Kaitlin Meiergerd – National Corn Growers Association – St. Louis

June Update

The past few weeks, a common question I have been asked time and time again is, “Where are you from?” This may seem like a simple question to answer, but my response often has a longer explanation. I start with sharing how I grew up in Northeast Nebraska, moved to Minnesota 10 years ago, and then eventually ended up back in Nebraska for college. Over the years, I have learned that any place can become a piece of home if you choose to reframe your mind in such a way. During my time in St. Louis, I have found a piece of home in the community of NCGA, the heart of its mission, and the quiet days in the office.

Starting my internship on May 19th, I was expectant, curious, and open to change. Within the first week of work, I was introduced to our St. Louis staff as well as our Washington DC staff, became familiar with our 6 action teams, engaged in weekly policy calls, and wrote our Corn Action News which gets released every Monday. I look forward to continuing to grow in relations with coworkers, gain a deeper understanding of our action teams, learn a LOT more about policy, and write weekly news releases during the next 8 weeks.

During my second week here, seven of my coworkers and I worked with MeetFilament, an organization that works to make meetings fun and efficient. This was a great opportunity to get out of the office, head downtown, and work together in a space that promoted healthy collaboration. During our time together, an artist drew visual representations of our thoughts which made for an engaging day of work.

After my regular 9-5 workday, I have found time to fill my schedule with adventure! I have hiked at two state parks, explored the Gateway Arch, took a visit to the St. Louis Zoo, and played pickleball with some new friends!

I am thankful the Nebraska Corn Board has provided this opportunity to work closely with NCGA staff. I look forward to learning from mentors, traveling to conferences, and creating helpful resources for the communications and education department here in St. Louis in the weeks ahead.