Goodbye, for Now

Hello again for the last time! 

For our final blog post this summer, the CSE 2024 summer interns have worked together to write a group blog post about our experience with the internship. Each of us will wrote a paragraph or two on what we thought of our time here, good and bad. Enjoy!

The interns at the new tree nursery at Calvin University.

Bonnie

Hello hello! :]

This summer has been a lot of ups and downs for the team. We started off with lots of energy, got a lot done, and had high hopes for our harvest. As the weeks passed, morale fell a bit every time we would arrive to find our plants newly beheaded. The critters, flooding, and finally horrendous mosquitoes made it harder and harder to want to work at the student farm. These conditions aren’t anyone’s fault, and the challenges we’ve faced are simply the realities of farming – especially for where the student farm is located. 

Thus, it’s been very important to have a variety of goals and tasks to work on at each of our locations. If weeding is physically impossible in the heat or bugs, then we can paint signs, clean out the shed, or spend our time inside working on innovation badges or reading. Not to mention, Ashlynn has been a wonderfully accessible and understanding supervisor – and her flexibility and excellent attitude have made the internship experience enjoyable through it all. Thom’s future-oriented mindset and good attitude have also carried the team through a lot of the bad morale – and even if we weren’t able to find as much success in our harvest after it all, he’ll be sure to find a way to keep us productive.

Overall, I’ve truly enjoyed the internship, not only as an opportunity to do work in the community and work with my hands, but to visit other schools, get inspired, and find purpose with a personal project. Professionally and personally, I would recommend this internship to any who enjoy hard work, being outside, and trying new things. :)

A whiteboard to-do list at the student farm.

Curtis

Wow, it sure seems like summer has flown by – and as much as I've enjoyed every minute, I love the back-to-school season as well. During this summer I really got to experience the highs and lows of farm work. Overcoming many adversities at the farm this year has taught me patience. Having patience and trusting the process were the biggest takeaways for me this summer. Sometimes things just don’t go the way you hope for and it’s ok. 

What I've learned is that you must take things day by day,  always strive for improvement and just find a way to get through whatever situation you're in, because time waits for no man. It's also important to remember that the sun will always shine again.  In the beginning, this year’s CSE summer interns started together as a group and ended as a team. We weren’t as productive as previous years but we sure made an impact on the CSE program.  I am extremely grateful for being granted this amazing opportunity. I've made new friends, learned lots of cool things and I lost 10 lbs this summer. I hope to continue working with CSE in the future and I wish everyone the best of luck this semester! Go Brits!

An early harvest at the community garden.

Emma

Hey all!

It feels so strange that summer is almost to an end already. Starting this internship 12 weeks ago feels like yesterday to me, and to be truthful, this summer was really tough. But putting the weight of having multiple health diagnoses aside, I had an amazing time. I absolutely adore being outside amongst the plants and animals, as well as my amazing friends, supervisors, and coworkers. 

This internship was a time of reflection for me. This was the most intense workload I’ve ever had, but was absolutely worth it. As the days went on, I felt myself getting physically stronger and mentally clearer. Whether I was weeding, planting, harvesting, researching, or volunteering, I felt truly connected to Albion and to the Earth itself. I also got to spend some good quality time with the rest of the interns (as well as Thom, Ashylnn, and Trisha) which was absolutely amazing! They made me a much more confident, outgoing, and overall happy person this internship.

I can honestly say this was the best summer ever. I worked with super cool people who kept me motivated, made me smile, and helped me grow as a person. My funky tan lines will be a memory of an amazing experience!

The new, larger storage container at the community garden.

Nico

Hi :-) time flew by way too fast. 

This internship has been the most fun I've had out of any summer, maybe because it's the first one I've spent outside of a state with 110 degree weather. My favorite part was getting to know my coworkers, who i think i can call friends now :3 Now I don't have to avoid CSE events because I don't know anyone. The most important thing I learned was how to balance my work/personal life. Working two jobs is especially tiring when one of them is generally manual labor. I learned a bunch and I got to know some cool people. I'm content with this experience and hope I can come across another internship like this. 

The compost drop-off and pick-up at Kalamazoo College.

Tynayia

Hello It’s Nay again, 

This has been one of my favorite opportunities that I have been able to experience at Albion College. I do not want this to be the end of such a fun and great journey. However, as they say, all good things must come to an end. I have truly cherished getting to know each and every one of the CSE interns this year; together, we have forged enduring memories and surmounted numerous challenges. From pulling weeds to catching critters, being part of this team of CSE interns has made my time here incredibly enjoyable and rewarding. I appreciate how this experience has allowed me to learn and have fun simultaneously. Overcoming my previous reservations about nature and engaging with it as an intern has been particularly meaningful.

Beyond personal growth, this internship has deeply impacted my perspective on community involvement. Helping to improve access to nature and environmental resources has shown me firsthand the positive ripple effects such initiatives can have on a community. Whether it's ensuring better access to green spaces or advocating for sustainable practices, I now understand the importance of grassroots efforts in making meaningful changes. This internship has inspired me to continue pursuing opportunities where I can contribute to community well-being and environmental stewardship in the future.

Lastly, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the entire team of CSE interns. Thank you for being yourselves and for keeping the job fun and fulfilling. Each of you has contributed in your own unique way to making this experience unforgettable.

The interns plan the layout of the student farm.

Thanks for an amazing summer!

The 2024 CSE Summer Intern Team

Bonnie Lord 26’

Curtis Hamilton 26’

Emma Kastl 26’

Nico Enriquez 27’

TyNayia George 25’

Ashlynn Reed, Sustainability Coordinator

Professor Thomas Wilch