Upstate Institute News and Announcements

This summer, I worked with the Adirondack Community Foundation (ACF), the region’s primary grant maker, on three financial forecasting projects focused on charitable fund resilience. Since 1997, ACF has stewarded donor assets and distributed over $83 million in grants supporting basic needs, education, economic vitality, the arts, the environment, and more.

I worked with the Rogers Environmental Education Center in Sherburne, NY, where I advanced their first community science initiative to collect baseline data on native bee species across nine Central New York counties. Building on this effort, I developed the Great Pollinator Project: Rogers Center Survey, which expanded the scope to include all native pollinators—bees, beetles, butterflies, and moths—utilizing iNaturalist and involving community scientists.

This summer, I worked with the United Way of Mid Rural New York (UWMRNY) to create a promotional video for funded partners and simulations to show complex choices many face due to poverty. UWMRNY is a nonprofit organization committed to ensuring that every person in the communities it serves has access to education, healthcare, financial stability, and basic necessities.

This summer, I had the opportunity to work with Champlain Area Trails (CATs), a non-profit organization based in Westport, NY, in the Champlain Valley region of the Adirondacks. Throughout my fellowship, I conducted maintenance on the vast trail network under CAT’s domain and conducted research in the Essex Quarry Nature Preserve on invasive species mitigation and the growth of native plants.

This summer, I had the opportunity to work with the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Madison County to address the question: What is the demand for and feasibility of establishing a shared-use commercial kitchen in Madison County? This project’s research question was developed in response to the 2024 closure of Nelson Farms, Madison County’s only value-added processing facility.

This summer, I worked with the Chenango County Historical Society and Museum (CCHS) in Norwich, NY, which preserves and presents the county’s cultural history. My role focused on expanding the museum’s digital storytelling to reflect community diversity and ensure all voices are heard and preserved.

This summer, I interned with AdkAction, a Keeseville-based nonprofit that develops community initiatives to address challenges in the Adirondacks. I worked on the Adirondack Pollinator Project, a collaboration with Paul Smith’s College, the Wild Center, and the Northern New York Audubon Society to expand pollinator habitat and collect data to support long-term conservation.

I had the pleasure of working with The Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) as a small business research fellow. ANCA is a non-profit organization that works to build a strong and resilient economy in northern New York, focusing on areas such as food systems, clean energy, small business, and equity and inclusion.

This summer, I worked with the Community Action Partnership for Madison County (CAP) as a data analyst for their 2025-2028 Community Needs Assessment. An anti-poverty agency founded in 1986, CAP addresses overlooked poverty in the region; its programs range from WIC to housing support, helping low-income families build the tools and resources needed for long-term self-sufficiency.

This summer, I worked with the Oneida Community Mansion House (OCMH) to support its mission and history. My role focused on expanding OCMH’s oral history project and exhibit, “More Than a Silverware Company,” by reviewing nearly 50 hours of interviews to highlight stories that capture the legacy of Oneida Ltd.