FUTURE LEADERS IN MINNESOTA AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION SELECTED FOR 2025 INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
College students gain hands-on experience teaching agriculture, food and natural resources across Minnesota as part of Agricultural Education Internship
For Immediate Release
For more information:
Sarah Dornink
Executive Director, Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council
tesm0010@umn.edu
Phone: (612) 624 - 6249
ST. PAUL, Minn. (June 9, 2025) - The Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council (MAELC) is pleased to announce the selection of six students for the 2025 Agricultural Education Internship. These aspiring educators, currently pursuing degrees in Agricultural Education, have been matched with experienced high school agriculture teachers across the state to gain hands-on classroom and community experience over the summer.
“This internship is an important investment in the future of agricultural education in Minnesota,” said Sarah Dornink, Executive Director of MAELC. “It provides students with real-world experience and mentorship that will shape their path as future teachers and leaders.”
MAELC is pleased to work with the following interns and their supervising teachers this summer:
2025 Interns
| Intern | Supervising Teacher | High School |
|---|---|---|
| Elijah Doyamo | Harley Braun | Highland Park (St. Paul) |
| Amy Jentges | Nikki Flaaen / Haely Leiding | Zumbrota-Mazeppa / Lake City |
| Grace Mortenson | Rebekka Paskewitz | Glencoe-Silver Lake |
| Allison Offerdahl | Taylor Peck / Rebecca Lindquist & Duane Lichy | Holdingford / Albany |
| Kaylee Steele | Stacy Fritz | Chatfield |
| Meta Tewes | Katie Emmett | Sleepy Eye |
The purpose of the Agricultural Education Internship is to spark an interest in current collegiate students to consider entering the teaching profession and to provide hands-on experiences as an agriculture teacher. A 2024 intern stated “I had a really good experience and am looking forward to getting back into the classroom and putting my experience into action. I gained a lot of great advice and knowledge during the internship, which has been very helpful in my development as a future agriculture teacher.”
The experience will focus on summer programming, such as Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) visits, curriculum development, community events, and FFA leadership trainings. One week will be spent at the Minnesota Association of Agricultural Educators (MAAE) summer conference, providing opportunities for professional development and networking. Interns can also take advantage of optional activities including Minnesota FFA summer conferences, specialized professional development workshops, and a tour of local agriculture, food and natural resource programs at multiple school districts.
This internship was made possible by generous donations from AgCountry Farm Credit Services, CHS Foundation, Christensen Farms, Compeer Financial, and MAELC.
MAELC is a 16-member legislative council that provides leadership to promote and expand agricultural education in Minnesota. The state legislature, agricultural educators, and agriculture industry leaders are all represented on the council.