Week four with Extension with Heather Knauss

Me blindfolded in Leadership Training Game

Wednesday was the first day of our Campus Tour! The first part of the tour was our leadership training where we learned about all of the different types of leaders and we wrote our own leadership statements. After that we went to lunch and then had another leadership training that was super fun! Miles gave us three games to play with lessons attached to each.


First we had a game where we had to get everyone across a “minefield”, it had a different pattern each time and we weren’t allowed to communicate while any of us were inside the minefield. That game taught us the importance of efficient communication and strategy, as well as the importance of trial and error. For the next game he laid out mouse traps on the floor as well as “wheels of cheese” and had us partner up in groups of two. One person in each team was blindfolded and had to listen to the others instructions to find the cheese. This game taught us the importance of communicating at a level that anyone can understand as well as the importance of listening to the right people.


The last game was a scenario where we had a list of 12 people: A scientist, Chief Minister of Russia, Miss Universe 2017, a mother of 6 children, a female lawyer, the current Catholic Pope, the Ceo of Google, a UMD student, an unemployed engineer, a 28-year-old teacher, an escaped convict, and a retired Army Colonel. The goal of the game was to decide which of the people would be the six people that could fit on the lifeboat and live and which of the six people would be getting left behind. Everyone had different roles they were given as well, most people were normal participants, but one person was a silent observer, one person was the manager, one person was not aloud to speak or write but was still aloud to participate as best as they could, and the role that I got instructed me not to agree to the final decision unless the escaped convict was one of the six saved. We were allowed to know who the manager was, the rest were hidden. This game was not only about good debate skills but also realizing that not everyone who doesn't voice their opinion is just content with what is going on, some people aren’t able to voice their opinion but their opinion still matters. Cole did a great job of this role. I got everyone to agree to eliminate the Russian Minister as soon as the game started but Cole disagreed and couldn’t voice his opinion.


Later that night, us interns put into practice what we learned about teamwork and leadership. Alison was one of our drivers during these two rainy days but her windshield wipers broke. As a team we took a trip to Target to get her new windshield wipers and worked together to change them on her car.


The next day we went to the Aquaponics Research Lab; we talked to the Stormwater Management Maintenance Supervisor, which was really cool because he has the same degree that I am working towards; we went to the greenhouse; and we went to an intern mixer. The mixer was really cool because we got to meet interns from the other Extension programs as well as other Extension professionals. After that we went to the Plant Diagnostic Lab which really piqued my interest; we learned about Agriculture Law and Policy; and then we toured the campus farm before leaving. All in all it was a really fun and educational experience!

Dan and Emily fixing Alison's windshield wipers