Upstate Institute News and Announcements

With over 14 separate programs including citizenship, employment, traffic safety, and English language class, a newly arrived refugee can access resources that cover every aspect of life from green card application to professional skills development and infant car seat installation. The Center’s work with refugees from around the world has changed Utica into a diverse and vibrant community, with over 17,000 refugees resettled since 1981 and over 15 languages spoken at the Center.

I worked for the ACLC’s Nest Raft Program to help mitigate these nesting threats. I regularly kayaked on six lakes, observing eight loon pairs for their nesting successes and failures. Out of those eight pairs, only half ever built nests, and half of those nests failed due to flooding.

This summer, I completed my Field School Fellowship with the Madison County Department of Health (MCDOH). My project focused on the prevalence and prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which is just one of the many important issues MCDOH works to address.

My project this summer with the History Center was called  Rejuvenating Local History and had me take a hallmark event about the Center’s core exhibition, the Historical Hall of Fame, and make it accessible to virtual visitors and connect with on-site visitors in a new, engaging manner. 

My responsibilities as a grant writing Fellow for MUCC included assisting with the Consolidated Funding Application, drafting support letters for grant applications, facilitating on-site community events as needed, and creating a spreadsheet that keeps track of past grant proposals.

Not only was I able to contribute to longstanding research and databases, but I was also able to interact with and communicate messages of conservation to the public.

My project with NYSARH this summer is to help them understand the association from an outside perspective and summarize the advantages and attractions of the association.

During my time with CCE Madison, I worked intimately with some of the oldest farms in Madison County.

My Fellowship this summer had me work with VIC staff to target the systemic ableism prevalent in outdoor spaces in hopes of eliminating these barriers to better facilitate a positive outdoor experience for all visitors. The VIC’s greater mission of offering accessible outdoor experiences through education, recreation, research, and arts, and with that in mind, my work aimed to increase accessibility and appreciation for this beautiful natural resource.

Gordon Wildlife’s mission is to provide a knowledgeable, safe, and nurturing environment in which to rescue, rehabilitate, and release injured and orphaned wildlife found by the members of the Central New York community.