National Association of Agricultural Educators-Advocacy Intern

National Association of Agricultural Educators
300 Garrigus Building – Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0215
Voice: (800) 509-0204 or (859) 257-2224 Fax: (859) 323-3919
Web: www.naae.org E-mail: asmith.naae@uky.edu

                                     Advocacy Intern Position Announcement

What is NAAE?
NAAE is the professional association for school-based agricultural educators. NAAE is ...
“Professionals providing agricultural education for the global community through visionary leadership, advocacy and service.” There are nearly 8,000 members of NAAE nationwide who are agriculture teachers in middle schools, secondary schools, postsecondary institutions, agricultural education faculty in colleges and universities, statewide coordinators of agricultural education, college/university agricultural education students and others who support the school-based agricultural education profession.

Position Description – “Advocacy Intern”
NAAE anticipates hiring one advocacy intern for the summer of 2019. The advocacy intern’s primary
assignment will be to assist with national advocacy for school-based agricultural education. Under the supervision of the NAAE executive director and the ACTE senior director of public policy, the intern will assist in influencing individuals and groups in the Washington, DC metropolitan area who are in a position to support school-based agricultural education as a part of our nation’s career and technical education system. Such groups and individuals include, but are not limited to, members of the United States Congress and their staff persons, agriculture- and education-related organizations, and federal mission agencies. The intern’s duties will vary from assisting with NAAE’s and ACTE’s day-to-day public policy activities, to working with agriculture teachers who are attending National FFA’s Washington Leadership Conference program, to conducting personal visits with members of Congress and their staff persons.

This will be an 8-week assignment. The exact dates of the internship are negotiable. The internship may begin as early as late-May 2019 and end as late as mid-August 2019.

The intern may also be invited to attend the 2019 NAAE Convention in Anaheim, California, in late
November 2019 as a member of the NAAE convention staff. All NAAE convention travel expenses will be paid by NAAE.

The intern will report to the NAAE executive director. All completed work is subject to the approval of the NAAE executive director.

Position Requirements:
Education: As of July 1, 2019, candidates must be rising college juniors or seniors, post-baccalaureate students completing teacher certification requirements, or graduate students. Candidates must be majoring in ag ed and be planning to teach agriculture in a school-based setting at some level of instruction.

Skills: Strong communication skills (writing and speaking) and word processing required; some skills
with database programs preferred.

Experience: Training and experience in advocacy, government relations, public relations, and/or
communications desired; agricultural education experience as a student and/or teacher desired.

Location:
Even though the NAAE main office is in Lexington, Kentucky, the advocacy internship will be located in Alexandria, Virginia (Washington, DC metropolitan area) at the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) located at 1410 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. NAAE maintains an office at the ACTE building.

Compensation:
The compensation for the internship will be $3,000 total. The final paycheck may be held until all assignments are completed to the satisfaction of the NAAE executive director. In addition, one coach-class, advance purchase, roundtrip airfare (or mileage at the NAAE reimbursable rate, whichever is lesser) from the intern’s current location to the Washington, DC metropolitan area will be paid. Other expenses, including housing, meals, and incidental expenses while in the Alexandria, Virginia/ Washington, DC metropolitan area, will be the responsibility of the intern.

Application Procedures:
To apply, please prepare a packet to include a letter of interest, resume, a brief portfolio that includes writing samples, and a minimum of three letters of reference. In the letter of interest and/or resume be sure to include specific interests and experience in advocacy, government relations, and related areas. Send the complete application packet to:

Alissa Smith
Associate Executive Director
National Association of Agricultural Educators
300 Garrigus Building
Lexington, KY 40546-0215

Application Deadline and Review Process:
Completed application packets should be sent to the NAAE office postmarked no later than December 21, 2018. Applications sent via facsimile or electronic mail will not be accepted. The review process will begin in mid-January 2019. The successful candidate and unsuccessful candidates will be notified in writing as soon as possible but not later than April 1, 2019.

Questions/Comments
Questions or comments may be directed to Alissa Smith, at the NAAE office, by calling (859) 257-2224 or (800) 509-0204, or by sending e-mail to asmith.naae@uky.edu.