CommunicationsSeedstock EDGE | “For the Record” | “The Pinnacle” | |
| Seedstock EDGE Seedstock EDGE main | Seedstock EDGE archives Advertising rates/deadlines | Mail dates Subscribe today! | Seedstock EDGE staff |
Baker Helps Interns feel Right at Home
by Katrina Waters
Dan Baker was the first person I saw when I arrived in West Lafayette, Ind., at the beginning of my summer internship with Seedstock Edge and the last person I saw before I left. Not only did he let me park a cargo trailer out at his and Sandy’s home, but he was there to help me move when I headed back to Texas in August.
Those weren’t the only times Dan helped me out, though. He was always there, whether I needed someone to joke with or needed help with a story idea or getting the perfect photo. Dan made my summer go by more quickly and made me feel a lot less homesick.
I am not the only intern who has considered Dan a major part of my internship experience. After talking to a few former NSR summer interns, I realized each of them holds a special place in their heart for him.
Cammie Johnson, summer intern in 1997, says Dan is a wealth of information.
“He served as a mentor, by giving me advice on feature stories and lending ideas I could use for my work with Seedstock Edge,” Johnson says.
She says Dan’s sense of humor always made him enjoyable to work with.
“Everybody loves Dan,” Johnson says. “It is easy to see why this is — his optimistic, fun attitude draws people to him. When life hands Dan lemons, he makes lemonade.”
Shandy Froedge, 2000 summer intern, agrees that Dan’s personality helps him with his job.
“Dan has a good attitude about life in general and I think he portrays that to people, whether in-person or on the phone,” Froedge says.
She says Dan’s dry sense of humor always made her laugh — once she realized he was not being serious.
“I’ll always have a special place in my heart for Dan,” Froedge says. “He made me feel like I was talented and that I could do the job at hand.”
Casey Meek, who interned for NSR during the summer of 2001, has known Dan all of his life but became especially close to him during his internship.
“Dan was one of my best friends while I was there,” Meek says. “I guess he still is.”
Johnson says Dan has deeply impacted the industry through the years.
“Throughout the course of his career, he’s seen a great amount of change,” she says. “He has continued to adapt and has become the backbone of the National Swine Registry.”
Johnson says Dan’s passion, high ethical standards, tenacity and the desire to help others succeed have made him great at his job.
Just like the other former interns, I feel blessed to have worked with Dan Baker. He is one of the greatest — and most entertaining — people I know and I cannot imagine how different my internship would have been without him.
