Our Interns

MEET OUR FRIENDS’ NATURALIST INTERNS FOR WINTER/SPRING 2023

GABRIELLE  SAWYER

Hi I’m Gabby! I am a New Yorker who graduated with BA in environmental science from Wells College in 2021. Throughout my college career, I was widely involved in the community, eager to learn and be a part of as many different groups as I could be. I was a college athlete and captain of the volleyball/softball team, coordinator of campus traditions and events, STEM teaching assistant, orientation leader, artist, and café barista. I’ve always enjoyed working with people and enriching the interactions of everyday life within various groups/communities.

As much as I enjoyed school and the concept of learning, standardized school structure and traditional teaching styles didn’t always resonate with me as a student, particularly after a traumatic brain injury. I personally benefited from hands on experiential learning, being able to see and work with topics and their application directly. Nature has always been the best instructor for this reason.

My love of the natural world and its inhabitants has been one of the strongest and most consistent passions of mine starting from a young age. From playing in mud puddles, climbing trees, catching critters, gardening with my papa, and using the environment around me to be inventive and creative, these are the little things I enjoyed as a child that allowed me to find and create this natural foundation I want to implement in my own life as well as others. I strongly believe that the natural world we live in is an important baseline to life’s concepts and understanding, allowing us to step away from the hecticness of everyday life and break it back down to basics. It applies physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, giving ourselves the space to see and feel the simplicity and freedom within life’s complexity.

As an educator in the future, I hope to share my passion through the exciting aspects of our environment and the appreciation of different teaching/learning styles. Working With the Five Rivers/Friends of Five Rivers staff has (only after a short time) shown that there are people out there with this shared passion. I’m excited for this opportunity as an intern to learn and familiarize myself more with the natural world and expand on my experience, using beneficial teaching methods to reach various audiences.

MEET OUR DEC INTERNS FOR 2023

ANDREA MALACAMAN

Hello, my name is Andrea Malacaman. I am new to the capital region as I am originally from Pennsylvania. I graduated from Slippery Rock University with a BS in Environmental Geoscience with a concentration in Environmental Science, a minor in Nonprofit Management, and a certificate in Sustainability. I took various courses and worked with Residence Life as a Resident Assistant to expand my knowledge and experience. While taking diverse classes, I found a strong affinity for nonprofit work, environmental awareness, education, and justice.

Although I grew my passion and knowledge in college, I knew throughout high school that I wanted an environmental career. Before starting 9th grade, my family and I visited Manila, Philippines. It wasn’t until this trip that I started noticing the effects of environmental degradation. From then on out, my curiosity about the environment continued to grow! While learning about the environment, I realized the importance of connecting with nature and the benefits of good environmental education. I wanted to help others learn about the environment in a more empowering and inspiring way!

I was ecstatic to get the opportunity to work at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center since it allows me to learn more about wildlife and environmental education while connecting with other nature lovers! I cannot wait to learn more about Five Rivers and help them continue inspiring and educating the community!