Summer Opportunities

What do Environmental Studies Majors do during the summer? 

ENST students find many summer pursuits that complement their experiences in the program.  We asked some of our current students about what they did last summer and here is the response we got.

Noemi and the Director of Pacoima BeautifulSummer with Pacoima Beautiful

"My summer with Pacoima Beautiful (PB), the only environmental justice organization in the Northeast San Fernando Valley (Southern CA), was an eye-opening experience. I spent this time doing community outreach for PB's Safer Homes Program, which focuses on preventing the impact of environmental health risks. It was exciting to know that I was working towards bringing this information right to people's doorsteps. As I spoke with young mothers concerned with the health of their children, I gained a better understanding of the need to create better access to this information, especially for the Spanish-speaking community. Because of this opportunity, I am now more certain about pursuing a position in the area of public health."
~ Noemi Pacheco-Ramirez
 
 
 
 
 

Ranch Work, Community Work, and Working with Kids

"I worked out in Petrolia for 7 weeks this summer on a 600+ acre ranch, which is in the Lost Coast section of Humboldt County. While I bucked hay, planted vegetables, and fixed water systems up and down the Mattole valley, I learned about sustainable farming practices.  I also worked for the MRC (Mattole Restoration Council) and for the Lost Coast Kids Camp in which children from the surrounding Humboldt County area come to have adventures and explore for the summer. Hard farm labor, working with the community, and working with kids is what I did for most of my summer. It was a BLAST!"
~Andrew Jacobson

 

 

 

 Farming in Petrolia and Research Work at Marquette University

"This past summer was the most difficult and life-changing summer I have ever experienced.  After four weeks of hard labor on a farm in Petrolia, I flew on a plane for the first time to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I attended Marquette University for six weeks where I had the pleasure to work with Dr. Alyson Gerdes. I proposed a study on mental health stigma and acculturation among Latino caregivers.  One of the hypotheses was that the more a Latino relates to American culture, the less stigma around mental health they will perceive and the more likely they will seek treatment. The process was onerous but worth it, and it provided me with clarity on what I could potentially do if I pursue an M.A. in psychology."
~ Jesus Rodriquez
 
 
 

 

Saving Dolphins in Croatia

This past summer I spent some of my time in the beautiful country of Croatia. I worked with a nonprofit called Vivamar whose mission is to save the last remaining dolphin species in the northern Adriatic Sea. Two other species have already been driven out of the area due to overfishing and aggressive nautical tourism. In my time here I worked through the nonprofit with the local community to teach them about the important role the dolphins play in this ecosystem. The other volunteers and I also worked on writing a donation letter on Indiegogo to further help support their mission. Not only was this a great experience in working with a small nonprofit, but it also opened my eyes and my understanding to another culture and way of life. 
~ Jenna Batchelder