Where are you from?
I am from Windber, a small town located about 20 minutes outside Johnstown, Pa.
Where do you/did you attend school? Share with us the city/town, what you are majoring in, and what your academic interests are?
I attend Clarion University of Pennsylvania, located in Clarion, Pa. This coming fall I will be a senior majoring in Environmental Biology and minoring in Environmental Sustainability. My academic interests mostly center around conserving the natural environment and understanding how organisms relate to one another within their physical environment. Within this field, I also have a specific interest in Forestry and Arboriculture.
What are your career goals?
After finishing my degree, I would like to secure a position working at a tree service company for a couple of years, gaining hands on experience. Then, depending on where my interests lie following that, I would like to work my way up to a higher position either within a tree service company, or work for an organization such as DCNR or the National Park Service.
Outside of school and work what are your hobbies and/or interests?
Outside of school my interests are very broad. I love everything and anything outdoors related. I enjoy camping, hiking, kayaking, and hunting. I also enjoy reading, watching true crime documentaries, and working out at the gym.
What is your internship project focus? Explain what you will be doing, which parks will you be working with? Who is your mentor at the Olmsted Center?
My internship will mostly focus on the Memorial Tree Groves at Flight 93 National Memorial in Stoystown, Pa. I will conduct assessments of the existing trees within the forty groves, prune the trees to encourage strong growth and improved health, modify the soils of recently planted trees that need corrective action, and implement Integrated Pest Management Activities when needed within the memorial tree groves. My mentor at Flight 93 National Memorial is Brenda Wasler, the natural resource manager for the WEPA parks. Our partners include Penn State University, Cornell University, and the State University of New York (SUNY).
The National Parks of Western Pennsylvania include Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Flight 93 National Memorial, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, and Johnstown Flood National Memorial. Through Brenda, I will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities at each of the parks. These activities will expose me to different sides of park management and planning, ranging from natural resources – including caring for goats eating invasive vegetation, to cultural resources (such as touring Iron Mountain and participating in archeological monitoring) to interpretation and special events, such as the anniversary of the Johnstown flood.
Why did you choose to participate in a Designing the Parks Internship? How is your internship hosted?
I chose to participate in a Designing the Parks Internship because I wanted to be on the ground working in a park for the summer, learning the ins and outs of how national parks function, and also gain hands on experience within my field of study. My internship is hosted by the National Council for Preservation Education.
What are you looking forward to learning or exploring during your internship?
I am looking forward to learning as much as I can during my internship. Already I have learned so much, and I have only just begun my internship. Specifically, I am looking forward to learning more about arboriculture, invasive species and how to manage them, when and how to use different pesticides, NPS regulations and policies, and how different divisions within the NPS work together to create the beautiful parks we love and enjoy. I am also looking forward to exploring the different National Parks of Western Pennsylvania. Somehow, I have lived in Western Pa my whole life without ever visiting any of them.
What types of opportunities will Designing the Parks provide you with?
Designing the Parks will provide me with experience working in a professional team setting. It will provide me with skills and knowledge within the field of Arboriculture and Urban Forestry, that I can use in my future career.
Designing the Parks 