Seventeen college students embarked on a journey this past summer as they gained customer service skills, knowledge of the cooperative system, and networking opportunities – all of which were provided by Tennessee Farmers Cooperative’s (TFC) internship program.
“The summer internship program seeks to provide students with relevant hands-on experience and training in an agricultural business setting at our member Co-op locations,” says TFC Education and Training Specialist Scott Bohanon. “We intend to provide interns with a network of professionals, learn how our cooperative system operates, and most importantly, how to apply their college education to better serve the farming community.”
The 2022 interns were Evan Nease, Smoky Mountain Farmers Co-op; Greg Nease, Smoky Mountain Farmers Co-op; Ariel Lane, Jefferson Farmers Co-op; Haylee Smith, Ag1 Farmers Co-op; Charlie Jo Archie, Obion Farmers Co-op; Dalton Morris, Obion Farmers Co-op; John Stevens, Mid-South Farmers Co-op; Tanner Webb, First Farmers Co-op; Kallie Hale, Cumberland Farmers Co-op; Cason Turner, Robertson-Cheatham Farmers Co-op; Allison Ogg, White County Farmers Co-op; Jacob Helton, Hawkins Farmers Co-op; MaryJane Arnette, ProTrition; Savannah Scott, Faithway Alliance; and Laney Dark and Kailee Scott, TFC Marketing and Communications Department.
Students gained valuable experience working in member stores, at TFC, and with the joint venture companies’ corporate offices to better prepare for their future careers.
“Students often question what career best suits their individual interests,” says Bohanon. “Our internships allow hands-on experience in the member stores and the opportunity for growth and exposure to different career paths in agriculture and retail.”
Evan Nease, along with his twin brother, Greg, interned at Smoky Mountain Farmers Co-op and says he is confident that he will end the summer with clarity of his future career goals.
“I chose to apply for an internship with TFC because it has always been a system that serves and supports local farmers,” says Evan. “I was eager to expand my knowledge of TFC’s joint venture companies and how they work together to supply local Co-ops.”
Interns started the program in May 2022 with an orientation at TFC’s corporate office in La Vergne before receiving a tour of TFC’s campus, including ProTrition’s feed mill, Ag Equipment, GreenPoint Ag’s fertilizer plant, and the warehouse. Participants then had the opportunity to hear from department managers and understand how the cooperative system works.
Haylee Smith of Ag1 Farmers Co-op says that being able to interact with farmers allows her to better understand their different perspectives and help serve their individual needs.
“I have learned to have patience with the customers and familiarize myself with Merchant,” says Smith, referring to the information technology system that Co-ops use for operations. “I’m looking forward to expanding my horizons at Co-op.”
During the intern program, college students were able to attend the Faithway Buyers’ Show in Chattanooga, which provided networking opportunities, team building, and customer interaction. The event was designed for Co-op employees to purchase new products for their stores for the upcoming seasons. Interns networked with Co-op store employees from across the state, Faithway Alliance employees from Alabama and Tennessee, as well as vendors representing a variety of product lines.
Laney Dark, who interned in the TFC Marketing and Communications Department, says that her experience at the corporate office has allowed her to see how TFC’s services help member Co-ops.
“As a senior at Middle Tennessee State University, I am eager to find ways to grow personally and professionally,” says Dark. “This internship allowed me to develop a portfolio of professional work where I was able to help with a variety of corporate and retail store communications efforts.”
Charlie Jo Archie, Obion Farmers Co-op intern, says she can look back on her experience with Co-op with a sense of accomplishment. Archie is a senior at Murray State University majoring in agriculture systems technology.
“If you are looking for internship opportunities, I highly recommend Co-op,” says Archie. “The experience has given me many new connections and paved the way for my future career in agriculture.”
Each intern had a different experience as they worked in member stores or the corporate offices, but one common theme persisted throughout the summer months — Co-op employees are ‘Driven to Serve.’
If you are interested in applying for an internship or would like more information about careers at Co-op, please contact Scott Bohanon at sbohanon@ourcoop.com.