for all and I am very proud of how it turned out.

4-H Club member eating a blue cupcake at Cupcake Wars — 4-H Club member at Cupcake Wars. Photo: Riley Hampton

During the week of pre-fair, I was able to lead Cloverbud Camp, a day camp for young 4-H members. The activities I designed were made with learning and doing in mind. Cloverbuds learned about plants and plant care while taking home their very own hanging plant. They learned about soil profiles at snack time, participated in a science experiment that resulted in their very own lava lamp and they created art that they were then able to turn into fair. Overall, I am very proud of my work with pre-fair and Cloverbud Camp.
With pre-fair over, focus now shifted to the Umatilla County Fair. But before we could devote too much time to the week, there were a few more competitions that needed our attention. After nine years of being an active 4-H member, this was my first year ever seeing 4-H dog show, horse showmanship and shooting sports!
Now, finally, the big one. Umatilla County Fair took place publicly from August 7th to the 10th. However, the fair truly began far before the 7th. Throughout the week, I strove to help in any way I could. This allowed me to really see what it takes to run a fair after participating in them for so long. I have a newfound respect for all those who understand the work it takes to organize an event of this size.
Genuinely, this summer has been amazing. I have had such a good time working as an OSU Extension Intern and I hope to continue this experience in the years to come. So, goodbye for now, and happy end-of-summer to all!

Holis! My name is Jazmin Contreras, and my time as the intern for the Oregon State University Extension Service in Hood River is coming to an end. This past summer has been incredible, from spending time with the amazing Extension staff, to getting to know community partners and going to Mexico again after 5 years. This summer has been beyond memorable.

A collection of images from Jazmin's internship — A collection of images from Jazmin’s internship

Since my last blog, I continued assisting with summer camp programming which was a lot of fun. On one occasion, our smoothie bike refused to smoothie (blend) and rather than be able to teach our campers the perks of a healthy smoothie, we taught them a valuable lesson in perseverance. I was very determined to get the smoothie bike to work and three calls to my supervisor and lots of pumping later, we were finally blending.

Another major component was my continued tabling. I tabled El Mercado del Valle, a back-to-school resource fair and the Hood River Latino Festival. My favorite part of tabling was being able to give my community smoke and air quality information as it became more and more pertinent to the current wildfire and smoke conditions in the Gorge. It felt rewarding to be able to give the information in Spanish to those that work in agriculture and tend to be exposed to smoke the most. Tabling alone, although nerve racking, allowed me to see my place within this community and this field of work. I am no longer just on the receiving end, I have the power to participate and facilitate change too.

The bulk of my time in this latter part of my internship has been spent on the research and writing of the 2025 Columbia Gorge Food Security Assessment background pieces. This experience really challenged my ability to self-direct and manage complex, open-ended tasks. I learned to persevere beyond my frustrations with the Bureau of Labor Statistics website and how to write and research topics that are very personal and emotional for me. This internship is not long enough for me to follow this assessment to completion, but I couldn’t be more grateful to be able to contribute to it.

While I don’t know exactly where life will take me after this, I hope it returns me to this type of work once again in my life. I hope that one day I can come back to answer all of the questions left unanswered in the food security assessment. In the meantime, I will return to Lewis & Clark College to start my third year of college. This upcoming semester, I hope to participate in the fall musical, present at the Race Monologues and begin taking classes towards my data science minor. In the spring, I will be studying abroad in Prague where I hope to take part in the International Economics and Finance Certification Program. I realize I have a very long road ahead, but as I head into the future, I will forever carry a sense of inspiration from the work I was able to partake in at OSU Extension.

Con mucho amor,
Jazmin Contreras <3

OSU Extension Internship Program

Extension intern shares impactful programming with communities

Extension Communications intern works on campaign for emergency preparedness

Connecting communities and promoting health in Malheur County

OSU Extension intern makes long lasting connections

OSU Extension internship strengthens skills and creates opportunity

OSU Extension internship shapes professional career

Extension intern’s summer experience spans from archery to animals

Long time 4-Her wraps up summer as Extension intern

Extension intern reflects on summer of fairs

OSU Extension intern finds inspiration in Hood River

Contact Info