Experience life as a county extension agent through paid summer internship program
By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Oct. 8, 2025
Fast Facts:
- 15 spots available; application deadline is Dec. 31, 2025
- Paid, 10-week summer internship program offers hands-on learning experiences
- College juniors and seniors studying ag, horticulture, or family and consumer sciences encouraged to apply
- Apply at bit.ly/apply-county-agent-internship
(1,165 words)
(Newsrooms: With art)
LITTLE ROCK — Applications are now open for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s 2026 county extension agent internship. The paid, 10-week summer program offers college students an immersive, hands-on look at life as an extension agent.
The internship is offered by the Cooperative Extension Service, the outreach and education arm of the Division of Agriculture. College juniors and seniors studying agriculture, horticulture or family and consumer sciences-related fields are encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is Dec. 31, 2025, and those selected for the program will be notified by mid-January 2026. Apply online at bit.ly/apply-county-agent-internship.
Carla Due, extension Ouachita district director for the Division of Agriculture, said the internship program introduces participants to “extension’s mission and values.”
“This program helps the interns determine if they are passionate about giving back to their community through education outside of a formal classroom,” Due said. “We hope it opens their eyes to a career they might not have previously considered.”
Interns will organize educational workshops, participate in field visits and ag demonstrations and work with diverse audiences. The program also benefits the Cooperative Extension Service, as past interns have later been hired by the organization as county agents and program technicians.
“These students bring new ideas, renewed enthusiasm and energy to the job,” Due said. “The internship program helps us develop the next generation of county agents by offering immersive experiences, mentorship and exposure to the kind of real-world challenges they will face in their discipline.”
For the 10-week internship period, students will work in the focus areas of agriculture, family and consumer sciences, 4-H youth development, and community, professional and economic development. When students apply, they should list their top three county preferences, so they are able to work close to where they live. Extension does not provide housing, but county faculty may be able to help interns secure a place to live during the program.
From summer intern to county agent
Ashton Lancaster, extension 4-H agent in Pope County, served as a county agent intern in Yell County earlier this year. She said her internship experience was “incredibly rewarding, and gave me opportunities to learn, grow and connect with my community.”
“I gained confidence in working with the public, learned how to plan and lead programs and discovered how rewarding it is to see the impact of our work firsthand,” Lancaster said. “It also helped me build relationships with mentors and professionals who supported and encouraged me along the way.”
Prior to her internship, Lancaster said she didn’t fully understand what extension work involved.
“I didn’t realize the variety of programs and the difference it makes in people’s lives,” she said. “After seeing and doing the work firsthand, I knew I wanted a career in extension. My internship showed me that extension is about more than education — it’s about people, relationships and community impact.”
For Devyn Britt, extension family and consumer sciences agent in Lonoke County, her time as an intern in Faulkner County in 2023 provided valuable career guidance.
“I was very young when I started the program and had no idea what I wanted to do after college,” Britt said. “It taught me that I enjoyed helping the community and bringing people together. This internship gave me a chance to learn by doing. I gained real-world experience, made great connections and truly enjoyed every moment — even going with the agriculture agent to a snake-infested field!”
Though Britt was familiar with extension’s 4-H youth development program before her internship, she said she had “no idea” about the scope of extension agents’ work.
“I quickly found out what the life of an agent was like,” Britt said. “Agents are there to support the community in so many ways, from a farmer needing a soil sample to a canner lid needing to be tested.”
Zeb Gattis, extension agriculture agent in Sebastian County, interned in Washington County in 2023. Gattis said he “had never known about the extension service before I saw the flyer advertising this internship opportunity.”
“I did not have any sort of agricultural background growing up, and my family didn’t ever go by the extension office in our county,” Gattis said. “I feel the internship definitely showed me how extension assists people, especially in the horticultural field.”
Belle Craig, extension 4-H agent in Yell County, said her experience interning in Yell County in 2022 was “transformative.”
“I had the opportunity to be involved in a variety of agricultural demonstrations, which gave me practical, hands-on experience related to my major in agriculture,” Craig said. “I also got to work closely with 4-H members, assisting with camps, workshops and community events. That combination of ag-focused work and youth engagement really helped me understand the diverse role that extension plays in the community.”
In addition to providing valuable professional skills and strengthening her communication and leadership abilities, Craig said her internship helped her gain “a much deeper appreciation for how extension serves as a vital resource for both youth and adults.”
“Seeing the positive influence that agents have on the community helped me realize how meaningful this work really is,” Craig said. “The internship gave me a better understanding of extension’s role and how deeply it's woven into the everyday lives of Arkansans.”
More than just a summer job
To today’s college students, Craig emphasized that the county agent internship is “more than just a summer job.”
“It’s a chance to connect with your community, build lasting relationships and discover how your education can be used to help others,” she said. “Whether you see yourself in extension long-term or you're still figuring out your path, the internship is an incredible opportunity to learn, grow and find your passion.”
Lancaster said the 2026 interns will “meet inspiring people and get to see the impact of their efforts in their own community.”
“It’s an opportunity that can open doors — and in my case, it led to a full-time position doing what I love,” she said.
Britt said she encourages college students to apply for the program, even if they’re not familiar with extension.
“My experience was so interactive and fun, and I really got to be creative, too,” Britt said. “I was never bored or had a dull moment. I truly enjoyed my entire summer.”
Gattis said the program can give interns “more opportunities for growth and networking compared to other jobs.”
“I enjoyed being able to meet not just industry professionals through my internship, but also community leaders and many people living in the county,” Gattis said.
Due said participants of the county agent internship will leave the program with a robust network of peers and mentors — a network that can benefit them throughout their future careers.
“These students will network with those in their program areas from across the state and begin to create a professional network they can call upon after graduation,” Due said. “They will grow professionally and personally.”
To learn more about the internship and apply, visit bit.ly/apply-county-agent-internship or contact Carla Due at cdue@uada.edu.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
Rebekah Hall
rkhall@uada.edu
@RKHall_
501-671-2061