Director of Performance Programs Esther Tarpoff, another of the internship’s supervisors, hopes the experience will carry Hadrick far beyond the walls of the Saint Joseph office.

“I think about the investment the Association makes in having internships,” Tarpoff says. “You always hope that they want to come back and support Angus, but more than that, you develop young leaders for a summer. They’re going to walk away with that experience and go have a broader touch in the industry.”

Learning by doing

Throughout the summer, Hadrick has worked alongside the Commercial and Performance Programs teams, assisting with AngusLink® enrollments, Inventory Reporting and producer communications, while also taking on special projects. 

The timing of the internship coincides with a busy enrollment season for Commercial Programs, making the position beneficial for both the student and team.

“Olivia was able to assist the commercial programs team by reviewing AngusLink enrollments, answering producer questions and supporting AngusLink producer marketing efforts during our busiest time of the year,” Dreyer says.

Still, Association leaders were intentional about ensuring the experience extended beyond routine office work. 

“It’s been exciting to have an intern on the team and give her exposure to the Angus programs and the opportunities within the industry,” Dreyer says.  “We hope the experience provided valuable insight as she explores future career opportunities.”

Hadrick says this position has offered insight into aspects of the industry she had little experience with before. Though she’s familiar with the industry, she has gained a greater appreciation for the work that supports members behind the scenes.

“I have learned a lot about the registered side,” Hadrick says. “I grew up with commercial cattle, so learning more about the registered side is interesting.”

The experience has also changed her perspective on office-based careers within agriculture.

“I always thought that an office job sounded super boring, but when I’m doing things like Inventory Reporting or the AngusLink enrollments, it’s honestly very rewarding,” Hadrick says.

According to Tarpoff, the role provides a unique combination of experiences that many students may not encounter elsewhere.

“I don’t know of another internship that allows you to do the in-office data side of it, both from a commercial and seedstock perspective, and then go out and see it also in the field,” Tarpoff says.

Beyond the projects and responsibilities, one of the most valuable aspects of the internship has been the relationships built throughout the summer.

“These connections I’m making are incredible,” Hadrick says. “I really don’t think there’s anywhere else I could have had an opportunity like this.”

Those connections are a key reason internships remain such an important investment, Tarpoff says.

“Internships are designed that you meet people,” she explains. “The skills you learn in the office are secondary to the connections you’re going to make that will follow you.”

Working alongside Association staff also allows interns to experience the organization’s culture firsthand.

The experience has also offered growth opportunities for those supervising the program.

“It’s a unique opportunity to work alongside an intern for summer,” Dreyer says. “Leading and mentoring an intern has challenged me as a leader and helped me grow professionally as well.”

As the Association looks toward continuing the internship program in the future, Dreyer and Tarpoff hope its effects will be felt long after the summer concludes.

“You have a small piece in helping develop them,” Tarpoff says. “And hopefully down the road they can point back and have a successful story about their summer at Angus.”