Is anyone interested in helping students learn more about what it takes to be in agri-marketing? We are looking for a few good professionals to match with students in a job shadowing program. This is a specific request from students involved in the Illinois State University student NAMA chapter, who are being trained for our industry, yet do not have any real world experience.

This activity would occur sometime in October or November (to be determined by the professional and student) and involves allowing a student to shadow you for a day or two.  Although it’s being promoted as a “shadowing” experience, it would seem logical to assign students tasks to involve them in a project, to take advantage of their shadowing function and further enriching their educational experience. The goal is to give them a realistic look at what’s involved in our positions and how we do what we do.

Please respond to Amy Bradford at [email protected] if you’re interested in participating in this program. We will then work with the ISU student NAMA chapter to identify the students to participate. Once we have the professionals/students identified, we’ll count on you to coordinate with the student the day(s) that work for both of you.

Although it is not yet a formal program, it may be something we offer annually to students in our membership territory. I can see benefits to both the students and our professional members: students receive first person experience and professionals benefit by showcasing your company and getting a first look at potential future interns or employees. Thanks for your consideration.

On a somewhat related matter, if you/your company is seeking interns or have positions open that students may be able to fill, get in touch with Rick Whitacre or Aslihan Spaulding at ISU – the advisors for the student chapter. You can reach Rick at [email protected]; Aslihan at [email protected].

Also, watch your email for upcoming programming information. We have some good things in the works for this fall!