Reflections on Summer

Summer is over, but my job definitely isn't.

I've been reappointed to work for the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition in the fall.  I think this speaks volumes about the work I was able to get done and how dedication and hard work can pay off in the long run.  The last part of my official summer internship was preparing and presenting at the Farm Progress Show, which truly tested my abilities during the first week of school.     

           The Farm Progress Show is an event put on every year in the Midwest which brings together farmers, educational groups, manufactures, seed dealers and more.  The Farm Progress Show is the oldest and largest outdoor agricultural equipment exhibition in the United States with more than 500 exhibitors.  In the course of the three day event, it is estimated that over 150,000 people will attend to see the latest advancements in agricultural technology. This event rotates between Illinois and Iowa every year.

The University of Illinois has a large display at the event which always showcases the College of ACES.  At this year’s event, Processing at Illinois and the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition were invited to share with farmers what happens after they take their crops to the elevator.  Processing at Illinois had an extrusion machine on-site that converted brown rice into a brown rice puff/snack.  While it was on a much smaller scale than major food companies, it gave visitors a chance to see the extrusion process in action.  This process is the same process used to make pastas, Cheetos, breakfast cereals and more.

My job at this event was to create presentations that would loop at the display, create promotional literature, get a supply list organized and purchased, and plan the overall display.  I worked with many people in the department to get the job done and had to take several trips around the Champaign Urbana area to complete tasks.  In addition, I was present at the farm progress show for the duration of two days.  At the booth, I met with industry representatives, gave high school students a lesson in food processing and shared my knowledge with those who were curious about food processing.           I'm really glad to have had the experiences I did during my summer internship.  I'm also eager to see what the coming months bring for me, and I can't wait to take these experiences into my career in Ag Education.