Interns to Impact: Where are they now?

Miranda’s Journey in Agriculture and Education

At IL Corn, our interns leave a lasting impact, and it's always exciting to catch up with them years later to see how their experiences have shaped their careers. Today, we’re highlighting Miranda Buss, who interned with us back in 2011. From running the Agriculture Everyday Facebook page to exploring new ways to connect with the public about agriculture, Miranda’s time at IL Corn sparked a passion that has carried her through an impressive career journey. Let’s dive into where life has taken her since her internship and the ways she’s continued to champion agriculture.

Q: What have you been up to since your internship at IL Corn?

After I got done with IL Corn, I did a marketing internship with AGCO Corporation, which led to a full time job with them. For personal reasons, I moved back to Illinois and switched over into education, first at the University of Illinois as the Assistant Director of the Professional Science Master’s Program, then moving to Heartland as a Professor and Program Coordinator in the Fall of 2019.

Q: How did your internship help shape your career or educational path?

It helped change it drastically actually. Prior to my internship, my plan was to go the research route, but it just didn’t feel right. My advisor suggested I try to do something during the semester that allowed me to experience other ways to be involved in crop sciences, so I applied to the IL Corn internship program and was able to explore using my agriculture knowledge to benefit the general public. My first “teaching” gig

Q: Tell us about your current job, responsibilities and anything you’re proud of from working there so far:

Currently I am an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator of Agriculture at Heartland Community College. My role has looked different every year I have been at Heartland (this is year number 5 for me). While I have always taught here, I started off focusing more on program development, then turned into planning and assisting with fundraising for the new agriculture complex, and now my role is much more teaching-focused. When I am not in the classroom, I am advising our Collegiate Farm Bureau Chapter, preparing students for Professional Agriculture Student (PAS) competitions, and helping the other full-time and part-time faculty with things they need. The program coordinator part of my role means that I perform program reviews, help facilitate new classes and programs being developed, and work closely with our advisory committee to ensure the program is meeting employer needs.

Q: What is your favorite memory or highlight from your time interning at IL Corn?

The meetings with all the social media interns were always fun, but something that stands out to me is when I was running the Agriculture Everyday Facebook page – I would try to highlight all of the “National Food Holidays” – when it was oatmeal day, I highlighted it and then I ate oatmeal every day for weeks.

Q: Was there a specific project or event you worked on that stood out to you?

I was an intern back when there were 10+ that all had some social media project when it was first really starting (man I am old!) My first project was the Agriculture Everyday Facebook page, which I had so much fun with. My second project was creating a Pinterest to see if we could generate some followers there – not quite as fun as the Facebook one in my opinion.

Q:Did your experience at IL Corn change your perspective on agriculture or advocacy?

I always heard growing up that the general public didn’t know where their food came from, but that just seemed odd to me growing up on a farm. It was really pushing things out on social media and responding to the layman about things we did in agriculture that really opened my eyes to how much education is really needed. Now, I take some of that unknown and try to play “MythBusters” with students on campus to disprove some of the things they believed about agriculture

Q: What’s a surprising or fun fact about you that we might not know?

I have traveled to 7 different countries and working on my 8th in May
I can stand on an ostrich egg without it breaking! (in all fairness we all can – fun fact from my travels to South Africa)

Miranda’s journey from IL Corn intern to Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator at Heartland Community College showcases the power of hands-on experiences and following a path that feels right. Her ability to adapt, educate, and inspire those around her embodies the values we hope to instill in every intern who walks through our doors. We’re proud to have been part of Miranda’s story and can’t wait to see how she continues to make a difference in agriculture and education. Thank you, Miranda, for sharing your story and being a shining example of where an IL Corn internship can lead!

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