NCB interns back row from L to R: Zane Mrozia-Mindrup, Logan Walsh, Jaylea Pope, Kaitlin Meirgerd; front row: Nathan Makinson, Whitley Rut, Emily Woockman
Nebraska Corn Board Press Release May 12, 2025
LINCOLN, Neb. – As the school year comes to a close, seven talented undergraduate students are gearing up for immersive internship experiences sponsored by the Nebraska Corn Board (NCB). These internships, designed to provide hands-on professional experience, will take the students to various locations across the U.S., working with key cooperators in the corn industry.
The internship program, now in its 35th year, has a proven track record of launching students into successful careers. These cooperators include the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), Nebraska Rural Radio Association (NRRA), U.S. Grains Council (USGC), U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) and the Nebraska Corn Growers Association (NeCGA). Most of these internships will conclude at the end of the summer, with two students serving in yearlong internship experiences.
“We reflect how this program has given us the opportunity to watch interns grow and thrive, and many have gone on to work with our cooperators in full-time careers,” said Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of NCB. “We’re excited to see these students develop their skills and make meaningful contributions to the corn industry.”
New this year, NCB is partnering with NRRA to host an agriculture broadcasting and digital communications intern. The intern will focus on creating, developing and distributing video and radio content, with an emphasis on the corn industry in addition to agriculture as a whole.
The interns will be working on a range of projects, from agriculture broadcasting and digital communications to policy, communications and industry relations. Some highlights include:
- Emily Woockman will work with USMEF in Denver, Colorado, on international relations and the meat market. Woockman is majoring in agribusiness & economics at Wayne State College.
- Jaylea Pope, an animal science and agricultural communications student at UNL, will create video and radio content for NRRA, focusing on the corn industry and agriculture.
- Kaitlin Meiergerd with NCGA in St. Louis on communications industry relations. Meiergerd is majoring in agriculture communications at Wayne State College.
- Logan Walsh will intern with USGC in Washington, D.C., focused on event management for the trade organization. Walsh is majoring in international business and economics at UNL.
- Nathan Makinson will work with NCGA in Washington, D.C., on policy development. Makinson is majoring in economics at UNL.
- Whitley Rut will plan and execute the NeCGA golf tournament, various other events and communication as an intern with NCB and NeCGA. Rut is an agricultural and environmental sciences communication major at UNL.
- Zane Mrozla-Mindrup will focus on demand and research at the Nebraska Corn Board in a yearlong internship. Mrozla-Mindrup is studying agricultural economics at UNL.
In addition to the students gaining real-world experiences throughout the summer and helping fulfill the duties and missions of their respective organizations, the interns are also able to gain valuable insight into possible future careers. To stay updated with interns and their experiences, visit nebraskacorn.gov or follow the Nebraska Corn Board on social media channels.
The Nebraska Corn Board is funded through a producer checkoff investment of a one-cent-per-bushel checkoff on all corn marketed in the state and is managed by nine farmer directors. The mission of the Nebraska Corn Board is to increase the value and sustainability of Nebraska corn through promotion, market development and research.
