I started my internship at TESI during my third year at the University of Florida as an English major with a communications minor. I was interested in interning for TESI because I have a strong passion for the environment and I wanted to improve my written and oral communication skills.

Prior to my time at TESI, I was convinced that environmentalism required strict deprivation from non-environmentally friendly activities, but I learned that there are simple ways that I can help the environment without drastically changing my lifestyle.

As an intern, I worked on our weekly “Action of The Week” post for our @ufearthsystems Instagram page.  Curating these posts allowed me to exercise my research and graphic design skills, but most importantly, I learned how to be a better environmental steward.

While I enjoyed conducting online research for environmental social media posts, one of my favorite parts of the internship was interviewing scientists for TESI’s monthly Earth to Florida newsletter. For the November 2021 Earth to Florida newsletter, I wrote an article about Food Waste and what scientists are doing to resolve this global issue. I had the pleasure of meeting  Ratna Suthar, a data modeler who earned a Ph.D. in agricultural and biological engineering at the University of Florida. Ratna was just one of many scientists I met during my internship who demonstrated that through hard work and discipline, I can make meaningful changes in my field of choice.

In the future, I plan to attend law school with a specialization in juvenile advocacy. My time at TESI has helped me strengthen my critical thinking, research, and systems-thinking skills. TESI also provided me with the experience of working with a diverse, highly motivated, and supportive team.

While working for TESI, I knew that whenever I came into the office, I would be met with energy and encouragement. My supervisors at TESI and my fellow interns are some of the most hardworking and dedicated individuals that I had the privilege of meeting. Though we prioritized work in the office, we also engaged in fun activities like Fat Bear Week and the ArcGIS Storymap competition. I anticipate being successful in challenging work environments in the future because TESI has provided me with a strong and loving foundation.