A different kind of classroom

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to attend class absent of other students and a lecturing professor? Take away tests, papers and homework assignments that not only stress you out, but can destroy your sleep schedule. Internships give you the opportunity to learn in a different type of classroom setting. While the work element will never be eliminated from earning credits to complete graduation requirements, there is a way to switch up your traditional classroom.

This fall semester, I have been given the opportunity to gain experience in the field of public relations by completing an internship at the University of Kentucky Agricultural Communications Services. I’m constantly on my toes with different assignments that I am responsible for.  I still have deadlines, responsibilities and expectations from my supervisors, but they are right there to guide me every step of the way. I have great role models who help me any way that they can, whether they help answer questions that I have or take the time of their day to teach me a new skill. Every single day is a brand new experience.

I have been able to step out of my comfort zone and do things that I never imagined would be possible as a student. So far I have been given the opportunity to write news stories, edit radio recordings and I even experienced getting to interview individuals at the Career Fair for a video production. Along with the other intern, Breanna, we will work on editing the video production and watch the project transform from start to finish. It’s a type of curriculum that helps me practice all of the skills that I learned in required courses that I once thought I would never use again.

Interning in an area of your interest is the key to getting the most out of an internship. Just like any future career, if you don’t enjoy it today, you will most likely not enjoy that career many years down the road. Getting to walk into the office and take on different daily tasks at Ag Communications keeps everyday interesting. No filling up empty mugs with dark coffee, running errands or copying large amounts of material are considered as my daily tasks. I’m getting real hands on experience.  

I enjoy being able to get a feel for the light at the end of the tunnel after enduring a lot of courses during the past three years. Don’t take for granted any opportunity to learn. This internship has proven to me that you will never stop learning, even after you graduate.

Keep in mind that you will be graduating with many individuals who will be going after the same goals as you. What will you do to set yourself apart? Internships provide you the skills that many of your fellow peers may not have. They are work, but internships are the key to the door of opportunity that you have been working so hard for. I’m glad I took this great opportunity, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the semester has in store for me! 

 Amber is a senior from Springfield, Kentucky.  She is a Community Leadership & Development major and is involved in Alpha Zeta.  She will graduate in May 2013.

Internships: That Extra Push

Internships. This word can bring many emotions:  excitement, uncertainness, and anxiety. 

With today’s job market becoming more and more competitive, having an internship on your resume can give you the extra push you may need to land that dream job.  Some people also get the benefit of working for the company they interned with. The best way to start looking for internships is to attend a career fair, just like the one coming up this month at Good Barn. (Note: The UK Ag Career Fair will be held on Tuesday, October 23 from 12 Noon- 4 PM at the E.S. Good Barn.)  Companies come prepared to look for possible interns when they visit college campuses and the representatives are great sources of information. Not only can they tell you about the company, but they can also tell you how they themselves got their current jobs. 

The next place to look is your inbox. The Office of Academic Programs and Advising Resource Center send out numerous emails about companies looking for interns, extension opportunities, and job openings. The UK Career Center also sends out notices.  Some days, I see these emails and they head straight for the trash! (Which I’m sure most of us have been guilty of doing) So, on my search for internships for this upcoming summer, I have been paying more attention to my inbox. Want to get a lot of different intern options? Your advisor and professors are another great resource! They have made connections not only while they were job searching, but also while they have been working for the University! 

Now that you have all of these different intern options, it is time to narrow your search. My personal goal is to have my top internships picked out by Thanksgiving and I will apply to them by Christmas, but you can apply all throughout the spring semester too! Just make sure you know the deadlines to your top picks.  

 I have a few main things I look for while searching for internships. This first is the job type. I would love to do public relations or marketing for an agriculture company. I really enjoy working with people and would love the opportunity to work with producers across the state or country. The second thing I look for is location. I would like to either work for a company within the state of Kentucky or work out West. Getting to explore the area and learn about the people would be half the fun! What company I will be working for is another selling point. I would like to work for John Deere, Monsanto, or Syngenta, but my options are always open. Lastly, I look at whether or not it is paid. Yes, this is point some students forget until they have already gone through the application process. If you are looking for your internship to also be your summer job, make sure you read the fine print. 

Remember to breathe and don’t forget that everyone in the College of Agriculture is here to help you on your search to find an internship you will love! 

 Kellie is studying Agricultural Economics.  She is from Hodgensville, KY.  She is involved in UK Ag Student Council, Agribusiness Club, and is an Ag Ambassador.   

Calling All Employable Students!

All college students have one thing in common: they want a job when they graduate.  

 But not just any job- they want THE job.  They want the one that jump starts their career and takes them wherever it is that they want to go.  Unfortunately, many of college students are not sure where to look in order to find THE job.  In all actuality, they may not even be sure what field they want to enter.  

Never fear, fellow students, there is hope for those of us who are unsure what field we want to enter or where to look for our dream jobs!  There is an opportunity that comes here, to campus, in order to help you find what you are searching for.  Each fall, the College of Agriculture holds a Career Fair, in which representatives from different agricultural fields come to tell you about the opportunities their businesses can offer you as an employee.  These career fairs give students the opportunity to learn about many different industries, career options, and internship options all at the same time.  This semester, the fall College of Agriculture Career Fair will be held on Tuesday, October 23^rd, from 12:00-4:00 pm in the E.S. Good Barn.  All students are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity!

Before you head out to the career fair, it is important to remember a few things.  You are an investment to an employer, and they will choose the best investment.  Prove you are that investment by following these tips:  Number 1: Dress to impress in business attire!  You will be meeting potential employers and it is important to make a great first impression. 

 Number 2: Do not forget your resume!  You could have a phenomenal conversation with an employer at the fair, but they may not remember you from among the crowd unless you give them something as a reminder.  This is where the resume comes in.  The employer will look at your resume after the career fair, and if they like what they see, it may lead to an interview or job/internship offer.   

Number 3: Get their contact information!  Follow up is extremely important when searching for a job.  After visiting the career fair, write an email to the companies you are interested in, and thank them for coming to the career fair.  Tell them what you liked about their company, and inquire about any open positions or internships that they may have.  

So, brush up your resume, iron your business attire, and write Tuesday, October 23^rd down in your agenda as the opportunity to find your career!  Maybe you'll see me from 12:00-4:00 pm at the E. S. Good Barn!

- Kendall

 Kendall, is a first year ambassador from Georgetown, Kentucky.  She is an Agricultural Education junior.  She is a student worker with the National Association of Agricultural Educators.  Kendall is immediate past Kentucky FFA President. 

The College Bound wAGon Rides Again

With the holidays approaching, everyone is talking about two things: the desserts and your college search.  Let’s head them off at the pass and have you ready to take on the tough questions. 

The last post (http://ukagstudents.blogspot.com/2011/10/college-bound-wagon.html) mentioned a few tips about prepping for the ACT and SAT and hopefully made you think about why you are going to college and why planning is so important in the process.  Hopefully you have also had time to get that planner, or at least learned how to use the calendar function on your phone.  

I want you to now to open a new word document on your computer and type your name on the top.  Then type 12^th grade, hit enter on your keyboard.  Type 11^th grade, hit enter.  Type 10^th grade, hit enter.  Type 9^th grade, hit enter.  Now you are ready to roll.  You are about to create a working high school resume.  This will save you tons of time in the future and will help you fill out college applications and scholarship applications.  Here’s a video to help you understand…….

Less than 20 seconds....

OK- now that your template is set up, start filling in each grade level with clubs you were in (BETA, 4-H, FFA, NHS, Math League,  etc.), awards you may have received (honor roll, perfect attendance, speech contest winner, etc.), sports or band activities, leadership activities, conferences or conventions, and any community service you may have participated in or planned for a group.  

(community service - a service that is performed for the benefit 

of the public or its institutions.)

This may take you awhile to complete, but will save you tons of time in the future.  Instead of thinking about each time you collected canned goods or what office in the science club you held sophomore year, the work is done for you.  You can get your applications filled out quicker and easier and it frees up more time for you to catch up on your reading.  I highly suggest this blog.  And The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  

As far as applying, many students choose to do so online via the university of their choice’s website.  Others may complete the Common App (https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/default.aspx), which allows you to apply to several schools at once.  Still others may seek out the paper form of the application.  Whichever you choose, take your time on it.  Make sure all parts are filled out.  You’d be surprised how many times students forget things like filling out the essay or not signing the application, which makes it incomplete.  Each university can vary slightly on admissions requirements so make sure you know what is expected.  

How do I pick a major?

Picking a major (what you are going to study in college) can be a hard decision, but it’s not something you need to lose sleep over at this point.  Go in with an open mind and learn about non-traditional majors that exist on campuses.  Most student change their major two to three times when they get on campus so doing a little research beforehand can help you stay on track to a four-year degree.  http://www.careerpath.com/ actually offers a quick quiz that was pretty accurate for myself.  

Let’s say you want to be a medical doctor.  Most schools have a pre-med program, but that only means this is a selection of classes that you have to take in order to apply to medical school.  Most students will pair this with a major.  Most schools have a chemistry or biology program and most students will go this route.  Let’s use some forward thinking and think about ways you can make yourself stand out in the medical school admissions process.  Most students will be the aforementioned bio or chem majors.  By selecting a major that is different from everyone else’s, you make yourself stand out major wise from most of the pack.  For example, at UK, students can consider either Human Nutrition or Agricultural Biotechnology for the med school track.  Each of these majors varies slightly in their coursework and opportunities (including an undergrad research project for ABT majors).  Other schools may offer biochemistry or physiology.  

The point is look around at your options and make the decision that’s best suited for you.  Never assume that because a major says something like “agricultural” in front of it it’s for farmers.  Chances are it’s a very strong science or science-based major. (Note: Agriculture is a science.) Also, check out your scholarship opportunities and also the level of opportunities for students in those majors.  Ask questions about trips, conference, leadership activities, etc. when you visit campus or in email interaction with college representatives.

Speaking of email interactions, that’s a good place to stop for this post and to put in a teaser for next time.  You would be amazed by the emails I get and how poor the grammar and spelling are in them.  I’ll give some examples and give some real world communications advice to help make you look like the prodigal student and shine above your peers.  Share the blog with your friends and family via Facebook and Twitter and other avenues you may use.  

In the meantime,  send your questions to me at Jason.Headrick@uky.edu.  I’m glad to hear your questions or get your feedback on this and other posts.

Jason

Director of Student Relations, UK Ag

“Like” us Facebook at UK Ag Academic Programs!

Follow us on Twitter at @UKAgStudents!

The College Bound wAGon

 [Writer’s Note: This will be part one of a multi-post installment on preparing yourself for college and truly taking a look at how to make the process easier on you and your family.  I hope you enjoy.]

     For seniors in high school, this is the time of year when lots of things are happening- and probably very fast.  Between running to band practice and Friday night football games and working your part-time job at the local sub shop, you are a student on a path to your future.  People ask where you are going to college, what you are going to major in, and a part of you is always asking yourself the same question.  You may be getting these questions as a junior or sophomore, too. 

     After working in college admissions for nearly ten years, let me pull you inside the inner circle and let you in on some “inside” information.  I am going to discuss some of the questions I get the most often and offer some advice.

Anything I can do before I start applying to make it easier?   

     Simply said, yes.  Think of these steps as stretching before the big race.

     Ask yourself why you want to go to college.  The two most common answers I hear are to reach your goals and to start a career.  These are great answers and everyone will have different factors.  Use these factors to begin narrowing your college search down to the schools that fit you and what you are looking for.  There are over 7,000 higher education institutions in the U.S. according to US Department of Education statistics, so it is important to narrow your choices.  Ultimately, campus visits are great ways to narrow the search and can put you inside the action to see if that campus is for you. 

     Get a planner.  [Note: You are going to hear this a few times, so just stop reading now and head to the store.]  This can come in very handy when you start interacting with the colleges on your list (see above). 

     Take the ACT or SAT.  Each student tests differently and some states are more geared on taking one or the other.  Let that be up to the individual student.  We suggest taking each test at least twice in order to power up your score and so the student can have a good grasp on the format.  I’ve met students who take it once and score near-perfect and I have met students who have taken it seven times to reach their goal.  Seven is excessive.  That takes the power off of the student and gives it to the test.  Get a study guide and go through it for 5 minutes a day at least leading up to your test.  Don’t cram the week before by reading the special hints and working on the sections you know or don’t know.  Read the whole thing.  You can also get some great help from your smartphone or email inbox by checking out the different apps out there and online features of the sites below.

ACT: http://www.actstudent.org/ (Check out the Question of the Day box.)

SAT:  http://sat.collegeboard.org/home (They also have Question of the Day.)

Okay- that’s enough reading for one day from me.  I’ll be back with another installment of “The College Bound wAGon” next week where we’ll talk about applying to college and what to major in.  In the meantime,  send your questions to me at Jason.Headrick@uky.edu.  I’m glad to hear your questions or get your feedback on this and other posts.

Jason

Director of Student Relations, UK Ag

“Like” us Facebook at UK Ag Academic Programs!

Follow us on Twitter at @UKAgStudents!