What made your internship experience unique? 

The NCBA/PLC internship experience is unique because you truly are a part of the team. On your first day, you get assigned a set of daily tasks that are essential to internal operations. You also get creative freedom with the numerous writing pieces that you get to draft and then collaborate with the staff to refine the piece and learn writing skills during this process. The autonomy of this internship makes it unique and allows you to grow and expand your skillset in a way most other internships don’t provide.

How did NCBA’s internship help you in your future career/schooling? 

NCBA’s internship not only helped me grow in my skillset that I will utilize as an agricultural attorney in areas such as research and writing, but it also refreshed my passion for the beef cattle industry and its members and reminded me of my motivations to continue my schooling. I chose to go to law school so that I could have a career advocating for agricultural producers and their ranches. The opportunities I had over the summer to connect with such members and learn from NCBA’s staff who advocate for them in the policy arena every day were rejuvenating as I entered my first semester of law school, which is something I am extremely grateful for.

What would you tell other students considering applying for a Public Policy Internship with NCBA?

Apply! This internship is a great opportunity for anyone with a passion for the beef cattle industry. Whatever your particular interests may be, there is a place within this internship where you can hone your skillset in on. The range of projects that you have a chance to participate in is astounding; from market research, to writing articles, to podcasting, to event planning, to lobbying efforts, you will have a chance to take part in it. If you are remotely considering turning in your application for this internship, do it as you will not regret it!

What would you tell other students considering applying for a Public Policy Internship with NCBA? 

If you are interested in a beef industry career, you should definitely apply for this internship! Even if moving to Washington, D.C. is not in your long-term plan, the experience you gain in one semester or a summer in the NCBA/PLC office will prove to be incredibly valuable regardless of what your future entails. This internship will set you up for success whether you plan on returning to improve your family cattle operation or make a career in our Nation’s Capital and everything in between. From the knowledge you will gain to the connections you will make and the fun you will have along the way, this has to be one of the best internship opportunities out there for college students in Washington, D.C. 

How did NCBA’s internship help you in your future career/schooling? 

This internship really helped me decide how I want to proceed in my future career. It has given me direction as I make my first career decisions and has given me the connections I need to get started. Additionally, as I returned to classes, I noticed that my academic skills had greatly improved after my time with NCBA/PLC. This internship will allow you to greatly improve your hard skills, such as researching and writing, as well as your soft skills, as you are given countless opportunities to network and meet new people. During your time in D.C., you will also become a subject matter expert on the current hot topics of the beef industry. This knowledge you will gain will be incredibly valuable because you will be able to talk and write about these current hot topics and industry issues with great confidence and a plethora of new knowledge. The NCBA and PLC have also been incredibly supportive of me after my internship as I came back to Texas Tech University and started a Collegiate Cattlemen’s Association on campus. NCBA has been a huge help in starting this collegiate organization, and it shows just how much they care about their interns and want them to succeed.

What is something you learned about NCBA during your time as an intern? 

Something I learned about the NCBA during my time as an intern was how all of the policy that the NCBA office deals with is completely member-driven. It gave me great confidence in the association because every stance NCBA takes on an issue is 100% member-driven, and they do not touch any issues that they do not already have a member-produced written policy on. I also learned just how incredibly talented the lobbyists in the D.C. office are and became very confident that our industry is very well represented on Capitol Hill.