Creating Leadership and Professional Development through Extension Internships

You can apply for Summer 2025 at https://go.umd.edu/Internship2025

Read our 2025 Press Release to learn more. 

Summer 2025 Workforce Development Extension Internship Program: Creating Leadership and Professional Development Through Extension Internships. 

The University of Maryland Extension (UME) is seeking undergraduate student applicants interested in careers in agriculture. Multiple students will be selected for this ten-week full-time internship, which includes a competitive salary and opportunities to interact with agricultural leaders and Extension specialists. Interns will participate in an experiential learning and professional development opportunity while exploring Extension careers, applied research, and non-formal education outreach. Interns will be placed at one of the State's Extension Offices or Research and Education Centers (REC). Interns will come together as a cohort for weekly virtual professional development sessions, an overnight University of Maryland College Park tour, in-person leadership training, and the annual end of internship celebration. The remainder of the time, the interns will work with their personal UME faculty Mentor and supervisor. Work location varies depending on your projects. Expect to work at your assigned UME office or Research & Education Center, in research or meeting locations, and virtually (telework days). Interns are expected to attend virtual pre-internship training sessions before the internship start date on 5/27/2025. 

Interns will:

• Work one-on-one with a UME faculty mentor

• Gain hands-on experience through professional development and Extension activities

• Work on research projects and non-formal educational programming 

• Have the opportunity to engage with leaders in the agricultural community

• Explore professional development topics and core competencies of career readiness

• Participate in an overnight University of Maryland, College Park campus residency and research tour. 

• Gain leadership skills with LEAD Maryland Foundation Inc. 

• Earn credit hours (eligibility specific to your university) 

Ideal applicants are:

• Interested in exploring and/or pursuing an Extension career, or a career in agriculture and related fields.

• Excited about the opportunity to work with a mentor

• Willingness to learn new skills

• Able to communicate effectively and learn experientially

• Motivated to continue learning and growing professionally

• Need to be challenged, professionally and personally

• A team oriented person who is curious to learn all aspects of Extension

• Willingness to participate in the full (10wk full time ) program

*Accommodations can be made for reasonable personal/vacation leave.  Opportunities will be available to make up hours missed from reasonable personal/vacation leave. 

Applicant must:

• Be enrolled full-time at an accredited professional certification program, two-year or four-year college or university

• Have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident

• Be a licensed driver with their flexible and reliable transportation ( this position requires some local travel) 

• Major in agricultural, environmental, natural resources, food science, nutritional science, biology, geology, geography, or related STEM fields.

*Preference will be given to applicants with a sophomore or junior status at the time of application * if enrolled in a four- year institution. We encourage applicants from relevant certification programs and two-year institutions. 

To Apply:

1. Identify up to four Extension or REC locations within commuting distance of your home

2. Identify one or more focus areas you are interested in exploring: Animal Science, Farm & Agribusiness, Fruit & Vegetable Production, General Agriculture, Ornamental Horticulture, Row Crop & Forage Production, Urban Agriculture. Learn more about Extension programs Here 

3. Complete the Online Application 

4. Submit along with your application (send supporting documents to andrea1@umd.edu

• A cover letter: include your personal goals, career goals, and why you want to work with Extension (do not exceed 1000 words)

• Current resume or curriculum vitae (CV)

• A PDF version of your unofficial transcript(s) reflecting all earned undergraduate credits and grades through December 2024

• Two Letters of recommendation from your current institution or from a previous and related job or internship

* Incomplete applications will NOT be considered.

Compensation: Interns will be paid $15.53 an hour for a 40-hour work week. Sick leave and any vacation leave will not be compensated. Vacation leave is recommended for after the internship. Any vacation leave  will need to be approved by your mentor and the District Director. 

Deadline to Apply: March 23, 2025

Interns will be notified of their application status early to mid April,2025

Pre-internship sessions will begin late April (optional live via Zoom or self paced) 

This position is subject to a Criminal History Record Check. Volunteer appointment, re-appointment, and continued appointment are contingent upon successful completion and clearance of the Criminal History Record Check.

https://go.umd.edu/extensioninternships

Program Contact

Shannon Dill, Extension Educator - AgFS

410-822-1244 | sdill@umd.edu

Andrea Franchini, Program Coordinator 

301-226-7416| andrea1@umd.edu

This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, AFRI Competitive Grant Workforce Development, project MD-UME-09312.

About the University of Maryland Extension: University of Maryland Extension (UME) is a statewide, non-formal education system within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. UME educational programs and problem-solving assistance are available to citizens and are based on the research and experience of land grant universities such as the University of Maryland, College Park. In Maryland, UME employs approximately 200 faculty and approximately 200 support staff and contractual employees located at the University of Maryland, College Park; University of Maryland Eastern Shore; 23 counties; Baltimore City; and four research and education centers. Many UME faculty members located on the College Park and Eastern Shore campuses have joint appointments with research and academic programs. These joint appointments promote the exchange of knowledge between the universities and among academic specialties.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider

Esta institución ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.  

2023 Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension Internships. 

The University of Maryland Extension is happy to announce  the second cohort for ‘Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension Internships'. Nine interns have been selected from colleges across Maryland, including Anne Arundel Community College, Hagerstown Community College, Community College of Baltimore County, the University of Maryland College Park, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. And an intern is joining us from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA.

Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension Internships. 

Seven interns have been selected from colleges across Maryland, including St. Mary's College of Maryland, Institute of Applied Agriculture at the University of Maryland, University of Maryland College Park, Morgan State University, College of Southern Maryland, and Salisbury University. On July 6th and 7th, student interns will visit the University of Maryland campus to talk with educators and researchers across a variety of agricultural disciplines and to participate in an in-person leadership training with LEAD Maryland and the University's Maryland Leadership Education and Development Program. This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, AFRI Competitive Grant Workforce Development, to create a meaningful summer internship program for students to gain technical skills and train a future agricultural workforce. 

Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension Internships, Summer 2024

The University of Maryland Extension's Workforce Development Internship, ' Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension Internships,' is thrilled to announce its third cohort. This unique Program offers hands-on experience, mentorship, and professional development, making it an ideal opportunity for college students interested in agriculture and professional growth.   

Twelve interns have been selected from colleges across Maryland and the region, including Salisbury University, Institute of Applied Agriculture at the University of Maryland, University of Maryland College Park, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Chesapeake College, Rutgers University, and West Virginia University to participate in a 10 week full time internship program starting May 28th. This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, AFRI Competitive Grant Workforce Development, to create a meaningful summer internship program for students to gain technical skills and train a future agricultural workforce. 

Interns will have the unique opportunity to work closely with UME faculty mentors and mentor teams on Extension activities and applied research at UME offices and Research and Education Centers across the state. This year, a diverse range of locations, including Baltimore City, Cecil, Frederick, Montgomery, Dorchester, Talbot, Wicomico, Somerset, Howard, Anne Arundel, and Garrett County offices and the Wye and the Western Maryland Research and Education Centers (Wye REC and WMREC), offers a rich learning experience for interns to contribute to research and programs that reach local and statewide communities. 

The Program's leadership and professional development curriculum, based on the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) framework for career readiness, is designed to equip interns with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in their future careers. Weekly Connections will provide insights into industry leaders and careers in agriculture and agricultural support industries, and the two-day College Park Campus Residency will offer a unique opportunity to visit innovative research and technology labs advancing climate-smart agriculture and network with staff and faculty from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Visit https://go.umd.edu/extensioninternships to learn more.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider