2017 MIDWEST DAIRY ASSOCIATION INDUSTRY RELATIONS IOWA SUMMER INTERN
The Midwest Dairy Association Industry Relations Internship Program provides an excellent opportunity for students interested in communications, public relations, marketing, food science or agribusiness. The intern must positively represent Midwest Dairy Association objectives as they gain practical experience in communication, public relations and marketing programs for dairy products.
POSITION AVAILABLE
ANKENY, IOWA: Position located in the Ankeny program office. Approximate dates: June 1 – late August.
ELIGIBILITY:
- MUST BE A STUDENT THAT IS PERMANENT RESIDENT OF IOWA, MINNESOTA, NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, MISSOURI, ILLINOIS, KANSAS, NEBRASKA, OKLAHOMA OR ARKANSAS OR BE A STUDENT ENROLLED IN A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY IN ONE OF THESE STATES.
- MUST BE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD ON JANUARY 1, 2017.
- MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR SHORT-TERM EMPLOYMENT OF THE MIDWEST DAIRY FROM APPROXIMATELY JUNE 1 – LATE AUGUST, 2017
- MUST HAVE AN INTEREST IN COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND/OR THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.
- MUST LOCATE IN OR NEAR ANKENY, AND HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION.
A PREFERENCE WILL BE GIVEN TO APPLICANTS WITH:
- EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION SKILLS, INCLUDING WRITING AND PUBLIC SPEAKING.
- STRONG ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS, MATURITY AND THE ABILITY TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY.
- FAMILIARITY WITH THE DAIRY INDUSTRY, STATE FAIRS AND, WHERE APPLICABLE, DAIRY PRINCESS PROGRAMS.
- A BACKGROUND OR INTEREST IN MARKETING OR AGRICULTURE.
- COMPUTER EXPERIENCE.
SELECTION
- APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT, VIA E-MAIL, A RESUME, AND A TWO-PAGE, TYPED, DOUBLE-SPACED WRITTEN ESSAY DESCRIBING TWO NEW INITIATIVES THAT COULD HELP MIDWEST DAIRY BEST SERVE ITS DAIRY PRODUCER FUNDERS TO DRIVE PRODUCT SALES AND/OR ENHANCE DAIRY PRODUCER IMAGE, AND A LIST OF THREE REFERENCES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CURRENT AND FORMER EMPLOYERS.
THESE E-MAILED APPLICATIONS ARE DUE MARCH 17, 2017. PLEASE E-MAIL ALL APPLICATIONS TO:
SUE ANN CLAUDON AT SACLAUDON@MIDWESTDAIRY.COM AND
MITCH SCHULTE MSCHULTE@MIDWESTDAIRY.COM
FINALISTS WILL BE NOTIFIED FOR INTERVIEWS BY MARCH 24, 2017. The intern will assume a salaried internship at the Ankeny office location and must be prepared to reside within commuting distance of the job responsibilities.
2017 MIDWEST DAIRY INDUSTRY RELATIONS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Program Objectives
- PROVIDE AN OUTSTANDING YOUNG ADULT THE OPPORTUNITY TO POSITIVELY REPRESENT AND WORK ON BEHALF OF THE DAIRY INDUSTRY IN ORDER TO ADVANCE MIDWEST DAIRY’S CORPORATE OBJECTIVES.
- PROVIDE A CHALLENGING, EDUCATIONAL AND REWARDING OPPORTUNITY FOR A PERSON TO GAIN A PRACTICAL EDUCATION ABOUT THE FUNCTION OF BUSINESS, SPECIFICALLY THE MARKETING AND GENERIC PROMOTION OF REAL DAIRY PRODUCTS. THIS PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES THE INTERN WITH PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
- GENERATE ASSISTANCE (HUMAN RESOURCES) TO IMPLEMENT MIDWEST DAIRY’S PROGRAM OF WORK.
- INTRODUCE POTENTIAL FUTURE EMPLOYEES TO MIDWEST DAIRY, AND POSITION THE ASSOCIATION AS A POTENTIAL FUTURE EMPLOYER TO INTERNS AND CANDIDATES.
- PROVIDE CONSTRUCTIVE INPUT ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION’S PROGRAMMING AND OPERATIONS, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AND ITS POTENTIAL VALUE FOR UPCOMING YEARS.
- BUILD AWARENESS IN THE ACADEMIC AND AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES OF MIDWEST DAIRY AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT OFFERS INTERESTING AND REWARDING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. IT ALSO ALLOWS THE ASSOCIATION TO BUILD RAPPORT WITH ACADEMIC AND AGRICULTURAL LEADERS WHO MAY LEND ASSISTANCE/RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN THE ASSOCIATION FILLS PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS.
Position Description
Term: Three months approximately June 1 – through late August
This experiential learning opportunity is short-term (summer) employment based in the Ankeny, Iowa office. During the summer program, the intern will be a paid employee of Midwest Dairy, earning $4,600 for three months, but will not be eligible for any benefits other than those provided to all employees under applicable law. The intern will work full-time hours, which may include some weekends, and unlimited hours during the applicable state fair responsibilities. Some flexibility in start dates, or during the employment period, is allowed.
RESPONSIBILITIES MAY INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
- ASSIST WITH THE WRITING, DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF MEDIA MATERIALS.
- WORK WITH INDUSTRY RELATIONS MANAGER TO IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP OTHER PROMOTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND DISPLAYS FOR USE AT STATE FAIRS.
- WRITE REGULAR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL MIDWEST DAIRY ASSOCIATION PUBLICATIONS VIA MIDWEST DAIRY NEWS.
- ASSIST SPECIFIC MIDWEST DAIRY STAFF MEMBERS WITH PROGRAMS UNIQUE TO THEIR STATE, SUCH AS: FARM TOURS AND OPEN HOUSES; DAIRY PRINCESS PROGRAMS; SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS; AND JUNE DAIRY MONTH AND SIMILAR PROMOTION ACTIVITIES.
- ASSIST WITH PLANNING AND ONSITE IMPLEMENTATION OF STATE FAIR ACTIVITIES.
- PERFORM MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT FUNCTIONS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, REPORT WRITING, ORDERING MATERIALS AND COLLECTING INFORMATION.
- PERFORM OTHER TASKS AS ASSIGNED.
RELATIONSHIPS
- DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE TO AND REPORTS TO A MEMBER OF THE INDUSTRY RELATIONS TEAM.
- PARTICIPATES IN THE STATE FAIR PROJECT TEAM.
- WORKS UNDER THE DIRECTION/SUPERVISION OF PROJECT LEADERS ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
REPORTING
- WEEKLY ITINERARY AND ACTIVITY REPORTS.
- EXPENSE REPORTS AS NEEDED ACCORDING TO ASSOCIATION POLICY.
- MONTHLY MILEAGE REPORTS AS NEEDED ACCORDING TO ASSOCIATION POLICY.
- PROGRAM/PROJECT UPDATES AS REQUESTED.
- COMPLETE A TIMESHEET.
Compensation
- RECEIVE $4,600 FOR THREE MONTHS PAID IN TWO-WEEK INCREMENTS.
- MILEAGE AND OTHER EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT ACCORDING TO ASSOCIATION POLICY.
- WORKERS’ COMPENSATION AND LIABILITY INSURANCE DURING SUMMER EMPLOYMENT.
- TRAINING AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
- COPIES OF COMPLETED PROJECTS, ARTICLES AND OTHER MATERIALS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.
Other Provisions
- UPON SELECTION, THE INTERN MUST CERTIFY THAT HE OR SHE WILL BE AVAILABLE AND WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE ENTIRE APPLICABLE STATE FAIR.
- ALTHOUGH THE ASSOCIATION ANTICIPATES THE INTERNSHIP WILL LAST FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS, NO SELECTED INTERN IS GUARANTEED TO HAVE HIS OR HER INTERNSHIP LAST FOR ANY PERIOD OF TIME. THE ASSOCIATION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO END THE INTERNSHIP OF AN INDIVIDUAL AT ANY TIME FOR ANY REASON. AGREEMENT BY AN INDIVIDUAL TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERNSHIP DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A CONTRACT OR GUARANTEE OF EMPLOYMENT.
- THE ASSOCIATION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO DISCONTINUE THE PROGRAM IF NO QUALIFYING APPLICATIONS ARE RECEIVED AS DETERMINED BY THE ASSOCIATION OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON.
- FAMILY MEMBERS OF MIDWEST DAIRY DIRECTORS OR STAFF ARE INELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION UNLESS THE MIDWEST DAIRY BOARD GRANTS A SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
- MUST BE ABLE TO PASS A BACKGROUND CHECK.
2017 Internship Work Activities
Assist with planning and participate in June Dairy Month activities to include:
- JUNE DAIRY MONTH PROCLAMATION SIGNING EVENT
- ISU OPEN HOUSE
- NORTHEAST IOWA DAIRY FOUNDATION BREAKFAST ON THE FARM
- JACKSON/CLINTON OPEN HOUSE
- WIDA OPEN HOUSE
- PARTICIPATE IN THE ISU 4-H DAIRY ROUNDUP
Additional activities include:
- STATE FAIR PLANNING WITH EVENTS, ACTIVITIES AND EXHIBITS
- COORDINATING DAIRY FARMER VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WITH ACTIVITIES AT THE STATE FAIR
- WRITE PRESS RELEASES FOR 2017 IA DIVISION SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
- ASSIST WITH PRESS RELEASES OR FEATURE STORIES RELATED TO IOWA DAIRY PRINCESS CONTEST
- WRITE AND SUBMIT SUCCESS STORIES TO MIDWEST DAIRY NEWS
- ASSIST WITH IOWA GAMES AND IOWA FOOD AND FAMILY PROJECT EVENTS
- ATTEND COALITION MEETINGS WHEN APPLICABLE TO UNDERSTAND RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER COMMODITY GROUPS AND PARTNERS.
This is not meant to be a complete list. It is only to be used as a guide to potential work activities for the internship position.