The Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is offering a summer internship in 2024. The internship is open to current college students (including spring 2024 graduates) majoring in a field of study related to agriculture, conservation, and other relevant studies as listed in the announcement.

The intern will assist the SWCD with various activities including field visits, layout and checkout of conservation practices, education and outreach, and other general office duties, as well as completing a special project for the SWCD (such as a research project, developing educational materials, planning an outreach event, etc.). 

This internship is a great way to get exposure to SWCDs, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  The special project provides an opportunity for the intern to focus part of their time on a topic they are interested in. 

To apply, students should submit a cover letter, resume, and list of three references to the Madison SWCD by Tuesday, February 20, 2024. 

Information about the summer internship and other opportunities for students is available on Madison SWCD’s website:  https://www.madison-swcd.org/for-students/

Madison County SWCD is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

2024 Internship Announcement

Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District would like to thank all of the businesses and individuals who contributed to our 2023 fundraising campaign.  The funds raised were instrumental in supporting our summer intern, part-time technician, and student scholarship!

Our summer intern helped with CRP status reviews, assisted staff with field work and office projects, and developed activities for the SWCD’s booth at the Madison County Fair.  Our part-time technician helped with laying out, surveying, designing, and certifying conservation practices such as grassed waterways, terraces, wetlands, and ponds. 

Madison SWCD commissioners and staff would like to recognize the following contributors for their generous support of our conservation work in 2023:

• BB&P Feed & Grain Inc.
• Casper Farms, Inc.
• Winterset Kiwanis Club
• Agri Drain Corporation
• IFG Insurance
• Madison County Realty
• Edward Jones – Whitney Messerschmitt
• John Wayne Birthplace & Museum
• Beeler Trucking, Inc.
• Marvin & Deb Groth
• Central Iowa Auto Club
• Winterset Optimist Club
• Homefront Real Estate
• Country Cutters
• Madison County Sportsmen’s Club
• Paul Meyer
• Mi Pueblito Mexican Restaurant

Anonymous To learn more about supporting Madison SWCD’s efforts to conserve, protect, and enhance our resources for current and future generations, please visit the new Supporters webpage. 

High school seniors graduating this spring who plan to pursue studies in conservation or agriculture are encouraged to apply for the Conservation Scholarships offered by Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI) in partnership with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD). 

Application forms and scholarship rules are available on CDI’s website: https://cdiowa.org/get-involved/scholarships/

Applications must be submitted to the local SWCD office in the county where the student resides.  The deadline to apply is February 9, 2024.

SWCD commissioners will select an application to forward to the CDI Region, and then the CDI Regional Director will choose an application to forward to the state level for consideration.

The top three applicants in the state will be awarded scholarships in the amounts of $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000.  Winners from the remaining six regions will receive $500.  The scholarship will be paid directly to the applicant’s school of choice, to be used for the student’s first year of college education.

Students residing in Madison County should submit their application materials to the Madison County SWCD located at 815 E. Hwy 92 in Winterset by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, February 9. 

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