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(08/26/26) BATON ROUGE, La. — A greenhouse can be an uncomfortable place to spend a Louisiana summer, but for Lawrence Harrison it was an ideal spot to gain hands-on experience for his future career.
Harrison, a biology major at LSU Shreveport, worked as a horticulture intern at the LSU AgCenter Red River Research Station. His internship was part of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service (LCES) Internship Program.
This summer, 21 interns from various universities were placed at AgCenter research stations and parish Extension offices, immersing them in projects that aligned with their career interests.
After identifying potential career paths, interns were matched with mentors who allowed them to engage in meaningful work and develop valuable professional skills. The internship program offered a closer look at potential career paths while helping the interns build knowledge and confidence in their chosen fields.
Harrison described the experience as incredible. He said he gained a better understanding of various skills including greenhouse growing, variety trials, horticulture consultations and research, irrigation assembly and repair, and landscape management.
“The privilege to serve the community of Louisiana and to interact with a handful of the state's farmers, scientists, engineers, horticulturists and LSU AgCenter faculty has fostered in me a newfound appreciation for Louisiana’s robust agriculture industry and the great folks that represent it,” he said.
Emma Duvall, a rising junior at LSU studying agricultural and Extension education, spent the summer at the LSU AgCenter Extension Office in West Baton Rouge Parish. Throughout the summer Duvall developed and taught horticulture STEM lessons for the parish’s Ag Explorer Camp, a three-day agricultural education camp for fourth through sixth grade youth.
“Campers learned about plant growth, roots, soil health, water movement through plants and environmental stewardship through hands-on activities,” Duvall said.
Lawrence Harrison works in the tomato greenhouse at the LSU AgCenter Red River Research Station where he worked as a horticulture inter. Photo provided by Lawrence Harrison
LSU AgCenter intern Allie Hubbard photographs research and Extension activities at the Hammond Research Station, helping create content for AgCenter publications and outreach efforts. Photo by Randy LaBauve/LSU AgCenter
LSU AgCenter intern Emma Duvall works with 4-H campers during Ag Explore Camp, a program she helped plan and facilitate. Photo provided by Emma Duvall
LSU AgCenter interns Alexis Funderburk and Carter Aucoin assist with a food demonstration program with the AgCenter’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Program. Photo provided by Alexis Funderburk
Taylor Stubblefield, a rising senior at LSU who interned at the LaHouse Research and Education Center, said the internship provided a realistic look at her future career as an educator.
“This program has strengthened my professional growth by allowing me to do work similar to my career by giving me opportunities to teach and develop educational curriculum,” Stubblefield said. “Doing these activities have then strengthened my communication, leadership and even program development. Every day I learned something new to better myself as an educator.”
The internship also expanded her view of potential career opportunities.
“For a while now, I have wanted to go into the classroom and teach agriculture. That is still my main goal for now, but I do have a more open mind about youth planning and coordination work,” Stubblefield said.
Two objectives of the internship program are to help students gain experience in careers, but also to help the Extension Service develop its future workforce.
“The LSU AgCenter Extension Internship Program is designed to inspire the next generation of Extension professionals by providing an immersive, hands-on experience,” said Tara Smith, LSU AgCenter executive associate vice chancellor and director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service. “Working directly with dedicated faculty and staff, interns gain a deeper understanding of how Extension improves lives, strengthens communities and creates meaningful career opportunities.”
Interns participated in a symposium where they presented their projects.
Carter Aucoin, a rising sophomore at Blinn College, returned to his home parish of Lafayette for his internship. He said working with youth was a rewarding part of his experience.
“The most impactful was getting to work with our youth across the parish and then ultimately across the state line,” Aucoin said. “Being a former Louisiana 4-H’er, I grew up knowing how important the AgCenter was and how important agriculture is in Louisiana. I got to see the behind the scenes of how much these agents and adults put into it.”
For Hannah Blocker, a nutrition and dietetics student at Louisiana Tech University, developing communication skills was especially valuable.
“One of the most impactful things of this internship was learning how to engage with other people, how to interact and teach all age ranges from children to senior adults, to mothers, to parents, whoever it is,” Blocker said.
About the author
The article’s author, Allie Hubbard, is a rising senior at LSU. She spent her summer with the LSU AgCenter Communications Department, writing articles, conducting interviews, capturing photography, creating web pages and developing content that highlighted AgCenter research and Extension programs across Louisiana. Reflecting on her experience, Hubbard said that the internship allowed her to strengthen her storytelling abilities while gaining a deeper understanding of how communication connects people with the AgCenter's mission and impact.
