Megan Nickel ’19 is an environmental science major from Pompton Plains, New Jersey.  She worked with Scenic Hudson, an organization that preserves land and farms and creates parks that connect people with the inspirational power of the Hudson River, while fighting threats to the river and natural resources.  As part of her project, Megan standardized more than 1,500 data points, transformed the raw data into maps, created a set of recommendations, and documented the data collection methods for future mapping efforts.  The resulting report, Poughkeepsie Northside Pedestrian Needs Assessment, will help the City of Poughkeepsie prioritize sidewalk and crosswalk improvements in the near future.  Megan’s supervisor Jeff Anzevino, Scenic Hudson’s Director of Land Use Advocacy, called her a “consummate professional” and praised her contribution to this important project. 

The Tarver Summer Internship Program comes under the auspices of Marist’s Center for Civic Engagement and Leadership (CCEL), directed by Professional Lecturer in Political Science Melissa Gaeke.  In Director Gaeke’s words, “The students work so hard all summer and end up learning so much about themselves and their aspirations.  It’s a beneficial and transformative experience.”  The program honors the exceptional accomplishments of local community leader Marie Tarver and her husband, the late Rupert Tarver, a renowned civil rights pioneer in the Hudson River Valley.  Student participants receive a stipend, three tuition credits, and on-campus housing for the summer.  Tarver Interns work closely with their Marist faculty sponsor and non-profit site supervisor to design an internship project, identify the key issues their work will address, and complete agreed-upon goals and objectives.  This year’s faculty mentors were Associate Professor of Political Science Jessica Boscarino, Assistant Professor of Spanish Patricia Ferrer, and Associate Professor of Social Work Daria Hanssen.