Where Are They Now: Nicole (York) Racey

In 2015, Nicole (York) Racey joined the IL Corn team as a social media intern. At the time, she had just graduated with an Associate’s degree from Southeastern IL College (SIC). Today, she’s brought her passion for ag and education back to SIC, where she serves as the Dual Credit Coordinator and Recruiter.

One of six kids, Racey grew up on an Angus beef farm in Gallatin County. She graduated with a bachelors in Ag Communications and Public Relations from Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC), with heavy involvement in organizations such as the FFA.

Today, Racey and her husband have three dogs and live in Williamson County, Illinois.

She was able to provide some insight on what she’s been up to in the 11 years since she interned at IL Corn, including everything she’s learned and advice for future interns.

Q: What have you been up to since your internship at IL Corn, and how did that path lead you to your current role?

I interned in the summer of 2015 at IL Corn for the social media position. I managed various pages including Facebook, Vine (kind of like TikTok before that existed), and YouTube. I had a wonderful experience and am very happy I stepped out of my comfort zone to try something new.

I went on to graduate with my B.S. from SIUC in 2016. There was an Ag teacher position that was opening at my old high school and was encouraged to get my provisional teaching license. I taught classes and was the FFA advisor for two years. From there, I accepted a position for grant writing to help my local communities. During COVID, I had extra time on my hands and nowhere to go so I earned my master's degree in public administration from Murray State.

Q: How did your internship at IL Corn influence your career path? Are there specific skills or experiences that still impact your work today?

I really think that it helped me develop some life skills. This internship was my first experience in an office setting as my previous jobs had been working on a hog farm and in food service. The professional setting was different and helped me to learn essential office culture.

The internship proved to me that I enjoyed a creative position that had different things happening all the time. That’s my favorite part about my current job. I’m doing something different every day and getting to help people.

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

I enjoyed my whole time but two moments stand out to me. The first was getting to dress up as Captain Cornelius and compete in a mascot race at a baseball game. I lost the race but ran so hard my corn sneakers fell off.

The second was when we took a trip up to the Chicago suburbs because IL Corn was sponsoring some community gardens to help educate children about food and agriculture. I got to see a light bulb moment when a little kid about 5 made the connection of cucumbers being pickles. I still think about that sometimes and it makes me smile.

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

I had the most fun dressing up in the corn costume and making terrible ‘corny’ jokes.

Q: Did your experience at IL Corn change your perspective on agriculture, advocacy, or the role of organizations like IL Corn?

It was really neat to see how hard and in all the different ways that IL Corn was working to try to protect farmers, educate the public, and expand future growth opportunities in the market. It showed me that there’s way more ways to be involved in agriculture than I had initially considered.

Q: What advice would you give to current or future IL Corn interns?

Ask lots of questions and have fun with it.

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

I’m really good at finding four leaf clovers. I have collected thousands over the years and keep them in books. I haven’t won the lottery though, so I don’t know how much luck they have.

Racey’s experiences highlight how interning with IL Corn helps young professionals find their footing by inspiring them to try new things and learn more about the world around them. From interacting with communities across the state to suiting up as Captain Cornelius, Racey’s willingness to try new things has given way to a meaningful career where she connects with her community through education and agriculture.