The Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center’s undergraduate summer internship is open to applications for summer 2016! Applications are due Feb. 5, 2016.
Objective: To help prepare undergraduate students for careers in the equine industry, academia, or the veterinary sciences through applying classroom knowledge in a real world setting and learning new skills through meaningful research and Extension projects.
The internship will be offered in summer 2016 and is located at the MARE Center, a 420-acre equine facility located in the heart of Virginia’s horse country. This is an immersive learning environment for those students who are sincere in their desire to secure employment in the equine industry and/or pursue post-baccalaureate education in graduate or veterinary school. This novel program provides substantive and authentic experiences that result in the ultimate capstone experience.
Interns will assist with all ongoing research and Extension activities at the MARE Center. Each intern will be assigned a specific project area. Project areas will include topics such as equine nutrition and health, pasture management, conservation and land stewardship, equine reproduction, and youth development (4-H). Interns will be involved with all aspects of their specified project including literature review, protocol development, experimental design, data collection, data recording, and data analyses. Interns will have the opportunity to disseminate knowledge gained through their project in an Extension or research publication or presentation. An essential component of the internship will be developing leadership and communication skills while building networks within the equine industry through Extension activities. Interns will gain practical hands-on experience operating a 420-acre farm. Management experience will include daily horse care, nutritional management, young horse handling, reproductive management, pasture and forage management, and potential management of other livestock.
This internship is appropriate for students entering their junior or senior year in the fall semester following the internship. The internship is open to current undergraduate students at Virginia Tech or any other institution in the United States or Canada. Students graduating in May 2016 will also be considered. The internship generally runs from early- to mid-May through mid-August, and is tailored to each student. Current students may receive college credit if desired and will be responsible for tuition and fees. Transfer credits will be the student’s responsibility. Internships will include shared housing and utilities. Interns must provide evidence of renter’s insurance.
Interested students should complete the application form and submit required documents by Feb. 5, 2016 for consideration for summer 2016. For further information, please contact Shayan Ghajar at 540-687-3521, ext 26. Application forms can also be downloaded directly from the MARE Center.