University of Illinois Extension Cook County

Interning at University of Illinois Extension in Cook County has been an adventure so far and is one of the best jobs I have had.  There are two parts to my job, which are being in the office and being out in the field at different events.  When I first spoke with Mrs. Buffett the County Director she asked me if I had a car and now I see why.  I am always at different events and there is a lot of traveling to different areas in Cook County, but I don't mind it at all because I feel like an adult that has a career traveling the world in a way.  So far I have been to Lemont, Westchester, Chicago, and Harvey just to name a few places.   

I have been in charge of taking the University of Illinois non-discrimination forms compiling this information in an excel document and  after I compile this information I have to find the commissioner and the state representative, so we can bring this information to meetings with these people to show that we are out in their communities.  I also will have to meet Federal, State, and Local representatives in the near future.  Mrs. Buffet wants to make sure I do as much networking as I can.  I have reviewed the financial aspects of Extension and learned about their funding and who is in charge of the different aspects of Extension.  I was also in charge of working on researching information on S.T.E.M so we can put a report together.  I also was asked to help with the Extension Counsil Meeting, which we held in the conference room of the office I am housed at.

Another project that I will soon begin working on will be health rocks, which is a program designed where teens teach the youth about drug and alcohol abuse in different communities.  Since this is a grant we have to have to reach 3000 youth by summer of next year!  So I have been trying to give out places where we can hold Health Rocks so we can teach a good number of youth.  I am not exactly sure of all my duties with this so far but I will know more in the future.

Above is another project I have been working on.  These are Extensions marketing folders and these pamphlets provide information about the different areas of Extension.  My part is to learn and study these pamphlets and to put the folders together so that we are able to hand these out in the different communities we go out into.  I will and should know the mission, vision, and values of Extension by the time I am finished with my internship.  I am now looking into Extension and a possible career choice in the near future.  I hope all of the interns are learning and having as much fun as I am!