Let Me Tell You About My Summer Internship
Name: Nathan Anderson
Major: Agronomy
Year: Senior
Hometown/State: Rural Aurelia, Iowa
Company/Organization: Channel Bio
Title: Technical Service Agronomy Intern
Location: Huxley, Iowa
Describe your internship responsibilities:
I was responsible for assisting with tours of the BioFuture facility,
both inside tours and outside demonstration plot tours. I also helped
with some marketing that related to agronomic topics as well as items
for the demonstration plots. In addition, I was able to help maintain
the plots and take photographs of the different demonstrations that
were established for future use and for distribution to co-workers in
the field. I was also tasked with communicating agronomic knowledge to
visiting producers and others with an interest in seed and trait
technology.
What did you enjoy most about this internship?
I greatly enjoyed the people that I worked with and the flexibility of
the schedule. I liked the challenges that I was given and the
opportunities they provided to better myself. I also enjoyed the
chance to talk with producers about their operations and about new
technologies in seeds and traits, as well as the application of
existing technology.
How has this experience impacted your future career plans?
It helped to confirm my interest in agronomy, but also gave me more of
an interest in the seed technology aspect of agronomy. This experience
also helped to set more standards for the type of company that I would
pursue a career with.
What resources did you utilize to obtain this internship?
I utilized events that were sponsored by the College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences to network with the college recruiting lead for
Channel Bio.
What advice would you offer to other students seeking similar
internships?
Meet and network with people in industry and get involved in clubs and
organizations on campus. By doing this, you can give yourself an
opportunity to have an inside track to a potential internship, or at
least allow your potential employer to know more about you before you
even have an interview. Also, be able to communicate effectively, it
takes practice. An intern that is an effective communicator can be a
valuable asset to a company.
