CRF™ PROGRAM INTERNSHIPS TEACH SPECIALIZED SKILLS
The CRF™ internship functions at three levels. Each intern begins as a Restoration Intern and begins to learn the ins and outs of our operations while actively contributing to our mission through field work, intern projects, outreach events, and Dive Programs. After four months interns are welcomed to apply for Lead Internships which focuses on building leadership skills and mentoring peers.
CRF™ interns build skills throughout three levels of our internship program. ©Coral Restoration Foundation™
The third level of our internship is a specialized Program Internship. Lead Interns may apply to work in a specific department of CRF™ to hone in on a particular area of interest and receive direct mentorship from CRF™ staff members in their chosen department. The departments include Science, Restoration, Education, Communications, Development, and Dive Programs.
Today we are welcoming our four newest Program Interns! We can't wait to see how much they learn and grow throughout the next four months.
Tom Condon
COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM INTERN
Tom grew up in Palm Springs, CA and knew he wanted to be an environmentalist from an early age. His interest in the natural world was fueled by frequent trips to the beaches, deserts, and forests of the West Coast. Tom recently graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in Marine Biology and a minor in Conservation Biology. He entered the marine realm after taking his first conservation class and learning about how vulnerable coral reefs are to climate change. He started diving in the Channel Islands and became a scientific diver to research algae while on a quarter abroad in Mo’orea, French Polynesia. While abroad, he experienced the degradation of coral reefs firsthand. Tom is very excited to work with CRF to make a positive impact on coral reefs and inspire people to take action to tackle the upcoming climate crisis.
Tessa Markham
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INTERN
A recent graduate of Skidmore College, Tessa has a BA in English and Environmental Studies. They grew up in Wilton, in southwestern Connecticut, but spent their summers either hiking and camping in the woods or swimming and sailing on the water. They have always been passionate about climate change and conservation. Diving for the first time in 2014 while taking a marine conservation course in the Caribbean leeward islands, they quickly amassed dives and got their PADI Instructor certification just three years later. After completing their instructor training, they spent a month on the Yucatan Peninsula conducting research on reefs. They later channeled their distress at the degradation of the reefs to write a short story about coral bleaching, which was published in Volume 5 of the Oakland Arts Review in 2020. Their capstone thesis built on this theme and they wrote a collection of four creative short stories that detail and exemplify climate change-induced environmental damage through a narrative lens. They aim to combine their degrees and experiences to make a career in science communications, making research and conservation accessible to everybody.
Dana McConnell
SCIENCE PROGRAM INTERN
Dana spent most of her childhood living on a sailboat with her family traversing the Pacific coast of Central and South America. She received her first scuba certification at age 10 in Costa Rica and has been an avid diver since. Living in such close proximity to the ocean fueled her passion for ocean conservation. She has since attended college at California State University, Long Beach graduating with a degree in Environmental Science and Policy. Dana has had the amazing opportunity to visit so many countries and see some amazing ecosystems and cultures. It was through witnessing the ocean in all of these places, that she was able to see how much it was in need of protection. She believes that the only way to make people care about conservation is through education and outreach. Her hope is that through her work with CRF™, she can combine fieldwork and public education to fulfill this goal.
Molly Whiting
EDUCATION PROGRAM INTERN
Molly grew up in Traverse City, MI where she spent her time downhill skiing, playing tennis, and sailing. At age twelve, Molly received her PADI open water dive certification and instantly fell in love with the ocean. In 2018, she volunteered with GIVE International Volunteers down on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua where she worked on marine conservation. While on Little Corn Island, she gained knowledge in coral identification/health, invasive species removal, and planting artificial reefs. It was through this volunteer program that Molly discovered her true passion for a career in marine conservation. Once back home, she received her divemaster certification and in the spring of 2020 she graduated from Grand Valley State University with a degree in Natural Resource Management and her search for an inspiring marine organization began. Molly is extremely excited to part of CRF’s intern team and to help restore Florida’s coral reefs.
Each Program Internship is tailored specifically for the person to meet their professional goals and build their skillset. Many of our interns have gone on to do amazing work in the field of marine science! You can see what some of them are up to on our CRF™ Alumni Webpage! Stay tuned and perhaps you'll see some of these faces join our Alumni Crew!
RESOURCES FOR YOU
GIVEAWAY!!!
VISIT CORALPALOOZA™ DIGITAL THIS MONTH FOR A CHANCE TO WIN BIG!!!
Coralpalooza Digital 2021 closes in just one month and to say thank you for all the support you’ve shown us since June 6 we are giving you the chance to WIN BIG!
To win this EXCLUSIVE bundle of Coralpalooza™ gear you must
HINT: If you already registered for Coralpalooza™ all you need to do is sign in!
That’s it! Contest closes on September30th at 11:59pm and the winner will be contacted
privately via email!
PRIZE INCLUDES:
4 Coralpalooza™ patches
1 Coral O Towel made of 100% Turkish cotton from Riviera Towel
1 Coralpalooza™ 2021 T-shirt
1 Coral O Dive Mask Strap
1 Coralpalooza™ Buff
ATLANTIS DIVE RESORTS TEAMS UP WITH CORAL RESTORATION FOUNDATION™
You can now participate in a fulfilling week at the Dumaguete Atlantis Dive Resort in The Philippines!
Editor
Madalen Howard is CRF's Marketing Associate. Madalen comes to CRF™ via a winding road from the Tennessee hills, to the South Carolina low country, ending here in Florida’s Coral Reef. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Marine Biology and a Minor in Environmental Studies from the College of Charleston in 2016. Her experience ranges from field research to education, and communications.
Madalen spent the last 4 years as a Field Instructor and Social Media Strategist for MarineLab Environmental Education Center. Here she was able to study and teach marine ecology, while snorkeling through mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs every day. While at MarineLab she combined her education and research background, entered the world of communications, and developed MarineLab’s social media department from the ground up.
Throughout her life Madalen has had a skill connecting people with nature. With CRF™, she is excited to bring people into the world of coral restoration, creating inclusive pathways to scientific discovery.