The ACE Center is designed to help AGNR students navigate agricultural career and entrepreneurship opportunities.
Utilize the resources below to gain access to beneficial job search tools, networking information on previous AGNR alumni, advice on how to navigate on-campus resources, stories about previous student internships, and more.
Internship Advice
Where to Begin?
An internship is an important stepping stone to getting a job post-graduation. Use these tips to start preparing for your internship search.
First, begin by watching the 7 Steps For Your Summer Internship Webinar Recording
- Event Description: Whether your major requires an internship or not, internships are beneficial to your professional growth. They provide work experience, grant a glimpse into your career world, enable you to apply classroom knowledge, and help establish professional networks. But don’t wait until the summer to begin looking for an internship. You need to start preparing now with these 7 practical steps.
- Presented By: Glori Hyman, Director of Institute of Applied Agriculture
Think about what you are looking for in an internship.
- What are your interests? Would you prefer an office job or a research lab or an outdoor environment? Do you prefer working individually, in groups, or both? Do you want to stay close to campus, close to home, or go somewhere new? What skills have you gained that you want to contribute? What skills do you want to learn?
Learn the basics about finding an internship.
- Learn about the importance of gaining experience through an internship on the University Career Center internship page.
- Visit the University Career Center or UCC @ AGNR to discuss internship search strategies. Use your Careers4Terps account to schedule an appointment.
- Take UMD's online class EDCP108I, College and Career Advancement: Concepts and Skills; Academic Transitions to Internships. Recommended for students who have never had an internship before but would like to pursue one.
- Gather new tips from LinkedIn Learning videos.
Start your search.
- Use the job search engines/resources provided above to search for an internship. Use keywords to help narrow your search. For example, "agriculture", "natural resources", "internship", "Maryland" or "paid".
- Research which companies will be at job fairs on campus or in the area. Prepare specific questions to ask them at the fair.
- Connect with UMD alumni through the provided resources to help build your network.
- Have a specific organization in mind? Research their website and learn more about the application process of their internship program. No formal internship program on their website? Reach out to the department you are interested in and tell them why you are interested and inquire if they have hosted interns in the past.
- Explore the AGNR Internship Guide created by UCC @ AGNR.
Organize your materials.
- Each internship is different, so each application is likely different as well. Make sure you submit a resume and cover letter tailored specifically to each internship position.
- Talk to professors, advisors and supervisors about recommendation letters. Tell them what you are interested in and why you are asking them to write a recommendation letter for you.
Hoping to apply for an internships with the government? GoGovernment is a useful website with tips and resources on how to apply for internships with the Federal government.
Resume Tips
- Check out our ACE Webinar Series on Resumes for the Ag and Natural Resources Sectors, presented by Christina Farmer, Program Director AGNR.
- Use the "resume" section of Terp Guide for tips on how to structure a resume and what to avoid. Resume tips can be found on pages 8 - 17 of the guide.
- Look at these two undergraduate sample resumes for organization ideas.
- Watch the Career Center's "How To" video series specifically on creating your resume.
- How to: Resume Introduction
- How to: Format Your Resume
- How to: Improve Your Resume Content
- How to: How Tailor Your Resume for a Specific Position
Interview Tips
Watch the ACEing the Virtual Interview Webinar Recording to start preparing for your upcoming interview
- Event Description: You’ve been zooming for a year now and you may consider yourself a zoommaster. So what’s different when it comes time for a job or internship virtual interview How do you prepare?
- Presented By: Glori Hyman, Director of Institute of Applied Agriculture
Additional Interview Tips Include:
- Show up to the interview prepared. This means doing your research on the company before the interview.
- Practice your answers to sample interview questions. Here are some common questions employers may ask.
- Determine what questions your would like to ask the employer.
- Follow pages 28 - 31 of Terp Guide to learn more about dressing appropriately and video interviews.
Internship Opportunities
Maryland Based Internships
- Russell Brinsfield Internship Program: The Russ Brinsfield Internship Program is a collaboration between the Hughes Center and the University of Maryland Agriculture Law Education Initiative. The internship program, which began in 2017, engages an undergraduate student from the University of Maryland College of AGNR and a law student enrolled at the Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, who work together to develop viable solutions to a variety of complex environmental, agricultural and forestry-related issues.
- Wye Angus Internships: Each term (Spring, Summer and Fall), two internship opportunities are available to undergraduate students as a means to provide hands-on learning related to beef cattle management. Students from Maryland and across the United States apply and are selected to participate in the unique program. Of the two available spots each term, one is reserved for a University of Maryland student with the other being open to any interested undergraduate. To date more than 50 students from 7 states have participated in the internship program.
- Workforce Development & Extension Internships (University of Maryland Extension): Seven interns will be selected to participate in a ten week internship program where they will be paired with competent University of Maryland Extension faculty mentors working within their field(s) of interest. The grant funding internship was endowed to create a meaningful summer internship program for students at underserved institutions, community colleges, or non-Land Grant institutions to gain technical skills and train a future agricultural workforce.
- Maryland Agriculture Resource Council: MARC is always looking for potential interns. Roles may include, but are not limited to: Marketing/Web Management, Administrative, Program/Event Management, “Trail Blazer” Project, Soil Conservation Video Project, A program of your choice! If you are interested in any of these responsibilities, please send a note and a resume to us at info@marylandagriculture.org
Federal Based Internships
- The Pathways Internship Program provides year-round paid work experiences for current degree-seeking high-school, undergraduate, and graduate students. Interns may work during the summer, fall, spring or year-round and are eligible for non-competitive conversion upon program completion.
- The Pathways Recent Graduates Program is for graduates within two years of degree or certificate completion, and for veterans within 6 years of obtaining a degree. Fellows are placed in a one-year career development program that may be non-competitively converted upon completion of program requirements.
- The Presidential Management Fellows Program is the flagship leadership development program for advanced degree candidates. In addition to salary and benefits, fellows earn a two-year appointment that may be converted to a permanent appointment.
- NIFA Volunteer Program: This program is designed to help students experience working in a federal government setting, to assist them in applying various theories and skills, and to enhance their personal growth and development. Every intern will have a unique experience while working at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture whether they are earning University credit or an hourly wage; nevertheless it will be an experience that is invaluable later in life. Emerging into adulthood is not an easy transition and one that often comes with many questions, highs, and lows. It is our goal that your participation in the internship program helps to ease the transition by preparing you for a career, whether it is in the federal government or another place of interest.
Job Search Resources
Relevant Job Search Engines
AgCareers.com = job search engine specifically designed for job seekers in the agriculture and food industry. Allows the job seeker to choose an industry sector, industry type, and career type to narrow down the available job opportunities for you.
USAjobs.gov = a United States Government official federal government employment site. Can search with a job title, department, agency, series, or occupation. In addition to the desired location. Relevant departments and agencies: USDA, EPA, NOAA, FDA, USACE, DOE, HHS, DOI, etc.
State of Maryland = lists open job opportunities with the Maryland State government. Can search by keyword, location, department, recruitment type and job category. Relevant departments for AGNR majors include: Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority, Department of Natural Resource, MD Department of Agriculture, MD Department of Health, MD Department of the Environment, etc.
Indeed.com = job search engine currently used by many employers on the East Coast. Allows job seekers to type in a keyword and choose a location to filter that results for you.
AgHires.com = agriculture-specific search engine. Enter keywords, job title or company name with your preferred location. Has a “Browse Internships” function on their website.
Greenjobsearch.org = search engine specifically for jobs with an environmental or social responsibility focus. Includes full-time, internship, part-time, and temporary job postings.
LinkedIn = create a profile to utilize the job search engine function of the LinkedIn platform. Search by title, skill, or company or receive recommendations based on your interests and connections. In addition, sign up for job alerts and save postings you are interested in.
Idealist.org = a search engine for those looking into the nonprofit sector. Can narrow down search to jobs, internships, volunteer opportunities, and specific nonprofit organizations.
farmingwork.com = search engine featuring farming and agriculture jobs across the United States.
Service-Oriented Careers
AmeriCorps = a network of national service programs where you can choose to serve for different durations of time from three months to a year. Has several connections to majors within the college of agriculture. This includes, but is not limited to, disaster services, energy and conservation, health and nutrition, environmental stewardship, etc.
Peace Corps = two-year international volunteering program in the areas of: agriculture, environment, community economic development, health, education, and youth in development.
WWOOF = volunteering opportunities to live on an organic farm and learn from a host farmer. Search the different types of farms and locations. These steps include: choose a destination, find the type of WWOOF group you would like to volunteer in, and find a host farmer.
Chesapeake Conservation Corps = one year service opportunity to be placed with either a nonprofit or government in the Chesapeake Bay region. Combination of volunteering, learning, and training to prepare for future environmental steward careers.
Student Conservation Association = SCA’s goal is to help train and educate young people to become leaders in the natural resources and conservation fields. They offer several different opportunities to either volunteer, earn academic credit, or earn a stipend. They also are connected with the AmeriCorps Education Awards program.
UMD Resources
AGNR Blog = utilize the College of AGNR Undergraduate Blog to discover up-to-date resources and job postings on careers and internships, scholarships and financial aid, and important AGNR department links.
Careers4Terps = as a UMD student or alumni, you can gain access to the University Career Center's online career management tool Careers4Terps. Use this tool to search for a company by location and industry. You can also look at current job postings, apply for on-campus interviews, participate in careers workshops and more.
AGNR Job Posting Website = specific website that organizes the current job postings on the Careers4Terps portal into a separate place for just AGNR students.
Terp Guide = every year the University Career Center releases a guide which compiles all of the most important career and internship preparation material into one place.
Career Resources
LinkedIn Workforce Data
The economy, the workforce, and the labor market are constantly changing — our real-time insights and intelligence allow you to access up-to-date data so you never miss a thing.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
This web feature provides regularly updated information on labor market outcomes of recent college graduates. The underlying data are available for download.
Handshake UMD
Handshake is the University Career Center's online career management platform for University of Maryland students and alumni. Handshake can be accessed online or through the app.
Volunteer Opportunities
Maryland Based Opportunities
- Maryland Department of the Environment: Volunteer opportunities across the state organized by county.
- Maryland Food Bank: Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old. The minor and chaperone must register individually to volunteer.
- Maryland Agricultural Resource Council: If you would like to get involved, we need your help! We are mainly a volunteer-based organization. From fundraising to designing educational programs, we need individuals with many different talents to help support our mission.
- Farm Alliance of Baltimore: Site contains a list of all the current member farms of the Farm Alliance of Baltimore with their neighborhood location and contact information. Please check the individual farm pages or contact farms individually for further information about volunteering on their farm.
- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: There are two ways to help on the farm: Volunteer — donate your time so that we may distribute more food to families with lower incomes. Workshare — work five hours in exchange for a week's "share" of produce
Federal Based Opportunities
- Higher Education Institution - Student Volunteer Program (HEISIP): This program was established to formalize the relationship between USDA and various colleges and universities across the nation to provide training and work experience to undergraduate and graduate students with an interest in agriculture, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and other administrative career fields. The HEISIP is a non-paid internship opportunity. This program gives students an insight into considering a future career with USDA. Annually, USDA works with students volunteers nationwide throughout our 7 Mission Areas, 19 agencies and 16 Administrative Offices. Volunteer work assignments typically have duration of 3 – 4 months.
- USDA Law Student’s Volunteer Program (LSVP): The USDA Law Student’s Volunteer Program (LSVP) is an experiential program being offered to Law School students who are possibly interested in a career in public service, specifically working for the federal government. Here they can exercise their legal knowledge, skills and abilities through work on policy and administrative issues that affect the lives of everyday citizens. The LSVP is an externship and law students will receive academic credit from their schools at the end of their volunteer service with USDA. The LSVP is either a quarter or semester term commitment (quarter - 3 months or semester - 6 months). Many law schools and professional programs require their students to acquire public service experience for academic credit towards graduation. Since it is a graduation requirement students are encouraged to engage with federal agencies which for many students is as important as earning money.
- NRCS Earth Team Volunteers (NRCSETV): The National Volunteer Program became known as the “Earth Team”, the volunteer arm of the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The primary purpose of the Earth Team is, and always has been, to expand NRCS services by using volunteer time, talent, and energy to help meet agency needs. NRCS employees at the national, regional, state, and local level recruit and utilize volunteers for a wide variety of activities. As it was in the beginning, the Earth Team is looking for volunteers who have an interest in conserving natural resources.
Professional Development Opportunities
Free Online Courses
- Cornell Small Farms Program: Are you thinking about starting a small farm? Do you already have a farm that you're looking to expand? Invest in your professional development and you'll see the returns in your business. This site provides a mix of In-Person Trainings and Workshops, as well as Online Courses for Aspiring, New, & Experienced Farmers
- Class Central - Free Online Agriculture Courses: Learn Agriculture with free online courses and MOOCs from University of Iceland, IIT Kharagpur, Johns Hopkins, University of Leeds and other top universities around the world. Read reviews to decide if a class is right for you
- Esri Free Web Courses: Courses to learn GIS based softwares.
Resources
- Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE): offers farmer-driven, grassroots grants and education programs. Since 1988, SARE grantees have been putting the principles of sustainable agriculture into practice on farms and ranches in every state and island protectorate.
- University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener Program is designed to train volunteer horticultural educators to support the University of Maryland Extension mission by educating residents about safe, effective and sustainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes, and communities.
Contact us: acecenter@umd.edu