Summer Internships with CES and Partners

A 400-acre native garden and preserve, Adkins Arboretum’s mission is to provide exceptional experiences in nature to promote environmental stewardship.  The Arboretum’s vision is to inspire environmental stewardship, provide respite and healing, and celebrate natural and cultural diversity through the joy and wonder of the natural world.  Adkins Arboretum is the only arboretum or public garden focusing solely on plants native to the Mid-Atlantic coastal plain. Because of its location on the Delmarva Peninsula, at the junction of the Piedmont and the coastal plain where northern and southern plant life overlap, it includes diverse habitats that support more than 600 species of native shrubs, trees, wildflowers, grasses, and ferns.  With approximately five miles of trails winding throughout the natural areas and approximately one acre of cultivated gardens, maintaining, enhancing, and preventing the spread of invasive plants throughout those areas is key to providing an educational and enjoyable experience for our visitors.

Adkins Arboretum is looking for a positive and energetic individual to join our team this summer as the Cultivated Gardens and Natural Areas intern.  This individual will play an active role in the conservation and enhancement of the Arboretum’s native flora and plant communities in natural areas while helping maintain attractive demonstration gardens that inspire visitors to plant their own conservation landscapes, including pollinator and rain gardens.  The internship includes active, hands-on work pruning, weeding, planting, and watering. The intern will also support the Arboretum staff with general operations, including setups for on-site programming.  The intern will be required to attend brief daily staff check-in meetings.  Throughout the internship, the student will document the daily locations and type of work underway to provide accurate details for our Stewardship Log and inform future land management.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist staff with garden, trail maintenance, and invasive plant removal efforts. This will include group and independent work to mobilize daily and tackle projects in various locations on-site.  The physical nature of this position will require much standing, walking, bending, and lifting.
• Specific responsibilities will include identifying plant material to save or remove, weeding, pruning, planting, and occasionally watering new plantings.
• Most days will be spent outdoors, so the intern must come prepared to work outdoors with appropriate clothing, footwear, sunscreen, and insect repellent.
• Complete program setups for public programs and events such as lectures and art classes.
• Stay in communication with Arboretum staff through on-site, e-mail, or video check-ins.
• Document areas and specifics of garden and natural areas maintenance completed, including optional use of a GPS device to capture locations for us to document areas that have been managed.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Passionate about conservation, land management, and community engagement.
• Working towards a degree in Biology, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, or related field and having completed two years of study is encouraged.
• Competency in plant identification is helpful but not required.
• Experience with gardening, invasive plant removal, and driving a golf cart is preferred but not required.

PROGRAM LOGISTICS:

The student intern will work remotely at Adkins Arboretum approximately 32 hours per week over 8 weeks. Requires using a personal vehicle to travel to Adkins Arboretum 4-5 days a week. Housing is NOT provided.

The Coastal Delaware National Wildlife Refuge Complex is seeking one  intern to work as part of the beach nesting bird program at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Milton, Delaware. This program is responsible for monitoring, protecting, and documenting the federally threatened Atlantic coast piping plover as well as the Delaware state-endangered least tern and American oystercatcher on refuge lands.

Duties include surveying for nesting pairs, nest searching, installing nest exclosures, brood searching, recording data, assisting with adult and chick capture and banding, assisting other biological programs at the complex as needed, and assisting state partners with other projects when time permits. Training will be provided.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Day-to-day duties will primarily focus on the beach nester surveys and activities. Current research projects include habitat management, vegetation communities, and Piping Plover nest site selection. 
• Assist DNREC with their Piping Plover brood habitat use project which includes color banding adults and chicks and monitoring them thereafter.
• Assist with other projects including horseshoe crab surveys, Delaware's red knot project, integrated waterbird management and monitoring, and others.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• In good physical shape and able to hike long distances (up to 8 miles per day) in sand while carrying a backpack and spotting scope
• Able to tolerate excessive heat, humidity, and biting insects
• Able to lift and carry 50 pounds
• Applicants who have a strong interest in wildlife management and species conservation.
• Preferred: Have a valid U.S. driver’s license and are able to commute to the job site.
• Preferred: Can commit to 12 weeks of employment. 
• Preferred: Some prior wildlife management or biological field work experience (or exposure).

PROGRAM LOGISTICS:

Bunk-house style housing will be provided at no cost at St. Jones Reserve in Kitts Hummock, DE. Most work activities will take place outdoors without access to amenities.

Interns will be expected to work a standard 40-hour week with 5 days on and 2 days off, consistent with other biological program staff. A small amount of holiday and/or weekend work may be required due to program needs.

Carlisle Academy works in partnership with Spring Creek Farm to enhance quality of life through joy and learning from horses, farming, and nature. The Academy provides health and wellness programs, equestrian sport education, and academic fieldwork experiences to a diverse student body within a professional learning community. Carlisle Academy’s vision is to create a positive impact through educational leadership, innovative curricula, emerging research, and effective business models. Our Health & Wellness Programs are staffed with a team of professional educators and health practitioners with credentials in occupational therapy, counseling, equine-assisted services, art education, and emerging nature-based education. The team is rounded out by service-learning participants and fieldwork interns offering program and client support, while gaining professional education and mentoring. With our composition of highly talented professionals and an integrative team model, the Academy has emerged as a center of excellence and leader within our industry.

Health & Wellness Programs:

Equine-Assisted Services

• Hippotherapy/Equine Movement Intervention
• Equine-Assisted Wellness

Farm-Based Services:

• Working Farmscape
• FarmABLE & FarmWELL

Nature-Based Services:

• Nature Explorers/Pre-K Nature Play
• Nature-Art 
• Holistic Yoga

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist Outdoor Education Leader with pilot programs for “Nature Explorers” (Elementary & Middle School) and “Pre-K Nature Play”, on prescheduled weekdays utilizing the barn yard, children’s sensory garden, outdoor classroom, beekeeping area, craft and art stations, and nature trails. Group size 10-15 per session. Utilize nature-based existing curriculum and research additional resources to plan, execute, and evaluate lesson plans.
• Follow up polit with an overall program assessment.
• Work with Carlisle’s grant writer to research nature-based grants and new agency partners to build future programs which foster inclusion and access to underserved populations.
• Assist with FarmABLE & FarmWELL programs for children and adults with and without special needs exploring many aspects of the farm environment.
• Interface with Carlisle’s onsite partner Play and Prosper Therapy, a private occupational therapy practice service provider specializing in equine-based and nature-based interventions.
• Interface with Carlisle Equine-Assisted Learning Programs as offered throughout the week.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Grounded and committed to the mission, vision, and core values of Carlisle Academy.
• Motivated self-starter while also being a good team player.
• Excellent communication skills (written, oral, and electronic).
• Interest in the practice and theory of emerging practices in a non-traditional setting utilizing equine-based, farm-based, and nature-based education strategies.
• Experience in environmental studies and education a plus.

PROGRAM LOGISTICS:

This internship will take place in May-August of 2024 for 10-12 weeks with a flexible start and end date. Monday-Friday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. Housing is not provided, but there will be assistance to find housing.

Founded in 1966, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is the largest independent conservation organization dedicated solely to saving the Bay. Serving as a watchdog, we fight for effective, science-based solutions to the pollution degrading the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams. Our motto, "Save the Bay," is a regional rallying cry for pollution reduction throughout the Chesapeake's six-state, 64,000-square-mile watershed, which is home to more than 18 million people and 3,000 species of plants and animals.

The Oyster Restoration Intern will help CBF staff with the planning and execution of our Maryland Oyster Restoration Program.  Intern will be responsible for helping with operations of CBF’s Oyster Gardening Program, a community-based program that teaches hundreds of people how to grow and care for oysters to use in restoration projects throughout Maryland. Intern will also work with the Oyster Team to perform restoration work.  The majority of the work will take place in Anne Arundel County but travel to other areas within the state such as Baltimore, the Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland is required. The role will consist of both administrative aspects of the program, such volunteer engagement and event planning, as well as a great deal of emphasis on field work. The Oyster Restoration Intern must be prepared to attend all events, which may include evenings and weekends. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Help CBF Oyster Team staff manage the oyster gardening program, including inventory management, engagement with volunteers, and assisting with program delivery 
• Assist with other hands-on restoration activities including spat-on-shell production, oyster planting, shell recycling, etc. 
• Help prepare materials for any events including advocacy asks, spat-on-shell, cages, spreadsheets, etc.  
• Help CBF Oyster Team staff with general office/administrative support, including data entry and filing, digital and material organization, among other tasks.  

QUALIFICATIONS:  

The successful candidate must have reliable daily transportation for travel in Maryland. In addition, in order to help manage oyster gardening and restoration events, this position must work some evenings and weekends. Housing is not provided. Due to the physical capacity of this job, interns must be comfortable lifting 30-50 pounds and be in good physical condition to work outside in all elements during the summer.  

PROGRAM LOGISTICS

This internship will take place in May-August of 2024. The exact start and end dates during that time frame are negotiable and work not to exceed 24 hours/week. 

The National Aquarium is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire conservation of the world's aquatic treasures. The Blue Wonders: Reefs to Rainforests exhibits are the centerpiece of the National Aquarium which includes all saltwater fish and aquatic invertebrates. Popular exhibits included in Blue Wonders include Blacktip Reef, Living Seashore, Jellies Invasion, and Shark Alley.

The selected candidate will work directly with the Blue Wonders Curatorial team in reviewing the Aquarium’s scientific literature archives, mostly relating to fish and aquatic invertebrates, but may include other taxa. Throughout the internship, the candidate will have the opportunity to learn about a variety of aquatic taxa, the routines and challenges of managing people and large groups of animals in a public aquarium setting, how to organize a variety of resources and topics into logical and accessible platforms, and how to summarize and effectively communicate what they’ve learned through a graphical and/or oral presentation. While there is limited hands-on animal contact during the internship, the candidate will have multiple opportunities to observe daily animal care operations and assist as needed.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist Blue Wonders Curatorial team in reviewing scientific literature archives.
• Utilize knowledge of scientific terminology to add pertinent metadata to digital library references.
• At the completion of the program, the intern will give a create a graphical and/or oral presentation on the range of literature they reviewed during their internship with a synopsis of their recommendations on best ways to access and manage those resources in the future.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Candidates must have good attention to detail, be able to assess written information, organize it according to given criteria, and follow stepwise protocols. Ideal candidates will be capable of working individually and in group settings, have a working knowledge of computers, and be excited to learn new skills and information, including organizational systems and communication, in both written and digital formats.

PROGRAM LOGISTICS:

The student intern will work in-person at the National Aquarium approximately 20 hours a week for 10 weeks. The internship will go from Mid-May to Mid-August 2024.

ShoreRivers is a nonprofit organization that protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education. With offices in Easton, Chestertown, and Galena, Maryland, the organization serves as an advocate for the health of our rivers and the living resources they support. Our programs promote environmental awareness of the essential role local rivers and streams play in the community, the issues that threaten their health and vitality, and solutions that must be implemented to preserve them. The summer intern will provide programmatic support for our Chester River and Sassafras River programs and participate in a variety of activities including submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) restoration, water quality and bacteria monitoring, community outreach and education, and enforcement. By the end of the program the intern will have earned a Maryland boater safety certificate, become familiar with handling a boat, gained experience and training in scientific water quality monitoring equipment and protocols, and developed a variety of other restoration-based skills and experiences.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Obtain a Maryland boater safety certificate
• Water quality monitoring by boat with Riverkeepers
• Water Chestnut eradication work on the Sassafras
• Bacteria sampling at local public access sites
• SAV monitoring by kayak
• SAV restoration via Turbulation at CES
• Co-leading community kayak tours
• Community outreach and events
• Agricultural site visits and project monitoring
• Boat and water quality equipment maintenance

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Able to lift at least 50 lbs, swim, feel comfortable on boats and kayaks, and do physical outdoor activity in various weather conditions.
• Willing to work a flexible 40-hour schedule with some evening and weekend hours.
• Major in Biology, Environmental Science, or related field is encouraged.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software.
• Proficiency in ArcGIS is encouraged.

PROGRAM LOGISTICS

This internship is based in the Chestertown office, with fieldwork across the Chester and Sassafras watersheds, and occasional travel throughout the ShoreRivers region. Minimum of 10 weeks between May and August; start and end dates and vacation days are flexible. Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30; with occasional evening and weekend work. Housing is provide by Washington College at the River & Field Campus Intern House.

The Center for Environment and Society (CES) seeks a GIS intern to support several nonprofit organizations with GIS needs. To start, the intern will work with Adkins Arboretum and Trash Free Maryland.

Adkins Arboretum

Through a multi-year effort to upgrade Adkins Arboretum’s Living Collection Database, we aim to make information about the plants found on site more accessible to the public. The Living Collections Database and web mapping platform contains the geographic location of various plant life at the Arboretum and links to extensive information about the plant habits, growing conditions, habitat, phenology, wildlife interactions, and ethnobotanical information of those plants.  Visitors and staff can research plants by searching by scientific name or locating points on the map.  CES's GIS team has previously migrated The Living Collections Database to its current location in ArcGIS Online.

The Living Collections Database GIS intern will play an active role in the conservation of and education about the Arboretum’s native flora by assisting staff with plant survey and resurvey efforts outdoors throughout the property.  The intern will help make the database more robust by bringing in additional photos and data and building out individual plant profiles.  There is an opportunity for the intern to create a tutorial video to use the database and contribute to a Story Map that can help interpret information found within the database.  

Trash Free Maryland

The GIS Intern will develop a suite of maps that will be used to advocate for and track implementation and effectiveness of trash reduction policies such as plastic bag bans and
extended producer responsibility for packaging. Projects for interns:

• Statewide interactive maps depicting trash programs by municipality and county: Numerous jurisdictions in Maryland have passed local laws aimed at reducing trash and litter. This is part of an advocacy strategy to create momentum for statewide laws and policies. These maps will depict the policies in place within each local jurisdiction.
• Local area trash receptacle maps: Create map to label and track all publicly accessible recycling/trash cans and dumpsters, and measuring the type and volume of litter collected and comparing it to the location’s proximity to publicly accessible disposal stations. The map will be used to track data on trash cleanups, and the type and volume of what was collected in these areas. From here we will be able to come up with effective solutions such as adding more public disposal stations with recycling and trash, or improved signage to reduce litter and educate both visitors and locals on proper waste disposal. 
• Statewide maps for TMDL regulatory and voluntary trash trap trash collection: Map various regulatory, non-profit, and private voluntary trash trap locations throughout the
  State. Where feasible, add an interactive component showing data collection.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Adkins Arboretum

• Assist  staff with survey and resurvey efforts by working in the field to gather information.
• Complete independent work related to the Living Collections Database's content, use, and interpretation from the Washington College GIS lab.
• Stay in communication with Arboretum staff through on-site, e-mail, or video check-ins.
• Document work completed and steps taken to complete that work to serve as instruction for future interns.

Trash Free Maryland

• Create statewide interactive maps depicting trash programs by municipality and county.
• Create an example map for local area trash receptacle maps.
• Create statewide maps for TMDL regulatory and voluntary trash trap trash collection
  
  

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be self-motivated and self-directed with the ability to be flexible.
• Enthusiastic about conservation, land management, and community engagement.
• Degree in Biology, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, or related field encouraged.
• Experience with ArcGIS Online and various related programs is necessary.
• Competency in plant identification is helpful but not required.
• Preferred: Interest in Maryland environmental laws related to solid waste and trash, Maryland legislative process, and interest in developing and operationalizing strategies to advance an organization or campaign.
• Requires using a personal vehicle to travel to Adkins Arboretum 1-2 days a week.

PROGRAM LOGISTICS:

The student intern will primarily work in the GIS lab at Washington College or SG Hall. There will also be some work at Adkins Arboretum. On fieldwork days, the intern will come prepared to work outdoors with appropriate clothing, footwear, sunscreen, and insect repellent.

The Center for Environment and Society (CES) seeks an intern to assist researchers and staff with various projects and events. The intern will report to Beth Choate, Deputy Director of CES. Responsibilities will vary across days and weeks. The intern will have the chance to engage with other projects happening at the Center as needed and based on interest. If you are interested in environmental work and are unsure about career pathways, this could be an opportunity to learn more about the type of work that you find most engaging and fulfilling.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Research sustainable land use by colleges and universities with Dr. Choate.
• Prepare for a summer high school program involving a collaboration between CES and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
• Assist with the exhibits placed in MuSE, CES's community musuem on Cross St. in Chestertown.
• Assist with field work to assess quail populations on the River and Field Campus.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Work independently and meet deadlines.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multi-task.
• Effective communication skills.
• Resourceful, self-motivated, enthusiastic team player.
• Experience with qualitative research preferred, not required.

PROGRAM LOGISTICS:

Student will work at Semans-Griswold Hall.

NOTE: To apply for a Grassland Research Internship with CES please use Paycom.

The Center for Environment & Society is hiring three interns for our summer research project on grassland birds. The team will contribute to a multi-year study on breeding biology of Field Sparrows, a common bird in decline. Our study site is the grasslands of the River and Field Campus, just across the river in Queen Anne’s County. You will start the day before sunrise and stalk birds through the fields, identifying individuals by their colored leg bands, take GPS points of bird locations and search for their nests (harder than it sounds). After the field work is done, there will be some office work such as data entry. You’ll work side-by-side with Field Ecologist Maren Gimpel and biology Professor Dr. Jennie Carr and all the data you collect is for peer-reviewed scientific publications.

For more information on these projects, please see our website: https://www.washcoll.edu/learn-by-doing/rafc/index.php

QUALIFICATIONS:

Skills preferred: Coursework in birds and/or ecology and/or environmental studies; bird identification, using binoculars and spotting scopes, data collection, data entry. Ability to work outdoors in all kinds of weather, starting work before sunrise, attention to detail and patience are a must. This project is ideal for students with an interest in habitat restoration, conservation and field biology.

PROGRAM LOGISTICS:

Start date: May 20th, End date: July 26th (with flexibility). Salary: $15.00 an hour and requires approximately 35 hours of work per week over a 10 week period. Shared on-site housing is available. The field house is about a 10-minute drive from campus. Owning a vehicle is not necessary, but is preferred.