Six College Students to Begin Summer Internships Sponsored by Nebraska Corn

Six college students will begin internships supported by the Nebraska Corn Board (NCB) and the Nebraska Corn Growers Association (NeCGA). These internships are designed to provide students with an overview of Nebraska’s corn industry through real-world professional experiences.

These interns will work in various locations across the U.S. with key cooperators of NCB. These cooperators include the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), U.S. Grains Council (USGC), U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) and NeCGA. Most of these internships will conclude at the end of the summer, but two are yearlong and schoolyear experiences.

“Nebraska Corn has a reputation of excellence on the national stage, brought on by the students who participate and thrive in these internships,” said Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board and Nebraska Corn Growers Association. “Each year we are surprised by the strong candidates we are able to interact with, and this year was no exception. We look forward to hearing about their successful experiences.”

Two summer interns will be hosted by NCGA. Hannah Roebke is majoring in broadcasting, journalism and sports media & communication at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). She will be interning with NCGA in St. Louis, focusing on communications and outreach. Alexis Bodlak, who is majoring in nutrition-community health and wellness, policy analysis and pre-law at UNL will be spending her summer in Washington, D.C. working on policy with NCGA.

Emma Freebairn will also be located in Washington, D.C. this summer as she completes her internship with USGC. Freebairn is majoring in agricultural communications at Iowa State University.

Cord Lee, majoring in animal science and agricultural economics at UNL is interning with USMEF in Denver, Colorado. With experience in production agriculture, he looks forward to experiencing the business side of where the meat he grows could end up around the world.

“Before I have even started my internship, I have been able to create meaningful connections with staff members, fellow interns and past interns,” said Lee. “Getting the opportunity to gain firsthand experience in international trade and market availability in the red meat industry, as well as getting the opportunity to work with USMEF staff at an organization that strives to increase the value of United States red meat products through international markets is a very exciting opportunity and experience that I am looking forward to this summer.”

The two internship experiences located in Lincoln are with NCB and NeCGA. Samantha Oborny is an agricultural and environmental sciences communication major at UNL. Oborny will focus on communication and educational opportunities for Nebraska Corn during her yearlong internship. Ashtyn Humphreys is studying agricultural economics at UNL and will emphasize throughout her schoolyear internship on market development and research & innovation during her time at the Nebraska Corn Board.

“Interning with Nebraska Corn allows me to enhance and strengthen my skills in all areas of communication,” said Oborny. “With the support and guidance of the staff and board, I am eager to grow in my abilities that will ensure when I graduate college I am prepared for the workforce.”

Not only will students gain real-world experiences from these internship experiences but will also acquire valuable insight on possible future careers.

Interns will document their learning experiences through written updates and social media posts. To keep up with these students and their experiences, visit nebraskacorn.gov or follow the Nebraska Corn Board on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Photo Caption: Six college students are participating in Nebraska Corn’s internship program. From left to right: Ashtyn Humphreys (Odell, Neb.), Samantha Oborny (Garland, Neb.), Alexis Bodlak (Thurston, Neb.), Cord Lee (Elsie, Neb.), Hannah Roebke (Seward, Neb.) and Emma Freebairn (Ottawa, Ill.).