In its efforts to support Wyoming youth and communities, the University of Wyoming Extension has revitalized a key county-based internship program funded by the state extension office and UW College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources.
This paid internship program is designed for high school graduates, students currently enrolled in a university or community college, and GED holders planning to further their education. Throughout the summer, interns are expected to contribute 20 hours per week to a local UW Extension office.
Extension interns gain professional experience in community outreach and youth programming as well as providing critical support for county educators during an especially busy time of the year.
“As a land-grant university, there’s no better place for us as the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources to invest than in youth programs and communities across Wyoming,” says Kelly Crane, dean of the college.
The revamped internship program builds on UW Extension’s previous partnership with AmeriCorps, a national service-based organization that placed members in county offices across the state.
The thousands of service hours provided annually by AmeriCorps members have been essential to the development and success of UW Extension’s summer programming. AmeriCorps members have also provided key staffing support in county offices with limited resources or staffing shortages.
“The workload in county offices, especially associated with summer 4-H programming, can be very intense,” Dean Crane comments. “These positions allowed educators to provide better service to youth and communities during a very busy time.”
AmeriCorps members in county offices have filmed videos for horse-related projects in 4-H, helped plan camps and county fairs, organized a cross-cultural exchange program for Wyoming youth, and more. In the state office, an AmeriCorps member played a pivotal role in securing a 4-H robotics grant and helped design and execute a robotics and ruminant animal booth at UW’s STEM carnival.
In response to a loss of federal funding for the AmeriCorps program, UW Extension and the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources have stepped up to fill the gap and reinstate an internship program for Wyoming youth.
“Our AmeriCorps members have been valuable in planning summer events and programming over the past few years, and we are saddened by the sudden loss of our grant,” says Mandy Marney, UW Extension director.
The silver lining, she says, is that “we will be revitalizing our summer internship program in years to come in order to meet the needs of our communities. We are dedicated to investing in our counties and have placed priority on ensuring the funding for these positions continues.”
In 2024, AmeriCorps members served in Albany, Big Horn, Campbell, Laramie, Natrona, Niobrara, Sheridan, Uinta, and Washakie counties as well as on the Wind River Indian Reservation and in UW Extension’s state office in Laramie.
The 15 AmeriCorps members provided 8,850 hours of service, reached 3,235 Wyoming youth and assisted 582 extension volunteers.
Not only did AmeriCorps members contribute to key community-based programs, but they also gained valuable experience in extension work.
In fact, several AmeriCorps alumni have pursued careers in extension or other service-oriented fields, reports Abby McIrvin, UW Extension’s federal relations employee success coordinator and former coordinator of the AmeriCorps program. One 2024 AmeriCorps member, for instance, went on to become a county extension educator in Montana.
“Our internships provide opportunities for us to expose young people to the university and UW Extension…[These internships] can spark interest in careers with extension and are also a recruiting tool for the workforce,” comments Dean Crane.
UW Extension’s internship program operates in coordination with the national 4-H Beyond Ready initiative, which helps prepare youth to become confident, capable members of the workforce.
This summer, UW Extension has hired 11 interns to support extension programming across the state and looks forward to expanding the program in coming years. For those who wish to donate in support of the program, opportunities will be available on UW’s Giving Day in October.
For questions about the internship program, contact McIrvin at amcirvin@uwyo.edu or call (307) 766-5124.
