Blue Ribbon Experience

Central College opens doors for students in countless ways. For Grace Benson ’26, it meant securing a coveted internship with the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation. Joined by Madison Price ’27, these bright, talented young ladies landed two of the three highly sought after positions in the public relations office.

“The things I’ve learned and the real-world experience I’ve gained at Central through my classes, service learning and jobs on campus have served me well and helped me stand out as an applicant,” Benson says. “Some people think you may get more opportunities or connections at a bigger school, but I’d say it’s just the opposite; I’ve made more connections and done more at Central than I ever dreamed!”

Benson’s summer duties included the coordination of the Iowan of the Day award, recognizing Iowans who have gone above and beyond to serve their community. From organizing, reviewing and scoring each nomination to presenting nominees to the selection committee, communicating with the honorees and presenting them on the Bill Riley Stage during the fair, Benson stayed busy.

“We also helped with the Corndog Kickoff, which is one of the largest events and the biggest fundraiser of the year,” she says. “We were able to raise nearly $900,000 this year, including a campsite at the fairgrounds auctioned off for $100,000. It was amazing to experience that and to see how much people love the fair.”

When asked about her favorite part of the experience, Benson paused to think about the whirlwind of opportunity and activity.

“It’s been really fun,” Benson says with a smile. “The most exciting part is I’ve been able to attend several concerts, including one of my favorite artists. The most surprising thing is the amount of work that goes into everything. We’re up and running fair merchandise restock loads at 7:30 in the morning, working about 14-hour days during the fair. There are lots of different responsibilities, and I’m getting to see how many moving parts there are and how many people it takes — which is incredible.”

Much like those presenting livestock, baked goods, art and more, a lot of time, effort and hard work go into making this 11-day event possible. Proud to have played a part in the 171st fair’s success, this experience has Benson’s stamp of approval.

“This internship showed me what it feels like to have a high level of responsibility, which makes it hard at times, but also even more rewarding when you see it all come together,” Benson reflects. “I would definitely recommend this experience for that reason — it grows you, challenges you and you even get to have fun along the way.”

For more on Benson, visit central.edu/grace-benson-26.