“One of the opportunities we have as farm broadcasters for the National Association of Farm Broadcasting is participating in the NAFB Foundation Intern Grant program,” said NAFB Vice President Gale Cunningham. “The grant program helps to fund the cost of having an aspiring young potential farm broadcaster in their shop. One of my interns, Madison Mitchell, a student at the College of ACES at the University of Illinois, recently gave me insight that we sometimes miss in our daily agriculture broadcasts.” (At left, Mitchell is pictured at a county fair broadcast with Cunningham.)
Here is part of Mitchell’s internship recap:
Some of the greatest life lessons I have learned aren’t things you can learn out of a textbook or in a class. One of these experiences was working for Gale Cunningham. I have known him since I was a little girl as I always loved getting the opportunity to be on the radio with him every now and then at local county fairs. What I didn’t know at the time was that several years down the road he would become a role model and mentor to me. That time came this past summer when I had the opportunity to be one of his summer interns.
From my very first day on the job to my very last, there was something I learned from Gale that was portrayed through his thoughts, words, and actions. I learned what it meant to have passion. With the agricultural industry constantly changing and the need to educate consumers, communicating agriculture is more important than ever. Gale’s passionate drive to represent the agricultural industry through radio is second to none. While Gale’s main intentions were to teach me about agricultural media, commodity markets, and radio production, I learned so much more. Passion can look different for many people. It could be advocating for agriculture by sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm for the industry through social media. It could be calling your local congressman to discuss your concerns regarding agriculture in your community. It could be a farmer taking time out of his busy schedule to give tours to consumers who are curious. What I respect most about Gale is his passion and commitment to the future leaders of the agricultural industry. He recognizes the younger generation’s interest in agriculture, work ethic, and determination. He gives these young agriculturalists hope, encouragement, and words of wisdom which will be valuable in their future endeavors. I am very fortunate to be one of these people. Passion is not a skill or lesson you can teach, but rather something you learn and display through thoughts, words, and actions. My goal is to be able to use this same passion in my future career in agriculture.
