Internship Program

WPA Internship Program

New this year, WPA will be offering an internship program in place of the mentorship program.

Objective

The purpose of the WPA internship program is to provide an opportunity for a young person to serve a 10-week summer internship as the official youth representative of the Wisconsin Pork Association. The program will be administered by the WPA Youth Committee under the supervision of the Executive Vice President.

QUALIFICATIONS

Must be a Wisconsin resident between the ages of 18 and 23 (Must be age 18 by Jan 1, 2023)
Must exhibit strong communication and leadership skills
Must have a background in animal husbandry
Must exhibit a genuine interest in the Wisconsin pork industry and be able to speak on behalf of it
Must be a member (or become a member) of the Wisconsin Pork Association
Must have reliable transportation and be willing to travel to out-of-state trainings and functions
May only serve one year

Application Process

Candidates must submit the following to the WPA office no later than March 31, 2023.
(All materials must be received in the office, not postmarked, by 3/31/23. Electronic or hard copy
documents will be accepted).

A completed application form (including 2 writing prompts)
A current resume
A personal video (60 sec max) explaining “What makes me the best candidate for Wisconsin Pork Internship” *Videos may be recorded on cell phones and must be sent via email to lana@ilpork.com by the deadline. Contact Lana with questions.
Further, candidates may be asked to:
- Participate in an interview with the selection committee. The interviews will be held by Zoom at a
  date to be determined.

Responsibilities

The WPA Intern will work in the following areas:

Wisconsin State Fair – The Intern will coordinate the Hall of Fame program at the Wisconsin State Fair as well as an educational exhibit in the swine barn and participation in the Camp of Champions.
Pork Schoppe – The Intern will assist in the coordination of the Pork Schoppe including
- attendance at committee meetings, actively soliciting volunteers, assisting in managing the event and
- other state fair-related projects as assigned. The 2023 Wisconsin State Fair is August 3-13 and you will be asked to be available August 1-14.
Promotion/Consumer Information – Projects as requested in foodservice, retail, healthcare, youth education, food safety, etc. These may include presentations, promotions, sampling events, attending trade shows and/or cooking demonstrations. Must be familiar with social media platforms.
Communication – The Intern will communicate with producers via personal contacts and group meetings. The Intern will also write articles about their programs and projects for WPA publications, such as Pork Express, Headlines and social media. Good communication skills are strongly desired and will be strengthened during the internship.

Work Schedule

During the summer, the Intern is expected to work a five-day work week, under the direction of the WPA staff, working 40 hours per week, in the Lancaster office. Anticipated start date is June 1 and ending date August 15 including follow-up meeting and closing interview.
Be prepared for frequent travel.

Supervision

The Intern will work with all WPA staff and leaders. The EVP will ultimately be the supervisor and coordinate the Ambassador’s schedule and projects.

Compensation / Travel Allowance

The Wisconsin Pork Intern will receive a $5,000 stipend that will be paid over the 10-week period.
The Intern will be reimbursed for expenses (mileage, hotel, meals, etc.) related to approved WPA travel. Intern must use their own vehicle.
Housing in Lancaster is not provided, except during specific activities when needed.
Intern is encouraged to seek credit hours for the internship through his or her school, in addition to the above compensation.

WPA Welcomes Our 2023 Summer Intern:

Courtney Mullooly

Originally from Janesville, WI, Courtney is currently a junior at University of Wisconsin- River Falls where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education and Animal Science. She grew up on her family’s farm raising beef cattle and later became involved in showing pigs. Courtney has worked as a hired hand and most recently held an internship with 33 Feeds as a nutrition consultant. Additionally, she enjoys mentoring youth and helping achieve success with their swine projects.

Through her experiences, Courtney has developed a passion for educating both young people and adults about all the opportunities agriculture has to offer. Additionally, they have sparked a specific interest in learning more about the swine industry and the programs that drive it, which makes her the perfect fit for our organization.

Courtney will serve as the official youth representative of the Wisconsin Pork Association. During her internship she will focus on marketing and promoting the pork industry in our state. More specifically her duties will include helping coordinate state fair events such as Pork Schoppe and Hall of Fame, create youth focused activities, job shadow individuals at the national offices, develop social media posts, create publications, develop and execute a special project, attend board meetings, interact with producers, visit hog farms and other allied businesses, and create a final presentation upon completion of her internship.

Courtney is excited to begin and to learn more about Wisconsin’s diverse swine industry and to serve as an asset and resource for our producers and members. Welcome to the team, Courtney!