TSU Extension Summer Intern Program Aims to Inspire Future Educators, Farmers

The College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences has selected nine student interns for the summer Cooperative Extension Program to help them learn about careers in agriculture while working with agents in the field. Those selected include: (back row, left to right) Dr. Tyrone Miller, assistant professor of Leadership and Organizational Development, Latetricia Wilson, Kyle Ward, Ciera Scott, George Davis, and Dr. Latif Lighari, associate dean for Extension. (seated left to right) DiJuana Davis, Raynette Johnson, Passion Echols, and Stephon Brisco. (courtesy photo)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences Cooperative Extension Program has announced the selection of nine student interns for summer 2014.

The summer extension internship program is designed to help students learn about the Cooperative Extension Program and other careers in agriculture while working with extension agents and other professionals in county offices throughout Tennessee.

“This internship is an excellent opportunity for participants to build their resumes and help improve the lives of Tennesseans over the course of ten weeks, doing everything full-time extension agents do,” said Dr. Latif Lighari, associate dean for Extension. “They’ll get the chance to teach educational programs, visit farms and homes, conduct research, attend 4-H camp, assist with county fairs, help with field days, network with local decision makers and prepare public-facing communication material, all while building the essential leadership, problem-solving, and organization skills that are necessary to succeed in extension or any other career.”

The nine interns selected are:

Latetricia Wilson, a senior Child Development major from Memphis, Tennessee, who will intern in Shelby and Fayette Counties;

Raynette Johnson, a junior Agricultural Education, Leadership & Extension major from Mumford, Tennessee, who will intern in Haywood County;

Ciera Scott, a 2014 Family & Consumer Sciences graduate from Columbus, Ohio, who will intern in Robertson County;

Passion Echols, a graduate student in Agricultural Education, Leadership & Extension from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, who will intern in Bedford County;

George Davis, a junior Agricultural Sciences major from Memphis, who will intern with the Tennessee Deptartment of Agriculture in Davidson County;

Kyle Ward, a junior Agriculture Education & Extension major from Halls, Tennessee, who will intern in Williamson County;

DiJuana Davis, a 2014 Agricultural Sciences/Agribusiness graduate from Nashville, who will intern in Davidson County;

G. Stephon Brisco Jr., a junior Agricultural Sciences/Agribusiness major from Nashville via Lansing, Michigan, who will intern in Rutherford County; and

Ariel Harrell, a 2013 Agricultural Sciences graduate from Covington, Tennessee, who will intern with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture in Davidson County.

“Even though this is our first year offering this program we had a great pool of students to select from,” said Dr. Tyrone Miller, assistant professor of Leadership and Organizational Development and coordinator of the summer internship program. “The selected interns are exceptional, well-rounded students with strong interests in careers in cooperative extension and the agriculture industry. I am very confident that they will represent and showcase the excellent students we have at Tennessee State University and gain valuable job skills in the process.”

At the end of the ten week program, each intern will develop and present a PowerPoint presentation on their internship experience alongside the summer extension interns from the University of Tennessee.

For more information, contact Dr. Tyrone Miller at (615) 963-1843 or tmiller11@tnstate.edu.

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About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.