Abstract:
For over a decade the number of urban or nonfarm students pursuing coursework in agriculture has steadily increased nationwide. One problem arising from this increase is the lack of practical or hands-on experience in agricultural procedures. Limited emphasis on such procedures in laboratory sessions of coursework is not adequate. A partial solution to the need for practical experience is student internships. These may be offered through cooperators in the farming or ranching business. An alternative being pursued by the University of Nevada College of Agriculture is to utilize a University ranch to provide hands-on experiences for students. Students are enrolled for one credit for a one week stay at the ranch where they participate in various practical facets of agriculture. The program has had excellent results as viewed by student participants and is deemed a viable part of any improvement program for students who need practical courses in agriculture. The basic framework for a university- sponsored one credit, one week internship is presented. The internship, conducted three times a year, is well adapted to a typical land grant agricultural faculty where most individuals have a 25% or less teaching appointment.
Keywords:
internship program, farm experience, urban students, nonfarm students
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