Amanda Smith, 2010
Cornell University
After growing up and interning on dairies in Upstate New York, I knew I needed to get out of my comfort zone for a summer. I spent three months in Wisconsin interning with the magazine and am fortunate that an editorial position became available in February of my senior year. Upon graduation from Cornell University with an animal science degree in 2011, I returned to Fort Atkinson and began my career as a Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor.
Participating in the Hoard's Dairyman internship really allowed me to solidify my future career direction. I had always enjoyed communication, and my summer in Wisconsin gave me the push I needed to pursue that career field over large-scale calf and heifer raising. Most importantly though, it enabled me to develop confidence in both my written and verbal communication skills, while breaking out of my shell and becoming less introverted than I initially was at the start.
