With an interest in public policy, advocacy, and the environment, Abigail Lewis ’23 pursued a summer 2022 internship with Henry’s Fork Foundation in Ashton, ID.
The foundation is becoming a leading voice in watershed management and fishery protection through its science-based approach to conservation. Her main responsibilities as an intern involved cataloging and mapping access sites along the south fork of the Snake River, engaging in donor outreach and community education, and participating in several significant river cleanups.
On the technical side, Abigail was introduced to the basics of R, a software environment for statistical computing and graphics, and she practiced skills on GIS, a system that creates, manages, analyzes, and maps all types of data.
At the organization, Abigail learned how valuable and influential the work of a small nonprofit can be. There are several state and federal organizations that look to the Henry’s Fork Foundation for guidance in conservation practices. “Anytime I interacted with my supervisors and other interns,” said Abigail, “I was reminded of how grateful I am that I had the chance to pursue this opportunity.”
Colgate and its generous alumni and parent donors offer grants to support students’ living costs and supplemental expenses to pursue unpaid and underpaid summer experiences. Learn more about Colgate summer funding.