Article by UF/IFAS Extension Broward County Urban Horticulture Agent Lorna Bravo

What is the UF/IFAS Extension Internship Program?

The UF Internship program is a collaboration between the Florida Cooperative Extension Service and the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Its main goal is to introduce UF students to Extension services and the land-grant system while promoting community-based science education.

Broward County Internship Programs

Broward County UF/IFAS Extension has hosted UF interns annually. These interns actively participate in Extension activities, including surveys, creating educational materials, collaborating with Master Gardener Volunteers and advisory board members, and teaching within the Broward community. They also engage in research projects, present posters, and contribute to Urban Agriculture programs, Agroecology, water conservation, and Florida-Friendly Landscaping initiatives. By partnering with Broward County in this internship program, the interns gain deeper insights into Extension’s mission and role, as well as practical applications of scientific knowledge to benefit the community. They also become Extension ambassadors within Broward County, opening up new opportunities for programs and supporting Extension’s vital work.

Meet Broward County’s UF Intern, Abraham Cuadrado

Abraham Cuadrado will be graduating from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Education.

Abraham’s Extension Internship Project

As a Broward County Intern in 2024, Abraham actively contributed to Broward County’s Extension Urban Horticulture Sustainable Urban Food program. His project consisted of two main parts. First, he visited ten community garden sites across Broward County, conducting interviews and reviewing their food systems and crop varieties. Second, Abraham played a crucial role in organizing our very first community garden HUB.

My project experience has been transformative, and a privilege to come back and collaborate with my community. This project showcases my overall goal as an agricultural educator in looking at how agriculture can uplift people and communities ecologically and culturally. My project at extension has been a journey in educating and contributing to my community and university showing the importance of agricultural education being a path for sustainable food models and development.

As an extension intern majoring in Agriculture Education, this project has been invaluable in showcasing the need for continuing the spread of agricultural literacy. It has provided me with the experience to collaborate with professors and extension agents in contributing a legacy of educational resources for others to learn. I plan on using the skills and insight I’ve developed to further fuel my passion in teaching agricultural foundations to cultivate the next generation of agricultural leaders.

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Let’s continue making a positive impact together!

By linking UF alumni to UF Extension, you’ll delve into the mission and role of Extension, while also applying scientific knowledge practically to benefit our community. Connect with your local Extension and gain new opportunities through Extension’s programs.

Contact us!

You can follow our Facebook page at @http://facebook.com/urbanhortbroward

Visit our Website@ http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/broward/urban-horticulture/
Visit our YouTube Channel at https://tinyurl.com/urbanhhortbcyoutube
Our Twitter page: https://twitter.com/HortUrban
Our Instagram page:@urbanhortbroward

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