We met Mark Kaplan when he was working for BASF at the Farm Progress show, but we did not realize he was an intern at the time, and certainly did not know he was a University of Florida Gator! When I saw Mark running around getting BASF set up in the NAFB Broadcaster Center last week wearing a Gator sweatshirt, I had to get an interview with him and find out his story.
“I’m still a student at the University of Florida,” Mark says. “I’m actually a marketing major and I’m minoring in German, so BASF being a German chemical company seemed like a natural fit.”
When Mark signed up for the internship and he got his assignment in agriculture, the suburban kid from New Jersey said, “What the heck is agriculture?!” But he has learned quite a bit over the last few months and he loves it. “It’s been a great learning opportunity, flown me out to the Midwest a couple of times, got to go on some herbicide plot tours, visit some growers,” said Mark. “It’s really opened my eyes.”
Mark says he chose the University of Florida because “why not?” and because it was actually more affordable than attending college in New Jersey. When he graduates next year, Mark already has a job with BASF and he hopes to see us all more down the road in his career.Interview with Mark Kaplan, BASF intern
2014 NAFB Convention Photos
