Summer Round Up

My work space

While this summer has been significantly different than what I am used to, I am nothing but grateful. I took this internship because I needed an internship credit for my graduation requirements. I did not know much more about Extension than the name. I have grown as a professional and an individual and I've learned a lot about extension and myself. I've learned that I really didn't like what i did, and that's okay. Extension helped me check something off of my list as a potential career. Most of my summer was spent behind a desk compiling data, putting reports together and generating graphics. I learned new computer programs that will help me in the future but I realized that I would like a more hands on connection with communities and my projects. I would like to see more production than documentation. My project was a report on the way finding and tourist experience of the Kentucky trail towns. I learned that some communities prioritize signage first while other prioritize trail options. Also I learned that you have to be objective when investigating multiple places and not comparative, of course Livingston (population 230) will never match the built environment of Berea (population 10, 000) and you have to look beyond the surface and maybe a trail head is not ideal but it works really well in the small community space. This deeper way of thinking and analyzing space will be very helpful for me in the future. At the begging of the summer I had never used ArcGIS (map making software) and now I am proficient, I have only edited one video in my academic career before this summer and now I am confident that I can make a video for any subject. I have extension to thank for the opportunity and my professor to thank for the knowledge I've gained. Best of luck to all of you fellow interns in your futures!

Livingston Trail Head

Berea Trail Head