Introducing Our GrowinG Program Coordinator

UW Extension, College of Ag Welcome Internship Coordinator for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Program

Laramie, Wyo.—August 5, 2022—The University of Wyoming Extension and College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources welcomes Kendra Faucett as program coordinator for the new GrowinG Internship program.

Launched in summer 2022, the program offers beginning farmers and ranchers meaningful experience in agriculture through hands-on internships at agricultural operations across Wyoming. The GrowinG project operates in cooperation with producer organizations, educational institutions, and hosts on working farms and ranches.

Faucett is the program’s first full-time coordinator.

“Kendra brings a variety of valuable skills and resources to the position,” says John Hewlett, the ranch and farm management specialist for the UW Extension and co-director of the three-year, USDA-funded Beginning Farmers and Ranchers project. “We are really looking forward to building the GrowinG Internship program into a premier experience for both interns and those that host them.”

Faucett is currently working remotely but will visit the UW campus in the fall to recruit potential interns.

She’s also excited to engage with producers and interns on site next summer. “I want to learn anything people are willing to take the time to teach me, whether that’s going out to ranches or in a classroom at UW,” she says.

Originally from Wisconsin, Faucett attended Ripon College, graduating with a bachelor’s degree exercise science. She earned her master’s in kinesiology and academic advising certificate from Kansas State University.

Ag has been a constant in her life since age 5, when she joined 4-H. As a 4-H’er, she made it her mission to show every type of animal possible at the county fair. After successfully completing that goal, she moved on to work at the local extension office for multiple summers.

As the first full-time coordinator for the GrowinG program, Faucett will play a significant role in guiding the project forward. While there’s bound to be challenges, she’s excited by the possibilities. “It’s very intriguing because I can have input, I can help steer it,” she comments.

Faucett encourages potential interns and hosts to reach out at any time. “It’s never too early to make that contact, never too early to apply or check in,” she says. The more communication, the better, as it will help her team better match interns with hosts who share their interests.

For more information on the GrowinG Internship program, visit GrowinG-WY.org or contact Faucett at kfaucet2@uwyo.edu.

By: Brooke Ortel
Writer/ Editor, UW Extension
Communications & Technology