{"id":1997,"date":"2026-07-24T09:19:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T16:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/?p=1997"},"modified":"2026-07-24T09:24:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T16:24:07","slug":"osu-extension-intern-returns-to-support-a-variety-of-extension-programs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/2026\/07\/24\/osu-extension-intern-returns-to-support-a-variety-of-extension-programs\/","title":{"rendered":"OSU Extension intern returns to support a variety of OSU Extension programs"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u00a0<\/span>agricultural and natural resource communications<\/span>. This is my second summer interning with\u00a0<\/span>OSU\u00a0<\/span>Extension, and returning has given me the opportunity to continue building on the experiences and skills I gained last year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n \"\"\n
Aspen holds up an Oregon State University pennant; Go Beavs! Photo: Cayden Pricolo<\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n

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\u00a0<\/span>OSU<\/span>\u00a0Extension, I knew\u00a0<\/span>very little<\/span>\u00a0about 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\u00a0<\/span>Farms<\/span>\u00a0and Oregon Sea Grant. Each program has a unique mission, but they all share the common goal of providing research<\/span><\/span>–<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>based education and resources that improve the lives of Oregonians.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout the internship, I have been able to take part in many hands<\/span><\/span>–<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>on experiences that have helped me better understand\u00a0<\/span>OSU\u00a0<\/span>Extension’s impact. I have\u00a0<\/span>participated<\/span>\u00a0in dock walks with Oregon Sea Grant, where we educated the public about seafood and commercial fishing industries. I have been able to\u00a0<\/span>represent<\/span>\u00a0Extension 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.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n \"\"\n
Aspen asks questions to a cloverbud participant regarding her home economics project. Photo: Alisabeth Ogier<\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n

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<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>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.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Returning for a second summer has also allowed me to strengthen my skills in social media management, graphic design, photography, educational\u00a0<\/span>outreach<\/span>\u00a0and communication. As I\u00a0<\/span>prepare<\/span>\u00a0to enter my fourth year of college, this internship has reinforced my passion for agriculture,\u00a0<\/span>communications<\/span>\u00a0and 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,\u00a0<\/span>volunteers<\/span>\u00a0and community partners in Clatsop County, and I look forward to making the most of the rest of my internship.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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\u00a0agricultural and natural resource communications.… 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":[9,49,15,38,39,37,50],"tags":[298],"class_list":["post-1997","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-4-h","category-clatsop-county","category-family-and-community-health","category-master-gardener","category-sea-grant","category-small-farms","category-social-media","tag-aspen-bowling"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1997","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=1997"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1997\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2004,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1997\/revisions\/2004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}