My Spring Internship Brought Peak Blossoms, Peak Growth

Written by: Guest   |   May 5, 2023

By: Marisa Crowhurst, AFIA communications intern

One of my favorite moments spent in Washington, D.C., this spring was seeing the cherry blossom trees in peak bloom. The beautiful blossoms, adding color and life to the D.C. area, is a spectacular sight to see. Of course, the monuments looked as glorious as ever and getting to see them at nighttime was a new experience for me as well. To say my spring internship with the American Feed Industry Association was full of incredible experiences would not be enough.

Last December, I graduated with my bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and I came into the internship hopeful to learn more communication skills and apply what I learned while earning my degree in real life. First, I would like to commend the entire AFIA staff for welcoming me with open arms and encouraging me along the way (and for enduring my constant dog show and dachshund talk!), but especially to the communications team: Victoria, Lacie and Raamezah. Their expertise and knowledge in every aspect of communications has been invaluable, as well as their consistent guidance throughout the duration of my internship.

Though I worked remotely in Florida, I had the opportunity to visit the Arlington, Va., office twice, as well as attend the Purchasing and Ingredient Suppliers Conference (PISC) in Orlando, Fla., in March. Getting to experience not just one, but two conferences in my time with the AFIA proved to be a great opportunity to learn about the feed industry firsthand. Presenting to the AFIA Marketing and Communications Committee at PISC is another memorable experience I valued, assisting Victoria with a chicken feed crisis communications presentation and sharing the editorial calendar I created for the AFIA. I am so grateful to have met and connected with so many AFIA members at this conference, especially those who came to the golf networking event.

Thanks to the AFIA’s communications internship, I have gained many new communication skills, improved on skills I learned at the University of Florida and mastered many new platforms for website design, social media content creation and management, and more.

As an agricultural communications major, I know just how important it is to effectively communicate your message in this field; working for the AFIA this spring has helped teach me additional effective ways to communicate about agriculture, as well as specifically within the animal food industry.

Having the opportunity to apply these skills through FeedGram, the blog, social media and videos, has been an unforgettable experience for me.

My only regret is how quickly the time has flown – I’m not ready for this chapter to close just yet! Luckily for me, I’ll be moving just down the hall… to serve as the summer communications intern for the Animal Agriculture Alliance! I am excited to take my experience and knowledge gained with the AFIA and apply it to the next few chapters in my life. Beginning in August, I will be returning to my alma mater to attend graduate school, pursuing a master’s degree in agricultural education and communication with an agricultural communication specialization.

Thank you to everyone at the AFIA for an amazing internship and the connections and advice, and to the members for welcoming me so warmly. I’m looking forward to my future in the agricultural communications field and seeing familiar faces along this journey.

Interested in interning with the AFIA? Visit afia.org/careers for the latest opportunities.