2002 Mellon Internship Grants Support Summer Experiences
June 2002
Five students have been awarded stipends and/or housing assistance for their summer internships from the Environmental Studies Program. The Internship Grant Program is one of the initiatives made possible by the $298,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded to the ENVS Program in 1999.
The Internship Grant Program was designed to offer students the opportunity to pursue environmental positions that would otherwise be unpaid or underpaid. "Internships that can not provide a stipend to fund summer living expenses have caused me to look towards paid working situations in the past. This grant was a wonderful chance to discover and contact organizations because they are doing the exact work I am interested in participating, not because the organization does or does not have funds to support internships," commented Meg Geissler ('01), when she received the grant in 2000.
Chris Dickey ('03) is participating in an internship with the Virgin Island Environmental Resource Station (VIERS). He is serving on their volunteer support staff as an assistant environmental education coordinator. His duties include presenting guided hikes, lectures, slide/video presentations, island tours, swimming lessons, lifeguarding, etc. He is also involved with housekeeping, kitchen help and store/office work.
Adam Klein ('04) is taking part in internship with the Delta Institute in Columbus, OH. He is working with the Director of the Institute on educational program in Columbus on sustainable development. He is also writing grant requests and other documents. In addition, Adam is working with non-profit groups in Cleveland on a watershed management program for the Cuyahoga River.
Melanie Houston ('04) is using her internship grant to fund her a organic gardening project for court involved youthcalled Helping Hands: Garden of Hope. The garden was started in 1999 by ENVS major Shannon Kishel ('01). Melanie's duties and responsibilities include lesson planning, education, mentoring, hands-on involvement in gardening, and planning the lunch program, speakers, and field trips.
Dave Hughes ('04) is a Wilderness Education intern at the Olympic National Park in Port Angeles, WA.. His duties include answering phones and talk with walk-in wilderness visitors about trip planning, resource protection, visitor safety, wildlife concerns, vegetation damage, human waste issues, etc. He also camps for 4 days every other week in order to gain knowledge of the park.
Lindsay Michael ('05) is an Environmental Coordinator co-counselor at the Ligonier Camp and Conference Center in Pennsylvania. She is working with children ages 8 through 18 on environmental activities such as talking about Creation, looking at nature, exploring different habitats and ecosystems in PA.
Diane Skinner ('03) is participating in an internship at the Maputaland Conservation-Based Community Development Program in South Africa. It is part of the Center for Indigenous Knowledge at the University of Pretoria. She is working with an environmental anthropologist on projects ranging from sustainable commercialism to enthnoveterinary medicine.
We hope these students have wonderful experiences this summer and we look forward to them sharing what they learn with the rest of the ENVS program in the fall.