For students who have never set foot on a farm, the UGArden internship at the University of Georgia can feel like a leap of faith.
Many applicants open with some version of “I know I probably wouldn’t be qualified for this,” and those are exactly the students who farm director Ty Brooks and internship coordinator Kate Cassity-Duffey want to hear from.
The program is open to students from across the university, at all experience levels, and is designed to be accessible to newcomers.
There’s something that happens when a student gets on a tractor and starts to use machinery for the first time.
Experiential learning changes career outcomes
“The way I became a plant and soil scientist was because of my own experience on a student farm at Warren Wilson College,” said Cassity-Duffey, a professor of organic production in UGA’s Department of Horticulture. “I was a chemistry major and didn’t know soil science was an actual field of study that would lead to a career.”
A former UGArden intern himself, Brooks oversees day-to-day operations and works directly with students on organic vegetable production and field operations. He said it’s the life skills students gain that are the biggest and most surprising takeaway each semester.
“A lot of interns who come out here don’t necessarily know what to expect,” Brooks said. “They might have some preconceived notions about farming, but once they’re here, many of them discover new interests, develop new skills and gain a greater sense of self-efficacy.”
Some even change their majors to horticulture.
Although the program operates from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, it draws students from varied backgrounds who might not otherwise interact with the college and each other, creating friendships and fostering a unique sense of community on the farm.
Meet some of the other interns
Beau Richards signed up for the internship to earn an experiential learning credit for his degree, but the experience was so impactful that it has led him to reconsider his horticulture trajectory after graduation.
Julianna Mitchell is an environmental engineering major with an interest in food systems and sustainable farming. She appreciated that the harvested produce at UGArden is used to help feed the local community.
Olivia Cousar is a horticulture major who loves plants and being outside. She especially enjoyed Tulsi the farm cat, conversations with other interns and eating freshly picked berries throughout the summer.
Brenden Lane is a horticulture major interested in the medicinal and nutritional aspects of fruits and vegetables. He enjoyed the team building and community experience of the internship.
Katherine Wright is a biological science major. Although she admits the internship was harder than she expected, it was ultimately a rewarding experience.
- UGArden is a fully operational small farm that balances educational programming with daily production.
- Interns work 15-20 hours per week, and cohort sizes are capped at eight students.
- Students get one-on-one attention and hands-on experience with equipment and daily farming operations.
- The internship fulfills UGA’s experiential learning credit requirement, which all degrees require.
