Slice of Intern Life: Recent Events Reflection

I am excited to share a few highlights from the past several weeks, including projects I have been working on, recent events, and what I am looking forward to in the weeks ahead. 

This past June, the Nebraska Wheat Board (NWB) had the honor of hosting a trade team from South America. I was grateful to be involved in the planning process leading up to their visit, which included creating educational flyers about Nebraska agriculture, and helping develop their itinerary. After the conclusion of the trade team, I coordinated the promotion strategy for the event. This included writing a press release, coordinating social media content and website promotion. Although I was unable to join the trade team during their time in Nebraska, it was rewarding to contribute behind the scenes and help showcase Nebraska’s wheat industry to an international audience. 

I also published the Nebraska Wheat Growers Association’s June e-newsletter. After completing their newsletter for the second time, I have enjoyed being able to contribute to their organization however I can. Putting the newsletter together lets me learn about current industry news and events while continuing to strengthen my editing and writing skills. 

One of my favorite experiences so far has been presenting during the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI) commodity board sessions on behalf of the NWB. There, I delivered a presentation I created to approximately 234 high school juniors and seniors. The presentation explained how commodity boards work along with the goals and mission of the NWB. To prepare, I took time to ask any remaining questions I had about the board so I could confidently present and be able to answer any questions students might have. While I was there, I appreciated the students’ willingness to engage with the material and their thoughtful questions they had. 

Speaking to a room of high school students can be nervewracking, but each time I presented I felt myself becoming more confident. After finishing for the day, I was proud of how well it went. It was rewarding to have finally presented the slides I spent weeks designing and refining. If I could do it over again, I would want to somehow make the slides more interactive to keep the students more engaged. My biggest takeaway from this experience was how it strengthened my public speaking skills. It gave me the chance to speak on professional topics to a brand new audience I didn’t have experience presenting to. Overall, this event allowed me to deepen my own understanding of the NWB and grow as a public speaker while educating others about Nebraska’s wheat industry. 

In addition to these larger projects, I have continued managing the social media content, as well as coordinating radio interviews. I have also been occupied with other miscellaneous tasks such as coordinating an order of promotional items for the Nebraska Wheat Growers Association. These day-to-day responsibilities continue to better my understanding of the moving pieces involved to make the NWB’s communications and outreach efforts possible. 

Looking ahead, I am excited for an upcoming domestic trade team hosting individuals with the North American Millers Association. During their visit, the team will tour multiple locations around Lincoln that will introduce them to the wheat industry in Nebraska. I look forward to helping with another trade team visit and seeing how visits like this build relationships with consumers, as well as seeing how the domestic trade team’s experience differs from the international team. 

These past several weeks have been filled with meaningful and a diverse range of projects and learning opportunities. I am proud of what I have been able to contribute so far, and I am excited to keep growing professionally as I continue working with the NWB.