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Lucie Legro ’27, a business administration and sustainability dual major, had an inkling that she might prefer to use her degree in something other than a corporate role, and an internship with the 4-H Animal Science program proved to be a perfect way to explore that thought.

“It has been a really positive experience for me,” Legro says. She’s had the opportunity to engage with people who are working in a professional capacity, to use her marketing skills, and to see what it’s like to work with an organization motivated by mission instead of profit margins.

“This has been a great first step,” Legro says, toward “understanding what I want to do with my career.”

Her internship has also been a benefit to 4-H.

“Lucie’s been a tremendous help,” says Hannah Majewski, 4-H animal science field specialist for 91��Ƭ�� Extension. Legro has helped prepare for animal shows and has boosted social media accounts for the events, some of which had been left to wither on the vine.

Legro was “able to build hype” around the social media handles, Majewski continues. She revived an Instagram account and boosted followers on other channels, then utilized that extra reach to ensure that participants knew where to find rules for an upcoming event and to remind everyone else that such shows are open to the public.

Legro’s reinvigoration of social media comes at a time when the 4-H animal show programs are seeing a spike in popularity. The state 4-H horse show, for example, saw its participation double over just two years.

“The momentum here is noticeable,” Majewski says, noting that Legro’s work will help to maintain that sense of momentum. “We want the 4-Hers to know that we’re proud of the work that they’re doing.”

The internship has taken Legro across the state. She has seen the bonds between animals and their handlers, and the deep connection her colleagues have with their work. She says the sense of shared mission has created a community in which she can grow.

“Everyone has the same goal to achieve, and that is something I really love,” Legro says. “I have really enjoyed this internship thoroughly.”

For the Deerfield Fair, welcoming the next generation, whether they’re horse exhibitors or social media gurus, is part of the organizational philosophy, according to Caleb Harris, superintendent of Deerfield’s horse showing grounds.

“Most of the people on our board of directors are 4-H or Future Farmers of America alumni, and they’re really huge on bringing these events in,” Harris says. “It’s really important to them that this tradition continues, that these events continue.”