For my STEP signature project, I completed an internship with Heritage Cooperative as their grain merchandising intern during 2024 the summer. The main project I worked on during this internship was researching vomitoxin testing systems to determine which system would be beneficial to use companywide to create uniformity for training purposes. I also held many other responsibilities, some of which include assisting the contract specialists with sales and purchase contracts, updating a grain bid sheet and basis sheet daily, and entering settlements and grain grades into the system.

I feel that this internship allowed me to grow immensely, personally and professionally. In the aspect of growing personally, this internship allowed me to have a better understanding of what kind of career I would like to pursue after college. I have always been unsure of exactly what career I would want to explore, so this was a huge help. Additionally, I was able to become more professional and learned how to carry myself in a professional environment versus outside of a professional setting. My perception of a corporate office also changed during my time at Heritage. It was eye opening to see that an office setting is not always “up tight” or extremely strict like some offices may portray. I was welcomed into an office with open arms, and quickly learned that it is okay to have fun at your job every once in a while.

Another big take away for me from this internship is that there is always more to learn and to always ask questions. This internship was a great learning opportunity for me, and I was able to gain so much more knowledge about grain merchandising than I ever thought possible. I was also able to learn a little bit about other departments of the company such as agronomy, ag technology, energy, feed, and retail.

Working in the corporate office played a huge role in my ability to grow personally and professionally. The overall setting of the office and the people I worked with allowed me to become more of a professional. Additionally, I was able to make great connections with my colleagues and my supervisor. These connections allowed me to learn so much more than I thought I would, and I was never afraid to ask questions or ask for help.

I also got the opportunity to meet up with interns from other departments multiple times as well as tour a variety of different facilities company wide. These opportunities allowed me to learn more than just what my specific internship position was able to teach me. Learning more about other departments of the company broadened my horizons to other departments in the agriculture field. I now have a little bit of knowledge in each of the other sectors of agriculture outside of the grain department.

Overall, making new connections with professionals in my field of study is very important and could drastically assist me when searching for a career in my near future. I am now able to perform so many new tasks related to grain merchandising that I did not have the tools to do before this internship. Outside of the knowledge related to grain merchandising that I gained, I also now have a better understanding and can read the culture of a company. This has prepared me for a career and life after college by showing me what kind of company and job would be the best fit for me personally. Overall, I am grateful to be able to take this knowledge and these experiences with me forever.