Our interns don’t take coffee orders. Traveling for field reports and tackling credit analysis… now that’s the experience of a High Plains Farm Credit summer internship. And this year’s intern can certainly confirm.

The HPFC internship program provides students the chance to explore a variety of areas within the organization including credit, appraisal, crop insurance, operations, finance, accounting, and technology. As Regan worked with each of these departments, she had the opportunity to complete specific projects while also gaining a broad understanding of the various roles within the ag lending industry.

“I didn’t have a specific department I wanted to focus on, as my career options are wide open, so I was able to shadow insurance, accounting, operations, appraisal, loan officers, and credit analyzers,” Regan said. “Most of my time was spent with loan officers, but I learned everything in a nutshell and got to dive into the areas that interested me most. Everything was flexible and tailored to my wants and goals.”

From the start of the summer, Regan tackled real-life work experiences including entering balance sheets, filing tax returns, traveling out of the office on field reports, completing borrowing bases, and assisting during the credit analysis process. Her time with High Plains Farm Credit even included trips to local county fairs to hand out buckets to members of the 4-H community.

Throughout all these activities, Regan’s summer internship focused on fostering growth and new learning opportunities.

“As the summer progressed, so did my work and their expectations of me,” Regan said. “I was assigned a project to present to the board of directors, which was one of my favorite parts of the internship.”

For Regan, the program was a comprehensive internship experience that allowed her an inside view of what it means to be part of both the ag lending industry and the High Plains Farm Credit Association.

“Everyone cares about you and wants to give you the best experience possible in your time at HPFC,” Regan said. “It is a unique organization with a unique internship experience that I couldn’t have gotten elsewhere.”

Perhaps most importantly, the internship served as a tool in guiding this Kansas State student as she evaluates her career goals.

“It really is the perfect fit if you have multiple interests and want exposure to it all under one roof,” Regan said. “This was an incredibly valuable experience that allowed me to see more into what I possibly do and don’t want to do in the future, in a growth-mindset atmosphere that challenges you daily.”

Even as Regan expressed her gratitude towards the team at High Plains Farm Credit for a memorable and meaningful internship experience, our staff extends its thanks to Regan for her dedication and the fresh perspective she provided in working alongside our team.

The summer is drawing to a close and we’re already on the hunt for two interns to learn and grow with us next year.

Get started today by exploring the HPFC summer internship program online or visiting with us in person at one of our upcoming campus events!