María Caridad Zieba is a senior at the University of California Riverside. She is spending the spring 2009 semester in Washington, D.C. enrolled in the University of California Washington Center academic program. Maria is also participating in the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) program in Washington, D.C. As part of the HACU program, she was selected for an internship in the Office of External Affairs at the Farm Service Agency’s national headquarters. ______________________________________________________________ My time in D.C. as a college intern has been exceptional. Even though I have been here a short time I managed to experience much of what our nation’s capital has to offer. One unforgettable experience for me would definitely be President Obama’s inauguration. It was an amazing day, and by being here I was able to experience history being made. Living in Washington has been an incredible learning experience. It’s my first time on the East Coast and the weather has been one of the most difficult obstacles for me. Being from Southern California, I haven’t spent much time with snow and cold weather but have grown to appreciate experiencing the different seasons. One of my fondest memories while living in Washington, D.C. is experiencing snow fall for the first time in my life. It was very magical to see the buildings and monuments covered in snow. The city itself fosters a great learning environment. It has much to offer for a college student. I have seen many of the national monuments and visited the Smithsonian museums (for free!). I have also visited congressional offices on Capitol Hill, participated in intern networking events and attended professional conferences. In February, I attended the 2009 Agriculture Outlook Forum where I was able to observe USDA’s many agencies at work. I learned more about how each one provides a different service to American farmers and ranchers. In addition, I was able to speak with representatives from other countries about the challenges their farming communities face. My internship program has been an exciting experience, where I have gained real-world experience on how a government public affairs office operates. I have constantly been challenged through the work I perform and find it satisfying. I have a better understanding of how important it is for American producers to receive information about farm programs that are available to help them. It is gratifying to know that work performed at the national office is helping thousands of people around the country. My responsibilities as an intern include translating outreach material from English into Spanish. This is an important task because of the fast growing Hispanic farming population. I am happy to help in this effort and feel immense fulfillment in promoting our programs to one of the country’s minority populations. As an intern for the USDA in Washington, D.C., I’m gaining experience, developing professional skills, and enhancing my work ethic. I know after my internship at USDA comes to an end I will be better prepared after graduation as I search for my next position. I know that working for the Farm Service Agency is going to provide me with an advantage in this highly competitive job market. I am extremely pleased with the opportunity that I was given to be part of such a great agency.

For a copy of the original article, published in the Farm Service Agency's newsletter, The Fence Post, visit: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/fp_0309_article_15.html.

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