Cora Crilow: Ashland Soil & Water Conservation District
Agriscience Education student Cora Crilow is expanding her experience in the industry through an internship with Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District. From Millersburg, OH, Cora said “I grew up around agriculture but never worked closely with my local soil and water office, so I decided that this position would be a great opportunity to learn more about the conservation side of agriculture.” So far, she has experienced a bit of everything, though her most notable project is organizing the Rain Beat on Main Street event.
Rain Beat on Main Street is Ashland SWCD’s yearly event promoting stormwater conservation, where sponsored rain barrels are showcased in the towns around northeast Ohio’s Ashland County. These rain barrels, painted by community members and sponsored by local businesses, can be voted on and will be auctioned at the end of the event. Cora’s job was to organize for the summer, drum up support, and find both sponsor and artist for each barrel.
Cora also helped early in the summer with educational programs in local schools as well as with technical roles “out in the field.” This helped her build some face-to-face communication skills that were lost during COVID-19 and practice the skill in her community. Cora noted that she enjoyed the educational role but was also excited to be part of the on-site visits and “scout some giant log jams.”
Cora’s piece of advice for incoming students is, “Diversify your internships and experiences. In my past year at ATI, I’ve learned that employers want professionals with unique experience. Don’t limit yourself to one field or industry within agriculture. Most experience will work to your advantage while applying and interviewing for your ‘big kid job,’ so don’t be afraid to try new things!”