2022 SUMMER INTERNSHIP:
Toward a sustainable community: Local Pollinator Project and Williamstown Farmers Market
CES is once again publicizing a full-time summer internship for 8-10 weeks in Williamstown (dates and hours flexible, can be separated into two segments) providing a two-fold opportunity to delve into local environmental and agricultural issues. Interns will split their time between two local organizations, Bee Friendly Williamstown and the Williamstown Farmers Market.
This year, the intern will expand upon prior Williams student initiatives with Bee friendly Williamstown (BFW) aimed at increasing both public awareness of pollinator importance and pollinator-friendly lands in Williamstown. This entails working with the BFW collective, whose projects include maintaining pollinator gardens at the town’s The Spruces park, assisting homeowners to learn about pollinator-friendly plants, locating areas of town and campus suitable for less frequent mowing, and organizing educational programs for the public. BFW internship hours would be spent either on site at the Spruces and elsewhere in town, or working remotely. Mowing and other meadow management protocols are changing, and a deliverable of this part of the internship would be the development of recommendations, written or visual, to aid landowners in making management decisions to optimize biodiversity, especially for pollinators.
The intern will also serve as an assistant at the Williamstown Farmers Market (WFM), promoting and managing the weekly Saturday markets at the base of Spring Street. The WFM provides vital support for local farmers and food producers, and also maintains a successful food insecurity program. Tasks include interacting with vendors and customers, staffing the market information booth, arranging musicians and special events, assisting with safety protocols, and updating the market’s Facebook page, website, and Instagram posts. If an intern has special interests relating to the farmers market (such as developing initiatives from other markets, understanding the local agricultural economy and food accessibility issues), these can be pursued as well.
The interns will work under the supervision of Leslie Reed-Evans, WFM coordinator, and a Bee Friendly representative. Transportation is helpful but not required.
For more information (or to apply with a cover letter and resume), contact Sarah Gardner (CES) at [email protected], Leslie Reed-Evans (WFM) at [email protected], and Bridget Spann (BFW) at [email protected].
Interviews for applicants to this internship will begin in February. An applicant who is offered and accepts the internship position will receive an offer letter from BFW/WFM. The offer letter must be included with their CES funding application. Please note that the application deadline is March 17. (This deadline may be extended until early April if funding allows).
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