Whew! I've been interning at Monsanto Company for almost two weeks now and time has just flewn by... probably because I'm having a great time! First of all, anyone who is offered the opportunity to work for Monsanto -- take it! This company is full of incredible, genuine people with diverse backgrounds and talents. There are also an endless number of resources available to learn about the agriculture industry. In the short time I've been here, the experiences I've had and the knowledge I've gained as a result of those experiences, is priceless. I am loving my full-time job as a sponge!
My first two weeks here, I had the opportunity to visit with Monsanto employees in a variety of areas across the company, from public affairs to U.S. commercial. Everyone I met had a unique story that led them to where they are today. Many of them had moved through numerous areas within Monsanto to learn different aspects of the business. Enthusiasm, agility, initiative and compassion were common qualities from person to person.
Joining the public affairs team has been a very humbling experience. It reminded me of my transition from high school to college. As a senior in high school, I felt confident in my abilities and was ready to shine when I got to the University of Illinois. When I arrived at college, I realized everyone else was just as driven and skilled as I was, if not more, and I quickly began working to set myself apart. When I arrived at Monsanto, I was immediately humbled. I have so much to learn from the people who work here and I'm enjoying every minute of it!
This summer will challenge me to diversify my skill set. I have been assigned a variety of projects. I will be creating content and communication tools for a section of Monsanto.com about plant breeding. I will be writing a number of articles and blog posts for the internal communications division of public affairs. I will have the opportunity to work with international website strategists to review content on Monsanto global websites for Mexico, Brazil, Canada, South Africa and Australia. I will also get to dabble in the issues management side of public affairs. As I begin working on my projects, I am reminded of the enthusiasm in the people I met with my first week here and I can't help but feel the same way.
NOTE on the image: The public affairs team is a fun group of people and everyone has created their very own South Park character that reflects their personality and interests -- I have a wide range of interests, but this one is my "I LOVE Ag" Alyssa! (To see everyone else's characters visit Monsanto According to Monsanto and click on About the Bloggers.)
Hello all! In the last month I've wrapped up my junior year at the University of Illinois, traveled to Europe for the International Business Immersion Program (IBIP), moved to St. Louis, MO and began working as an intern for Monsanto Public Affairs. To learn more about our European experiences through IBIP, visit the student 