This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Washington, D.C., serving in the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement under Secretary Brooke Rollins. As a student studying agribusiness and agricultural communications at Oklahoma State University, this experience let me see firsthand how agriculture and public policy come together at the federal level. Throughout my internship, I took part in a wide variety of experiences that gave me a better understanding of the work that goes on behind the scenes at the USDA. Much of my work involved reading and writing, including proofreading documents and speeches, preparing summaries, and keeping minutes for important meetings. I also had the opportunity to meet with many offices across the department and learn about the different roles they play in working with agricultural organizations, rural communities, and other partners nationwide. One of the most memorable parts of the internship was working in an office focused on building relationships and partnerships. Seeing how the USDA works with people and organizations outside the department gave me a much better understanding of how agricultural policy reaches the people it is designed to serve. I also had the opportunity to work at the Great American State Fair, where I represented the department and interacted with people from across the country. This internship was especially meaningful because my interest in Washington, D.C., began with Alfalfa Electric Cooperative. During my junior year of high school, AEC gave me the opportunity to take my first trip to Washington. That trip sparked an interest in government and public policy and left me wanting to return someday in a professional capacity. Several years later, I was fortunate enough to do exactly that. Returning to Washington as a USDA intern was a full-circle experience I will always be grateful for. The opportunity to learn from the people working in agriculture and public policy, while gaining experience in an area I hope to pursue as a career, made this internship one of the most valuable experiences of my college career. I am especially grateful to Alfalfa Electric Cooperative for giving me that first opportunity to see Washington, because what started as a high school trip ultimately helped inspire the path that brought me back to Washington as a USDA intern
