{"id":1788,"date":"2025-08-22T08:48:23","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T15:48:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/?p=1788"},"modified":"2025-08-29T12:53:33","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T19:53:33","slug":"osu-extension-intern-embraces-growth-and-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/2025\/08\/22\/osu-extension-intern-embraces-growth-and-community\/","title":{"rendered":"OSU Extension intern embraces growth and community"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello again! My name is Aspen Bowling, and I am currently getting ready to go into my third
\nyear at Oregon State University. As I enter the final few weeks of my internship with the Oregon
\nState University Extension Service in Clatsop County, I\u2019ve had time to reflect on all that I\u2019ve
\nlearned, the connections I\u2019ve made and the meaningful work I\u2019ve been fortunate to be part of.
\nFrom hands-on experience with local programs to helping at one of the county\u2019s biggest annual
\nevents, this internship has given me a deeper appreciation for community-based education,
\nagriculture and wellness.<\/p>\n

\n \"\"\n
OSU Extension intern, Aspen Bowling, snaps a photo of livestock showmen at the Clatsop County Fair. Photo: Aspen Bowling<\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n

One of the highlights of this half of my internship was attending the Joy of Gardening
\nConference in Corvallis in July. This event brought together Master Gardeners, educators and
\nplant lovers from across the state to learn, connect and grow. I had the chance to sit in on
\nfascinating workshops, meet new faces and expand my knowledge of sustainable gardening
\npractices. Being part of a space where people were so passionate about sharing information
\nand building stronger garden communities was incredibly inspiring. Back here in Clatsop
\nCounty, I\u2019ve continued supporting the OSU Master Gardener Program by helping with
\neducational events, prepping materials and working alongside volunteers who are committed
\nto teaching others how to grow food and care for the environment. It\u2019s been a great experience
\nseeing how this program connects people of all ages and backgrounds. This summer, I also had
\nthe opportunity to get creative with some digital media production. I\u2019ve been involved in
\neverything from photography and graphic design to helping manage social media posts that
\npromote events and share the story of Extension\u2019s work. While much of this happens behind
\nthe scenes, it\u2019s a big part of how Extension reaches wider audiences and keeps the community
\ninformed and engaged. I\u2019ve enjoyed learning how to blend creativity with communication to
\nsupport outreach and education.<\/p>\n

One of the most meaningful parts of my internship was working at the Clatsop County Fair. Not
\nonly was it exciting to be involved in the planning and support side like helping with 4-H events,
\ncapturing moments through photography and being part of the team, but it also brought back
\npersonal memories from when I was in 4-H myself. Walking through the barns and seeing youth
\nproudly show their animals reminded me of my own experiences growing up. It was truly
\ninspiring to see today\u2019s 4-H members building confidence, learning responsibility and creating
\nthe same kinds of lasting memories that shaped me. Being there reminded me of how impactful
\nthose moments are and how important it is to keep supporting the next generation. Lastly, I\u2019ve
\ncontinued working with the Family and Community Health program, assisting with outreach
\nand learning more about wellness education and nutrition resources. I have continued
\nparticipating in the Mobile Produce pantries, and it is still just as rewarding to see that program
\nfirsthand. This work really showed me how Extension touches every part of community life,
\nfrom gardens to kitchens to classrooms.<\/p>\n

With just a few weeks left, I\u2019m grateful for everything this internship has taught me. I\u2019ve grown
\nprofessionally, gained new skills and met so many inspiring people who are passionate about
\nhelping others. It\u2019s been an incredible season of growth for both the community and for me.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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\u2019ve had time to reflect on all that I\u2019ve learned, the connections… Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14884,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,49,15,38,50],"tags":[298],"class_list":["post-1788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-4-h","category-clatsop-county","category-family-and-community-health","category-master-gardener","category-social-media","tag-aspen-bowling"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14884"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1788"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1788\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1810,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1788\/revisions\/1810"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}