Where Are They Now: Shelby Carlson Cultivates the Future

IL Corn alum Shelby Carlson reflects on the internship that shaped her passion for teaching agriculture

Shelby Carlson, a two-time IL Corn intern, is now using the skills and knowledge she gained during her internships in her current role as the 4-H Youth Development Educator with Illinois Extension. She serves Henderson, Knox, McDonough, and Warren Counties, where she plays an important role in shaping youth agricultural education. 

Carlson first joined IL Corn in the summer of 2017 as one of two Communications Interns in the Bloomington, IL office. At the time, she had just begun her master’s degree in agricultural education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, an academic path that aligned perfectly with her internship responsibilities. 

One of her primary roles at IL Corn was focused on education. She presented at Summer Agricultural Institutes hosted by county Farm Bureaus across the state. These institutes are designed to help local teachers learn more about agriculture in their communities and provide them with lesson plans and resources to bring back to their classrooms. 

In addition to her educational work, Carlson also contributed to IL Corn’s communications efforts. She created content, wrote and published blog posts, and produced various forms of media. 

“For me, this internship was the best of both worlds,” Carlson said. “It allowed me to combine my bachelor’s degree in communications with my master’s in agricultural education.” 

Her summer internship was not only educational but also filled with memorable experiences. Her favorite memories were partnering with Indiana Corn to visit the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences and touring the locks and dams in the Quad Cities, opportunities she says she wouldn’t have had otherwise. 

Her passion for IL Corn’s mission and the meaningful work she was doing led her to extend her internship into the fall, transitioning into a remote role as a social media intern. During this time, she continued to refine her skills in content creation and digital communication. 

After earning her master’s degree in May 2018, Carlson began her career with Illinois Extension, where she has now served for almost seven years. She credits her IL Corn internship as a pivotal experience in her professional development. 

“My internship with IL Corn helped drive home my passion for non-formal education and showed me the many ways it can take root,” she said. 

In her current role, Carlson wears many hats. She serves as an educator and oversees the 4-H program from a policy and procedural standpoint. She is also currently an interim livestock specialist for Illinois. 

As an educator, Carlson embraces the important responsibility of sharing the story of agriculture.   

“In my internship with IL Corn, I learned how to have meaningful conversations and ensure that messages aren’t lost, which is something I use every day in my job,” she said. “I gained experience educating people about what agriculture is and what it isn’t.” 

Thanks to her time at IL Corn, Carlson is now helping shape the future of agricultural education in her own impactful way. 

As an educator, Carlson embraces the important responsibility of sharing the story of agriculture.   

“In my internship with IL Corn, I learned how to have meaningful conversations and ensure that messages aren’t lost, which is something I use every day in my job,” she said. “I gained experience educating people about what agriculture is and what it isn’t.” 

Thanks to her time at IL Corn, Carlson is now helping shape the future of agricultural education in her own impactful way.