Experiential (and excellent!) summer internships

BY LOUISA SMITH, AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATION & MARKETING, BS '25

This summer, students from the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) took their education beyond the classroom, participating in a range of experiential internships that bridged the gap between theory and practice. From contributing to scientific advancements at a major corporation to supporting conservation efforts at a wildlife sanctuary to navigating policy work at a government agency, these students applied their knowledge in real-world settings. Through hands-on experiences across various disciplines, they gained invaluable skills and insights that will shape their future careers in science and beyond.

Wyatt Gonsior

Grain origination merchant intern, Cargill 

“The agriculture industry is world wide, and being at Cargill has really opened my eyes to the great opportunities that come with being a part of it,” said Wyatt Gonsior, Agricultural and Food Business Management student. 

Gonsior spent his summer working as a Grain Origination Merchant intern for Cargill in Wayzata, Minnesota. In his role, he talked with farmers to help them market their grain with Cargill. “[We went] over things like pricing solutions to mitigate some of the risk that comes with marketing their grain,” Gonsior said. He also spent time generating leads for Cargill’s new carbon credit program called Cargill RegenConnect.

“The most rewarding experience I have gained with Cargill is problem solving and how to manage difficult conversations,” Gonsior said. “With the commodity markets being in a downturn, I have had many opportunities to put these skills to use helping farmers make hard decisions that will benefit their operations and take away some of the scarcity that comes with these low numbers for corn and soybeans.”

As he emerges as a professional, Gonsior wants to be a voice for the agriculture industry. “My future aspirations consist of being a part of the next generation of agricultural leaders that advocate for the future of the industry, and the chance to take it into its next stage where sustainable practices will ensure our ground can continue to provide for not only farm families but the world as a whole,” Gonsior said.

Lyra Grabczyk 

Wildlife husbandry intern, Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary

“The climate and environment are in a precarious position,” said Lyra Grabczyk, Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology student. “Whatever I or others can do to help it and preserve it for the future is very important.” This summer, Grabczyk did just that, working at Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary in Costa Rica as a wildlife husbandry intern.

At the sanctuary, every day was different. “A typical day in the sanctuary was spent working on food prep or animal care,” Grabczyk said. “Food prep was spent in the kitchen prepping every meal based on the requirements of the animals and sanctuary was spent on the grounds first cleaning the enclosures and going back and feeding and putting in enrichment for the animals.”

Grabczyk learned skills beyond animal care. “I feel like one of the biggest things I learned was how to be really adaptive,” Grabczyk said. “I went [to Costa Rica] alone and it was intimidating to be in a new country where I didn't know what I was doing. Every day was different. Between the weather and animals we had to be ready for anything.”

“My current future goal is to do seasonal work around the world, probably animal and wildlife sanctuary related,” said Grabczyk. For Grabczyk, this experience was instrumental in shaping her future plans. “I definitely really want to go into something where I’m directly helping and working with the animals. This experience has reinforced my passion for animals and conservation.”

Avi Neumann

Student field worker, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 

“Working for a Minnesota-based organization has changed my perspective in that I realize just how much the agency does for the state,” said Avi Neumann, Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management (ESPM) student. This summer, Neumann worked as a student field worker for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Neumann’s role was to assist with fish and invertebrate sampling and monitoring. “A typical [week] for me was loading up on gear on Monday and then traveling throughout the state sampling different streams with electrofishing equipment and staying in hotels until we headed back on Thursday,” Neumann said.

Neumann feels his major has helped lead him into the industry. “I chose [to study] ESPM because I wanted to choose a major that had applicable science,” Neumann said. “I can study ‘hard sciences’ like soil science or biology and then apply them through policy management.” 

Working at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has inspired Neumann to continue working in the field. “[I hope] to come back to the pollution control agency and learn more about the different parts of the agency,” Neumann said. “I would love to continue helping grad students with their research as well.”