Sophie BeavinSince 2016, undergraduate students have had the opportunity to work directly with sustainability initiatives on campus–and get paid for it! The Sustainability Internship Program (SIP) is an exciting partnership between the Student Sustainability Council, the Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment, and various operational units across campus. This year, we have doubled our cohort to include 13 undergraduate student interns!
Office of Sustainability Intern:
Amber Dotson
Amber is a junior majoring in Agricultural and Biomedical Technology. As the daughter of a farmer and a devout lover of all things agriculture, she understands the importance of preserving our world through sustainability efforts!
Energy Efficiency Intern:
Spencer Hodson
Spencer is a senior majoring in Environmental & Sustainability Studies. Climate change is a significant interest of hers, both in the causes and the effects. Because of that, Spencer is eager to contribute to solving the climate crisis through working on energy efficiency and renewables.
Arboriculture Intern:
Haley Roberts
Haley is a junior majoring in Natural Resources & Environmental Science. She has taken a huge passion towards forestry and arboriculture and in her spare time, she collects various plants and learns how to care for them. Because of this, Haley is very interested in learning more about maintaining our campus tree canopy!
UK Recycling Social Media Intern:
Niamh Denny
Niamh is a junior majoring in Integrated Strategic Communication. Niamh has a strong background in working with digital programs such as Photoshop, Procreate, Illustrator, and more. She is eager to apply those skills to UK Recycling to help them reach their goals.
UK Recycling Programs Intern:
Brittany Sotor
Brittany is a senior majoring in Environmental & Sustainability Studies. Brittany is eager to contribute to helping reduce waste at the University. She believes that every small decision is important when it comes to reducing waste because it can make a huge difference for many ecosystems across the globe.
UK Recycling Programs Intern:
Olivia Tussey
Olivia is a senior majoring in Environmental & Sustainability Studies. This is Olivia’s second year interning with UK Recycling, so she is eager to play an even larger role and make a bigger impact!
Sustainable Purchasing Policies Intern:
Ary Gomez
Ary is a senior majoring in Natural Resources & Environmental Science. Ary is interested in this position because she would like to be part of the decision-making process in regard to sustainability practices.
Built Environment Intern:
Quincy Ipsaro
Quincy is a senior majoring in Biology. This is Quincy’s second year with the Built Environment working group, and she is eager to continue to make a difference by creating new structures and sustainable landscapes on campus (last year she designed a campus pollinator garden behind the Jacobs Science Building)!
Urban Forest Initiative Intern:
Aaron Shrout
Aaron is a junior majoring in Economics. Urban forestry connects with both areas of his study. Aaron is excited for this internship because urban forestry can have great impacts on an area’s economic health and wellbeing!
Nature Rx Intern:
Clare Rose
Clare is a sophomore majoring in Natural Resources & Environmental Science. She is interested in the correlations between the environment and mental health. In her own life, Clare utilizes mindfulness and meditation daily and she feels that these practices are most effective for her when she is out in nature!
UK Dining Sustainability Intern:
Boston Oliver
Boston is a sophomore majoring in Psychology. She is excited to start this internship because it will allow her to learn about how to actively practice taking care of the planet. She is also eager to contribute to ongoing programs such as the reusable to go containers and local purchasing efforts.
Alternative Transportation Intern:
Julia Maugans
Julia is a senior majoring in Natural Resources & Environmental Science. Julia’s bike is her connection to the outside world and is her primary mode of transportation around Lexington and campus. She is excited to help build more alternative transportation programs and educate others about them!
Climate Consortium Intern:
Rachel Henry
Rachel is a sophomore majoring in Psychology. She believes that education is a key part of sustainability and it is the way to begin to solve the world’s sustainability issues. Rachel is excited to help play a role in providing climate education and information to the public!
