Friends of the U.S. Botanic Garden Interns
Caleb Schwartz
Harvard College, Class of 2020
2019 HOPS Fellow
The USBG is a magical place to work. I learned so much from the rest of the staff, who were always willing to share knowledge about the collections. I feel very fortunate that I was able to spend my summer in such a uniquely beautiful place.
After college, I hope to work in a justice-oriented career, whether through community organizing, law, education, policy, or something else. I believe that education is an essential and too-often overlooked or overshadowed part of creating sustainable social change. HOPS is a unique program in that it brings environmental education to children who may not have access to similar hands-on science lessons or spaces like the USBG. My time with HOPS gave me firsthand experience with a type of science education that enriches communities. I feel that I now better understand the effort, time, and resources that go into teaching and how institutions can support communities in their education practice.
Sam Terry
William and Mary, Class of 2020
2020 HOPS Fellow
My fellowship with the USBG has been a fantastic experience. I feel very lucky to have been able to work with such an amazing team of people as we developed the first HOPS program adapted for remote learning. While I am nevertheless disappointed that I wasn’t able to work onsite at the gardens, I learned so much from the staff and the students about teaching and communicating. Despite the distance, the excitement around education was infectious in every person I crossed paths with. It becomes more apparent by the day how important science education is and particularly how important it is that people understand the process of scientific inquiry. I had so much fun getting to share the hands-on appreciation of science with kids that all too often miss out on the kinds of learning HOPS offers.
I hope to start a career in plant science and continue sharing with people how exciting and important plants are. The HOPS program has broadened my understanding of what science communication can look like and I’ve learned so much about how to overcome obstacles to education.
Amanda Vu
University of Maryland, Class of 2024
2023 Friends of the U.S. Botanic Garden Communications and Events Intern
Interning with the Friends of the U.S. Botanic Garden was such a fulfilling experience! I truly loved learning the ins and outs of planning events at such a beautiful and enriching place, as well as furthering my creativity through creating and developing social media campaigns. Being able to work alongside Katherine and have her mentorship and guidance was very helpful, and allowed me to expand my communication and collaboration skills even more. The USBG staff and volunteers were so friendly and kind, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know them!
In the future, I hope to continue exploring careers that bring communities closer, help further social justice and equity for all, and allow me to create (and be creative). I really enjoy interning and working for organizations and businesses that create and maintain safe spaces for not only community members and recipients, but for their employees as well. With my now strengthened experience in social media management, event planning, non-profit work, and communications, I am excited to welcome in a wide range of career options and find one that best aligns with my values!
