Previous Story
DEQ, CRM host seven student interns
|
Posted on Jun 15 2005
On Monday, June 6, at an orientation at the Division of Environmental Quality, director John Castro and Coastal Resources Management director Joaquin Salas welcomed seven students who will be working at the two agencies for the summer.
As part of the Coral Reef Initiative Summer Internship program, each student is paired up with a mentor at one of the agencies. With the mentor’s guidance, each intern will complete a project over the course of the 10 week program, as well as assist in the daily activities of their host agency.
Francisco Villagomez, who has just completed his first year at Chabot College, is working with DEQ marine biologist Peter Houk to conduct studies in the Saipan lagoon. Peter is also sharing mentor duties with John Moreno at CRM, helping intern Sheriann Songsong coordinate diver surveys. DEQ is also hosting Lorraine Catienza, who will work with Frances Castro in the Nonpoint Source Pollution branch on a LauLau Bay watershed campaign. Four additional interns are stationed at CRM. This year’s GIS (Geographical Information Systems) intern is Carlo Calibo, working with Ken Cochrane on compiling and processing aerial photos of the CNMI. James Arriola has returned from his first year at St. John’s University to do a second internship with Martin Castro and the Permit branch at CRM, investigating marine sports permits. Roxanna Arriola has joined Luis Duenas and the Enforcement branch to help with their standard operating procedures, and Jolene Castro has signed on to assist in coral reef outreach and education with John Moreno.
Carlo, Lorraine, and Sheriann are recent graduates of Marianas High School, and Janice and Roxanna are attending classes at NMC. The internship program is an annual program aimed at encouraging students to pursue careers in the natural resource management fields.
