Brynn Kepler was not sure what to do with her Animal Sciences major, but she never expected that a brief meeting with Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Wolff would lead to a decision.
The 2008 Penn State graduate spent the summer of 2007 interning in the secretary’s office. She had met Wolff the previous semester through the College of Agricultural Sciences' Junior Mentoring Program, and that resulted in her spending the summer working in Harrisburg on projects such as helping to compose speeches, doing analysis on the 2008 Farm Bill and preparing the Pennsylvania Beef Taskforce proposal.
"The internship really sealed the deal with what I wanted to do after graduation," Kepler said.
Her internship showed her how important agriculture is in politics. During her summer at the capital, Kepler met with politicians and their staffs, establishing a network for her future. "Without this internship, I would not have met the people I did. Good jobs are not easy to come by," she said.
Kepler stresses the importance of completing internships before graduation because they can lead to future jobs. She also is convinced it is important to get involved in student groups on campus. As a student, Kepler was the treasurer for the Collegiate Farm Bureau, social chairperson for the Block and Bridle Club and an Ag Advocate.
"When employers find out you are from Penn State, they respect you instantly because they know you come from the best college of agricultural sciences," she said.
Kepler's internship put her in a prime position for success, and she is now the equine industry liaison and executive assistant for the deputy secretary of marketing economic development for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Her position makes her the point person for all equine-related issues, and she holds an ex-officio seat on the Pennsylvania Equine Council.
In addition to her daily responsibilities, she coordinates special events at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, Farm City Day and the annual Feed and Grain Summit.
"My internship was really like an extended job interview," Kepler said. "Without my internship, I wouldn't have gotten this position. It gave me a head start on my career by getting hands-on experience, learning the position and meeting the key players in Pennsylvania agriculture."