Summer interns Adam Brown and Maegan White processing Horned Pondweed seeds in the turbulator after harvesting them the previous week.
Photo by Amy Natimatsu
One of the best strategies to protect and restore our environment is to instill a conservation ethic in the next generation. ShoreRivers is committed to providing quality, professional internships for college-aged students in order to cultivate an informed and passionate generation of rising professionals. Through a paid, 10-week summer program, ShoreRivers interns gain experience and knowledge in multiple aspects of environmental conservation and real-world skills applicable to any career field. Internships are supported by the ShoreRivers Elizabeth Brown Memorial Fund and through a partnership with Washington College. Click here for descriptions and to apply.
This summer, ShoreRivers hosted five college interns who participated in a variety of projects including mapping underwater grasses, planting trees in community spaces, monitoring water quality on our rivers, taking soil and water samples in farm fields, removing invasive species, and more. They also gained essential skills applicable to any career field: experience with the inner workings of a nonprofit organization; working for a supervisor with deadlines; working as part of a larger team; presenting professionally in front of an audience; problem-solving; leveraging technology; and working with volunteers and board members.
Summer interns Riley Kuehn, Kyle McKim and Connor Maycott processing Horned Pondweed seeds in the turbulator after harvesting them the previous week. Photo by Amy Narimatsu
Kyle McKim and Adam Brown focused on submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) restoration: monitoring beds, harvesting seeds, and planting new beds to restore habitat. They developed a GIS platform to host SAV data: the “SAV Restoration Living Atlas” will compile volunteers’ data on grass bed locations and species, streamline data sharing with Bay-wide restoration and tracking efforts, and improve the siting of new locations for restoration. Kyle is a 2022 graduate of Washington College with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and a minor in Chesapeake Regional Studies. Adam is a rising senior at Washington College with a major in Environmental Science and a minor in Philosophy.
Maegan White and Riley Kuehn assisted the Riverkeepers in water quality monitoring and community outreach. They updated the SwimTester bacteria monitoring program to make information more accessible and easy to find online. Maegan is a rising senior at Washington College majoring in Environmental Science and Political Science. Riley is a rising senior at Dickinson College majoring in Environmental Science and minoring in Spanish.
Connor Maycott spent the summer assisting the agricultural and restoration department by surveying and building wetlands, stream restorations, and meadows. Connor is a rising fifth year senior at North Carolina State University studying Ecological Engineering and Restoration. His technical engineering expertise increased ShoreRivers’ capacity to put restoration projects in the ground.
The Elizabeth Brown Memorial Fund was created in memory of her dedication to clean water, her enthusiasm for engaging others with their rivers, and her joyful service as an environmental steward. Interested students from any field of study are encouraged to apply annually in February and notification of selection will be in March. Each intern is awarded a competitive stipend of $5,000.