Kappa Psi Upsilon Maine Based Environmental Studies Fellowships
Violet Apopdaca '25 - Town of Brunswick
As a summer fellow to the Town of Brunswick Department of Planning and Development, Violet worked closely with the Environmental Planner on a range of projects. This included conservation easement monitoring, helping to write a chapter of the Comprehensive Plan, supporting the implementation of the Mare Brook Watershed Management Plan, and creating a sustainability website for the Town. Much of Violet's time was spent on the application process for a climate resiliency grant which included collecting survey results, helping with a community engagement meeting researching potential projects, creating a municipal resolution and presentation for Town Council, and drafting the grant application.
"Working with the Town of Brunswick has been an amazing experience, and I've learned so much. I've gained a better understanding of the importance of municipal governance while learning about specific sustainability and climate initiatives. It was inspiring to see so many people working in different ways to protect the environment, better the lives of Mainers, and create a more sustainable future. I'm so grateful for this experience and will carry everything I've learned with me in my future endeavors."
Emma Barker '25 - Kennebec Estuary Land Trust
As a fellow with the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, Emma was involved in many aspects of the organization’s diverse work. She worked with the stewardship team to manage invasive plants, upkeep trails, and delineate property boundaries on KELT’s land. She collaborated with ArtVan to create an environmental education and art workshop for youth in the Bath area. And she spent several weeks developing protocols, creating educational materials, and setting up study sites for a new community science program that will monitor red-backed salamanders on KELT preserves. Emma worked with great people, supported important work, and gained experience that will inform her studies and work going forward.
"Getting a window into the work of the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust this summer has been incredible. I got to work with a truly dedicated network of staff and volunteers to support an effort that has always been close to my heart: preserving and stewarding the natural communities we call home. I’m excited to stay connected to the important work KELT is doing in the community, and I’m so grateful to have joined the KELT team for the summer!"
Theo Curran '23 - Town of Topsham
During his time with the Topsham Planning office, Theo was exposed to many facets of municipal government and community planning through conversations across town departments, visiting local organizations, and meeting with town committees and other engaged town residents. His work included researching comparable impact fee policies, habitat mitigation policies, and electric vehicle charger experiences of other municipalities. His major focus was a survey of street trees, which focused on developed areas with limited trees and green space. This resulted in an interactive map of existing street trees and recommendations for street tree and green space plans.
"I’m very grateful for my time at the Topsham Planning office, and the generous support from Kate Burch and the rest of the town staff, committee members, and others I talked with. I learned a lot about the logistics and practical considerations of municipal planning and governmental operations as a whole. I also gained experiential wisdom and confidence from internet research, correspondence with experts, setting project goals and adapting, collecting field data, and using GIS software."
Angus Dillon '22 - Maine Coast Fishermen's Association
This summer, Angus focused most of his time studying the future of offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine and how such development will impact Maine’s commercial fishing industry. He researched the effects of electromagnetic field exposure from subsea energy cables on benthic organisms to predict potential impacts of offshore wind development on Maine lobster populations. Angus also prepared a 15-page report for the executive director and board of MCFA regarding current and projected global installed offshore wind capacity. This report helps illustrate where offshore wind infrastructure is currently located, what technologies are being utilized, and what shifts to expect in the industry in the near future.
“Working at MCFA was an amazing experience. In environmental studies courses at Bowdoin, we have often discussed how fishing is more than just a job for those in the industry, as it carries significant cultural and social value. I don’t believe I fully understood this, however, until my fellowship at MCFA. Seeing firsthand the passion that the employees and supporters of MCFA carry for sustaining Maine’s fisheries illustrated to me how important the cultural heritage of fishing in Maine truly is.”
Leif Maynard, 23 - Coastal Enterprises Inc. (CEI)
This summer, Leif learned about the role of community finance in supporting a just transition to a green economy while interning at CEI. With the lending team, he explored new ways to assess and incentivize sustainable business practices and grow green industries in rural communities. This included research and conversations on how to support farm borrowers employ regenerative methods to develop healthy soils. With the communications team, Leif developed a guide for communicating about CEI’s environmental and climate work that frames CEI’s role in supporting a just transition to renewable energy and a climate resilient local economy. With this guide, he helped shape grant applications and the new website update. Finally, with the policy team, Leif wrote feedback responding to the climate resiliency section of the notice of proposed rulemaking on the federal Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), originally passed in 1977. The new rule has the potential to direct more investments towards climate resilience in low- and moderate-income communities across the U.S.
"Working at CEI strengthened my connection to Maine and reinforced my belief in the value of helping rural, place-based economies thrive. It was exciting to see how CEI’s unique position at the intersection of community finance, small business development, and policy advocacy can support a just transition to a decarbonized economy. Driving by organic farms with solar panels financed by CEI this summer filled me with hope and helped me envision what a regenerative economy can look like in practice."
Jane Olson, '24 - Brunswick Topsham Land Trust
As a summer fellow for Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust (BTLT), Jane supported the Land Trust’s Tom Settlemire Community Garden with numerous projects. This included assisting with work in the New Mainer’s Garden and collaborating to lead volunteer workdays at the Common Good Garden, a section of TSCG cultivated to be donated to MCHPP. She also completed extensive research on orchard management and compiled a maintenance plan for the TSCG orchard of peaches, apples, blueberries and raspberries. Additionally, Jane conducted interviews with many of the over 80 plot holders in the garden, compiling their stories into blog posts to share with the BTLT community. The connections she made at the Land Trust made her feel closer to Brunswick as a community, and advice from the surrounding gardeners allowed her to successfully cultivate her first season of crops in her own plot as a first-time gardener.
“My time working with Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust has grounded me in a community I am proud to be a part of and taught me a lot about how impactful small-scale environmental justice efforts can be. I feel so lucky to have met so many people who care so much for the land and to have learned from such knowledgeable and generous gardeners. I am so grateful that BTLT is right around the corner from Bowdoin and can’t wait for the next time I’m back in the garden.”
Audrey Pyper '23 - The Nature Conservancy of Maine
As a fellow for the Nature Conservancy, Audrey read through archaeological archives of TNC’s preserves, conducted legislative research in support of TNC’s policy work, and wrote part of a $20k grant which, if awarded, will help fund TNC’s seasonal staff. In addition to in-office work, she was also able to attend an in-person board meeting (followed by a boat ride at Maine Maritime museum), get out on preserves by participating in volunteer work days, tour the Portland Fish exchange as part of a development event introducing donors to TNC’s fisheries work, and attend a climate conference in Augusta.
“My experience at TNC has been eye-opening. I’ve been blown away by the level of coordination that takes place every day—from communications, development, and policy, to on-the-ground land management work. TNC has taught me the value of creating bipartisan coalitions for conservation and environmental justice—and that such work is possible. I feel grateful to have interned at a place that has introduced me to so many different facets of conservation work, and I hope to take this experience with me as I look to explore beyond the land trust world.”
Kappa Psi Upsilon Environmental Studies - Sustainability Fellowships
Jill Cloonan '24 - FarmLink
Jill spent this past year working with The Farmlink Project, a student-run nonprofit, whose purpose is to provide humanitarian assistance to farmers and communities in need. Farmlink rescues surplus produce from farms and connects it to food relief organizations across the country. Jill stood as one of the leaders for the Fundraising Team this summer, where she acted more specifically as the Grants Team Lead. Her work helped The Farmlink Project continue its mission to connect farmers with millions of pounds of fresh produce that would otherwise go to waste, feeding people in need, reducing carbon emissions, and building a more sustainable future. This summer, Jill was responsible for overseeing everything fundraising-related and worked toward raising funds needed to support Farmlink’s operations. Mainly, as the Grants Team Lead, her role was to spearhead and oversee the application process to grant opportunities from foundations, corporations, and government agencies, as well as build and maintain relationships with grantmakers and foundation partners.
“Every day this summer, while working with The Farmlink Project, I said to myself, ‘I love my job.’ I feel incredibly fortunate to have spent my summer working alongside so many amazing changemakers. Every day, both my time and energy were dedicated to working on a team with a shared passion for fighting food insecurity. Farmlink has shown me that no matter how big or how small, everyone has the ability to make a difference. I look forward to continuing my work with Farmlink into this upcoming academic year and continuing to build a career in environmental and social justice.”
Kappa Psi Upsilon Environmental Studies - Environmental Justice Fellowships
Sophia Hirst '24 - Growing to Give
During her summer at Growing to Give, Sophia joined an amazing network of people who are striving to make fresh and healthy produce accessible for everyone in Midcoast Maine. She worked alongside volunteers and staff to care for the crops and soil in accordance with regenerative agricultural practices, from planting seedlings all the way to harvesting and packing ripe vegetables for distribution. As an independent project, she surveyed Growing to Give’s recipient organizations to gather data about their food use and processing abilities, which will help inform future decisions about what produce to grow and where to send it in order to best serve the community’s needs.
"Working at Growing to Give this summer was a great opportunity to do meaningful, hands-on outdoor work while seeing firsthand how food justice networks and sustainable agriculture operate on a local level. was especially rewarding to accompany the gleaners to our recipient organizations and meet face-to-face with the people who benefit from Growing to Give’s services. Overall, this experience has helped me feel more connected to both the land and people of Brunswick and the surrounding area."
Hayden Keene '22 - Unadilla Community Farm
As a summer intern at Unadilla Community Farm, an off-grid, nonprofit farm and education center located in West Edmeston, New York, Hayden was immersed in permaculture farming and the operations of a food bank farm. She worked alongside a wonderful team of fellow interns and staff to grow vibrant organic produce to be distributed to food banks and directly to the local community through the free and sliding scale veggie box program. In addition to hands-on time in the field, Hayden took classes taught by Unadilla staff and guest instructors on topics ranging from permaculture design to fundraising to conscious communication.
“My time interning at Unadilla Community Farm was incredibly transformative! In addition to spending my days tending to beautiful and climate resilient vegetables and herbs, I learned a great deal from the experience of sustainable, off-grid living in a close-knit community. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn from the wisdom of my fellow community members and participate in a model of agriculture that regenerates both land and community connection with a focus on food justice.”
Cooke Environmental Research Fellowship
Katie Kurtz '22 - The Umbra Institute
Katie spent the summer as an intern in the small town of Perugia, Italy through The Umbra Institute, an American university in partnership with the University of Perugia. Her mornings were spent in two beautiful community gardens within the historic city center, working alongside community members and a local immigrant organization to physically restore the gardens by building stairs, planting seeds, and growing vegetables such as tomatoes, lettuce, and eggplant. Outside of physical garden work, Katie designed an environmental education curriculum to integrate the local middle school into the Umbra Institute’s garden, Orto Sole. She also wrote an extensive report about community partners and future educational programs, updated an online StoryMap of the space, and planned the garden for the winter and following summer.
As the beginning of her Honors Project, Katie conducted interviews with Perugian community members about their relationship with the concept of ‘nature’ and how ‘nature’ is found in the city center. She enjoyed thinking critically about the importance of community gardens and more broadly, how we can re-design our relationship with ‘nature’ in urban landscapes.
“Orto Sole has been so much more than just an office for me this summer. It has been a place of community, a place to escape the noise of the city, and a place to get to know myself. Weeding a flower bed or pruning plants created space to experience ‘nature’ in the Italian way, through food, and connect to the historic city center. My time in these gardens allowed me to form deep-rooted connections with amazing people from all around the world.”
Poppy Environmental Studies Fellowship
Jane Hirschman '24 - Natural Resources Council of Maine
Through her work as a Poppy fellow, Jane worked on a variety of environmental policy projects with the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). By conducting research on Wyman Station as well as oil power plants that have already been shut down, Jane was able to help NRCM determine the best practices for potentially starting a campaign to close Wyman Station. Jane also did work regarding Maine’s bottle bill by calling bottle redemption centers to inquire about pressing issues they faced and condensing spreadsheets to make this information more accessible. She was involved in several other projects, including working on NRCM’s 50 Champions of Clean Water nomination process, creating a document containing Susan Collins’ environmental voting records on clean energy, and gathering information from comments regarding Wolfden’s potential mining operations in Northern Maine.
"Working with the Natural Resources Council of Maine this summer was truly a wonderful experience. I enjoyed being fully immersed in an environmental nonprofit and understanding what that work entails, from attending meetings to conducting policy research. I am so grateful to have worked at NRCM this summer, and I know I will carry what I learned with me into any future work I do."