2010 Whitman Internship Grant

Name / Short Description
Zorig Foundation
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia / The Zorig Foundation works to promote the values of democracy, reinforce human rights, freedom and social justice, and strives to improve the system of transparency and accountability of state and government to the public of Mongolia. Enkhjin supervised the University Scholarship Program, which raises funds for students who have shown academic success in high school but cannot afford to continue higher education. She also developed a climate change awareness program that aims to educate and activate youth in Mongolia.
Beartooth Wildlife Research, LLC Farmington, MN / Beartooth Wildlife Research is a research organization that focuses on mammal and bird species, especially those of concern for conservation. Aiden worked on a project involving pika (Ochotona princeps), which are currently under consideration for listing and protection under the Endangered Species Act. Aiden measured the daily impact of temperature and terrain on pika behavior in the North Cascades.
CAUSA/AMIGOS Salem, OR / CAUSA works to educate, organize, and mobilize the immigrant population in Oregon, as well as promotes awareness of immigrant issues, fights discrimination and anti-immigration legislation, and advocates for comprehensive immigration reform. Mara planed and coordinated rallies, marches, delegation orientation meetings, and educational forums. She also worked specifically to educate the Latino community about immigration reform, housing, employment, and other issues.
Center for Conservation Research and Training /Pacific Biosciences Research Center Honolulu, HI / The Pacific Biosciences Research Center at the Center for Conservation Research and Training at the University of Hawai’i (Manoa) trains undergraduate students, interns, and graduate students in conservation biology, specifically focusing on native Pacific Island species and their habitats. Taylor worked in the field and laboratory to protect endemic island snails from another invasive predatory snail, which was introduced to Hawai’i as a failed method of biocontrol.
Washington State Department of Natural Resources Olympia, WA / The Washington State Department of Natural Resources is responsible for 5.8 million acres of forest, range, agriculture, aquatic, and commercial lands for the state of Washington. Deirdre served as a communications intern in the office of Communication and Outreach, managing several of the department’s social media initiatives.
The Center for Bioethics, Columbia University
New York, NY / The Center for Bioethics at Columbia University engages in scientific research in the field of bioethics, promotes learning by creating educational opportunities, and shares relevant research with the public. Elana worked on a study regarding the social stigma of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), specifically focusing on comparing goals of ASD researchers and parents of ASD children.
Center for Justice Spokane, WA / The Center for Justice is a non-profit organization comprised of lawyers, legal interns, and volunteers dedicated to fighting legal battles on behalf of issues and people who are voiceless in and around the Spokane area. The Center tackles such issues as environmental justice, law enforcement misconduct, prisoner rights and services, workplace and housing discrimination, individual constitutional rights, and poverty law. Thomas was in charge of the Summer Driver Re-Licensing Classes which meet bi-monthly in order to help ex-convicts re-enter society and find work, and served as facilitator and intake coordinator for the Center’s Street Law program.
Fabric of Life, Schillios Development Foundation Edmonds, WA / The Fabric of Life is a non-profit organization that supports the Hèrè Jè Cooperative Center/Trade School in Mali. The foundation has a Fair Trade store that sells hand dyed fabric, bags, and beaded jewelry that the students at Hèrè Jè learn to make. Alyssa created promotional materials for fundraising campaigns, planned events to increase exposure of products for sale in the store, and assisted with research to expand the organization’s reach to the Middle East and Central/Southeast Asia.
Veterans Administration Puget Sound Health Care System Seattle, WA / The Veterans Association Puget Sound Health Care System actively supports research targeting common veteran disorders in order to foster further education and optimize patient care. Stephanie participated in laboratory research in the Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center that focuses on Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Portland Beavers and Timbers Media Relations
Portland, OR / The Media Relations department of the Portland Beavers, a Triple A baseball team, and the Timbers, a minor league soccer team, is responsible for sharing information about the teams, games, and players with the general public. David will photograph pre-game events, in-game action, post-game festivities, and team-sponsored community activities to assist the Media Relations department in its mission.
Compass Community Services
San Francisco, CA / Compass Community Services provides families with transitioning programs to facilitate the upward movement from poverty to stable independency. Amanda served as a camp counselor for at-risk children, coordinating various activities, including participation in San Francisco’s many cultural events and programs. She also spent her time working at Clara House, a two-year transitional housing program.
Land Stewardship Project Minneapolis, MN / The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) works at the federal, state, and local levels to advocate for policies and practices that support sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, and community revitalization. Robin researched state and federal agriculture policy, interacting with LSP members on policy issues, and working independently on a project regarding factory farms and unfair property tax and corporate oligopolies.
The Peace Corps Washington, DC / The Peace Corps trains volunteer American citizens and sends them overseas to communities where they evaluate community needs and implement agriculture, business, education, community development, and health projects. Julia will work to usher applicants through the selection process, while participating in special presentations and forums.
Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival
Walla Walla, WA / The Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival was established in 2007 to promote high-quality performance of art music in the greater Walla Walla Valley region. Jackson was involved in a multitude of activities surrounding the music festival, including data collection about the audience, production and logistics, management of ticket sales and customer service, report preparation for grantees and sponsors, and planning for future festivals.
Professor K. Golden’s Research Lab - Whitman College
Walla Walla, WA / Professor Kendra Golden’s research studies techniques and methods are involved in the usage of phage therapy as a legitimate alternative to antibiotics as an antibacterial agent. Matt specifically studied the effect of T4 Lytic bateriophage as an antibacterial agent on E. coli B lab strain bacteria injected in Manduca sexta hornworms.
Professor D. Lindsey’s Lab - Walla Walla University
Walla Walla, WA / The research in Professor David Lindsey’s laboratory looks at ubiquitin and how it is linked to growth and development. David specifically studied an enzyme in Dictyostelium discoideum, UpbA, which is involved in a pathway that uses ubiquitin as a marker to degrade proteins.
Tostan International Mbour, Senegal / Tostan International works to facilitate holistic development amongst rural communities in West and East Africa through functional literacy training for adult women. The training empowers women to become more active in their communities, create their own businesses, and recognize programs and practices that may be hurting their families and villages. Matthew documented community achievements as a result of these training programs through collecting data and conducting interviews, utilizing the information to prepare reports for donors and future planning.
The Chocolate Farm
San Vito, Costa Rica / The Chocolate Farm aims to recreate an organic farm model that is run in a traditional, self-sufficient, and sustainable way. The innovative project hopes to restore older organic farming practices with new technologies and create a closed-loop system that produces minimum waste and lots of chocolate. Lara participated in almost every aspect of the farm from constructing a functional composting system to harvesting the cacao pods and processing the beans.
The Office of Senator Patty Murray Washington, DC / As the Democratic Representative of Washington State, Senator Patty Murray is committed to representing families in Washington State. Heather spent a portion of her time supporting the office administration, as well as concentrating her efforts on legislative research.
University of Costa Rica - Language, Philology, and Philosophy School San Jose, Costa Rica / The University of Costa Rica is one of the premier institutions of higher education in Central America. Taylor primarily served as a translator in the Language, Philology, and Philosophy School, helping to prepare documents and translate materials for the university to provide for increased global accessibility.
World Relief
Kent, WA / World Relief’s main goal is to help newly arrived refugees transition to life in America. The organization’s work includes assisting with housing and jobs, teaching English, and providing guidance for understanding and adapting to American culture. Alex worked one-on-one with refugees, connecting them to resources such as health or child care and personally assisting with their needs.
Oregon Research Institute
Eugene, OR / The Oregon Research Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study of human behavior, including topics such as depression, problem behavior in youth, cessation of smoking, and treatment of alcohol and drug abuse. William worked on the Community and Schools Together project aimed at the prevention of childhood obesity by promoting healthy dietary and exercise behaviors, specifically supporting Latino families through translation and outreach strategies.
Sustainable South Sound
Olympia, WA / Sustainable South Sound is a grassroots organization whose mission is to lead the transformation to a sustainable community through education, advocacy, action, and celebration. Linnea worked on a variety of projects, including a community garden database, a Sustainable Urban Homestead Tour, and an expansion of the Sustainable South Sound’s resource webpage.
Professor K. Hoffman’s Physics La- Whitman College
Walla Walla, WA / The research in Professor Kurt Hoffman’s laboratory primarily focuses on the generation of low-density glass materials with the goal of creating efficient optical materials. Freddy worked as a research assistant, planning and executing experiments and recording data in the laboratory that contributed to the mission of the project.
Christian Aid Center
Walla Walla, WA / The Christian Aid Center is a non-profit organization that serves the homeless and low-income population of Walla Walla through emergency shelter, meals, counseling, and case management. Julia designed and implemented a summer program for children whose families are receiving services from the Christian Aid Center, while supporting the Center in a number of administrative functions.
Dezan Shira & Associates
Hanoi, Vietnam / Dezan Shira and Associates is a boutique professional services firm providing foreign direct investment business advisory, tax, accounting, payroll, and due diligence services for multinational clients in China, Hong Kong, India, and Vietnam. As a Business Development Intern, Thu performed intensive research projects on the legal set-up procedure and tax issues for foreign investors in the northern provinces of Vietnam, and collaborated with colleagues in other offices to facilitate the establishment of foreign-related enterprises.
Biology Department, Eastern Washington University
Cheney, WA / The research of Professor Andrea Castillo at EWU examines the pathogenesis of the Helicobacter pylori bacterium. Thanh developed precise research questions to identify the factors and DNA sequences that promote colonization of the bacterium and encourage the development of gastric disease. She engaged in the generation, collection, manipulation, and interpretation of data in pursuit of answers to her research questions.
Office of English Language Programs, U.S State Department Washington, DC / The Office of English Language Programs provides support, through US Embassies and staff, to programs that teach English to key areas around the world. Derek served as an administrative liaison to embassies and program partners around the globe, and participated in geographic regional public diplomacy meetings.
Department of Transplantation Surgery, UCSF
San Francisco, CA / The transplant research sector of UCSF represents a multidisciplinary collaboration focused specifically on improving transplantation as a treatment protocol via innovative research and clinical application. Bethany conducted experimental protocols as part of a study of the safety and efficacy of kidney and liver transplantation in patients with HIV.
U.S. Federal Reserve, Helena Branch
Helena, MT / The Federal Reserve has three primary responsibilities: monetary policy, banking supervision and regulation, and bank services. Joel researched and developed an education module that can be delivered to high school students that will cover the role of banking and the Federal Reserve. He also worked on a project that makes comparisons between Montana and other states regarding the financial concepts and skills education provided to public school students.
Classical KING FM 98.1
Seattle, WA / KING FM is devoted to the quality broadcast of classical music to audiences in the Pacific Northwest and around the world. Rachel’s primary focus was expanding KING FM’s community connections through previews and broadcasts of local performances. She participated in the day-to-day operations of the station, while also contributing to on-air programming.