Agricultural and Natural Resources Policy Internship Program

About the ANRP Internship Program

Vision

To develop leaders of character dedicated to serving the greater good through policy.

Mission

The ANRP Internship Program is an academic service designated to help students obtain a policy-related internship in Washington, D.C., Austin, Texas, or internationally with the FAO for course credit. During their internship, students will learn new skills, gain valuable inside knowledge about their professional future, and meet the people who will someday be their co-workers and professional supervisors.

Program Objectives

1. To provide opportunities for students to understand the policy-making process and how it can be applied, and relates, to agriculture and natural resources.
2. To enable students to develop personal and professional skills, explore career interests, and form networks.
3. To provide opportunities for students to evaluate and apply knowledge gained from academic coursework in a professional work environment.
4. To provide hosting offices with student interns who are interested in learning about agriculture and life sciences through practical work experience.

Learning Outcomes

1. Apply academic knowledge in a professional setting​ – The primary goal of an internship is to provide the student with the opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the classroom to solve real problems in personal and professional settings.
2. Develop professionally relevant competencies and relationships in a professional setting​ – The student works together with the site supervisor to specify how the student plans to sharpen and develop new knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to serve effectively in a professional policy related setting. Students will use appropriate strategies and tools to represent, analyze, and integrate information while in the internship to develop reasonable positions. Additionally, relationships with the site supervisor and other professionals add to the student’s professional network.
3. Gain understanding of and exposure to the public policy process – The student is able to learn through formal training and on-the-job experiences the public policy process. The student is able to experience various aspects of the policy process through interactions with the site supervisor and other employees, as well as through interactions and meetings with customers, clients, and/or constituents.
4. Observe a diverse professional organizational culture and an understanding of professional etiquette  – The student begins to understand the dynamics of an organization’s culture through observing and reflecting on how decisions are made, how work is structured, how power is shared, how colleagues interact, how an organization’s mission/vision are implemented, and to what degree accountability and feedback are present in the organization. This is accomplished in diverse (economic, political, cultural, religious, etc.) contexts. The student also practices proper business etiquette while fulfilling their internship responsibilities.
5. Clarify career goals and personal aspirations​ – The internship experience allows the student to put their knowledge and talents to practical use in preparation for a life of leadership and service to the greater good. The student is able to reflect on the internship experience and make connections between what the student understands about his or her giftedness, and the needs of the profession the student is exploring through the internship experience.

Program Staff