Tennessee Extension Internship Program: Lone Oaks Farm Hospitality 15-week Fall Internship UTIA

Interns will gain hands-on work experience while exploring a career in high-end hospitably. Interns will study, observe, and participate in lodging operations, sales, planning and execution of individual and groups stays and meetings. The intern will have the opportunity to develop new content for collateral materials for potential clients and recommend enhancements to the processes at the Farm. Supervision and coordination of daily activities while in the county is the responsibility of the Lone Oaks Farm director. As with any position, it is expected that an intern is able to get to and from work each day. Generally, interns ride with farm staff during any significant work-related travel and therefore do not receive a travel budget allotment. If housing is needed, arrangements can be made for the intern to stay in housing at the Farm. 

• Assist with client interactions and planning for events. 
• Help facilitate and provide support for execution of events at the Farm. 
• Develop and recommend processes and materials to enhance the guests’ experience before during and after their visit/ event. 
• Attend trade shows as opportunities present themselves. 
• Plan and execute at least one event with a client start to end. 
• Assume other responsibilities as assigned. 

Qualifications:

• Candidate must be enrolled in a hospitality, restaurant management, culinary arts or closely related major. 
• Preference given to those that have completed at least 50 percent of the required course work for the Bachelor's degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.7 (on a 4.0 scale) or higher and has at least one more semester to complete after the internship has ended. 
• Preference will be given to students presently enrolled in the University of Tennessee, Tennessee State University, any other university or college in Tennessee, or to a student resident of Tennessee enrolled elsewhere. 
• Preference will also be given to those with Extension experience (i.e. former 4-H member, etc.). However, all eligible applicants will be considered. 
• Preference will also be given to a candidate who resides in, or lives within a reasonable commuting distance of the assigned location. Housing may be arranged for a candidate. 
• Must have own transportation to and from work. 
• Must present a written and oral report of the project accomplishments and training experience at the end of the internship. 

For best consideration, applications for the internship should be submitted by July 27th, 2025. Applications received after this date will be reviewed if all slots have not been filled. 

Work Location:

• Lone Oaks Farm, Middleton, TN

Compensation and Benefits:

• $11,400 (gross) for the 15-week fall internship is provided for each intern. 

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service. 

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.  

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices that attract and retain a diverse community and that support a culture where everyone matters and belongs.  

The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.  

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