Meet the Food Export Interns of 2021!

Get to know the Food Export Interns of 2021 in this blog for National Intern Day!

Once again we are celebrating National Intern Day! 

Every year Food Export – Midwest and Food Export – Northeast have a variety of interns that work in our own offices in Chicago and Philadelphia as well as directly with our member states Departments of Agriculture across the Midwest and Northeast.

So we thought National Intern Day was the perfect time to introduce you to the current 2021 roster of Food Export interns!

Lucy Schnitker
University of Missouri-Colombia
Majoring in Agribusiness Management with a Minor in International Trade and Accounting

Lucy Shnitker

What is your hometown?

Middletown, Missouri where my sister and I are the 4th generation of our family farm!

Where are you currently an intern?

Missouri Department of Agriculture

What you would like to do professionally, or personally, after graduation?

My future career goals include working within the agriculture industry.

Did you pick up any new hobbies over the last year or so during the pandemic?

During the pandemic I enjoyed going on runs and baking.

Once there are no more travel restrictions, where is the first place you would like to travel?

I would love to go anywhere with sand and a beach

Ciara Benfield
University of Vermont
Majoring in Business Administration focusing on Global Analytics

Ciara Benfield

What is your hometown?

Stowe, Vermont

Where are you currently an intern?

Vermont Department of Food, Agriculture and Markets

What you would like to do professionally, or personally, after graduation?

After graduation, I hope to move to Boston and work in the analytics field before traveling abroad for Graduate School where I hope to study on Operations Management. 

Did you pick up any new hobbies over the last year or so during the pandemic?

Throughout the pandemic, I picked up distance running and cooking. Now that things are getting back to normal it has been hard to find time for these the way I did last year, but I am grateful for the experiences I had.

Once there are no more travel restrictions, where is the first place you would like to travel?

Once all travel restrictions are dropped, I hope to travel to Europe!

Eliza Endres

University of Wisconsin – Madison
Majoring in Agricultural Business Management

Eliza Endres

What is your hometown?

Waunakee, Wisconsin

Where are you currently an intern?

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

What you would like to do professionally, or personally, after graduation?

After graduation I would like to pursue a degree in Agricultural Finance or International Agriculture.

Did you pick up any new hobbies over the last year or so during the pandemic?

Two hobbies I picked up during the pandemic are tie-dying and baking.

Once there are no more travel restrictions, where is the first place you would like to travel?

The first place I would like to travel after travel restrictions are lifted is Spain.

Kelly Kim
DePaul University
International Studies

Kelly Kim

What is your hometown?

Chicago, Illinois

Where are you currently an intern?

Food Export – Midwest in Chicago

What you would like to do professionally, or personally, after graduation?

I’m not too sure what I want to do 100% but working for non-profit organizations has always been an interest I had.

Did you pick up any new hobbies over the last year or so during the pandemic?

Journaling! I wanted to focus on the good that happened each day even if it was repetitive during the lockdown and the pandemic.

Once there are no more travel restrictions, where is the first place you would like to travel?

I would love to go to South Korea and the Philippines

Tony Liu
Ohio State
Finance
Tony Liu

What is your hometown?

Sylvania, Ohio

Where are you currently an intern?

Ohio Development Services Agency

What you would like to do professionally, or personally, after graduation?

I will be pursuing a career in financial services now that I have graduated.

Did you pick up any new hobbies over the last year or so during the pandemic?

I have adopted meditation and drawing as new hobbies!

Once there are no more travel restrictions, where is the first place you would like to travel?

I would love to go to Italy or France when the opportunity arises and the pandemic dies down!