2013 Interns Join Endowment Team
Anne-Marie Melief and George Flowers, two recent graduates of Furman University, Greenville, SC, are the new interns at the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (the Endowment). Both will work with the Endowment for a year.
Melief graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Earth and Environmental Sciences. She also worked for three years at the David E. Shi Center for Sustainability where she focused on sustainability assessment. Through the Shi Center she conducted two Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories and supervised the completion of a third, including the development of a methodological framework for conducting an inventory for the University. Additionally, Melief completed the biennial Sustainability Tracking and Assessment Rating System (STARS) report that helps the University track its progress towards its sustainability goals.
When asked about her interest in the Endowment Melief responded with, “My work at the Shi Center taught me the effectiveness of cooperative policy making and how it can lead to lasting environmental, economic, and social benefits for all parties involved. Working with the Endowment will allow me to continue exploring cooperative initiative development in the form of forestry investment, and to first hand see the sustainable results of such investments.”
Flowers has a Bachelor of Science degree in Sustainability Science and Political Science. During his time at Furman, Flowers worked on seven farms, including one that he started himself, on three continents: North America, Europe, and Africa. He has completed three projects that compare farming practices and policies across cultural and geographical contexts.
About his work with the Endowment, Flowers said, “I am very grateful to have this opportunity. My educational and hands-on experiences in the fields of sustainability, agriculture, and policy have taught me that a sustainable reality for the future and productivity of our global environment will be possible only when differing communities make strong efforts toward genuine collaboration. The Endowment’s work personifies this lesson. I look forward to applying my knowledge and experiences in merging policy, sustainability, and agriculture to the Endowment’s focus on sustainable forestry.”
“Anne-Marie and George bring a diversity of experiences and expertise to the Endowment,” said Senior Vice President Peter Stangel. “They add a unique perspective to the Endowment’s function, and their respective backgrounds in sustainability and agriculture are a real plus for the Endowment. We are delighted to have them with us.”
Since the Endowment’s inception in late 2006 a formal internship program has played a vital role in retaining a lean staff model on one hand, while offering hands-on experience to newly-minted professionals on the other. Furman University has been the source of the largest number of interns to date.
