AGNR Internship Stories
Name: Sara Ramotnik
Major: Environmental Science and Policy, Concentration in Economics
Year: Senior
What company/organization did you intern for?
I interned for the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program.
What was your internship title?
My internship title was the Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Analysis intern.
Where was the internship located?
The internship was located at the Chesapeake Bay Program Office on Severn Avenue in Annapolis, MD.
Describe your internship responsibilities:
My internship duties involved analyzing data, working on excel, creating graphs, completing background research, creating presentations, giving presentations, creating materials for Ag Progress Days at Penn State and visiting EPA’s Region 3 Headquarters.
What did you enjoy most about this internship?
I wholeheartedly enjoyed this internship in so many ways but perhaps the major things that stand out to me include the traveling and the people that I met at the partnership. I went to the inaugural Chesapeake Studies Conference, the USDA in Harrisonburg VA, Philadelphia and State College PA. So many people work together and I loved going to meetings and seeing the collaboration first hand. I also loved having an office right on the water.
How has this experience impacted your future career plans?
It helped me to see that there were a lot of opportunities for jobs in the field of Chesapeake Bay restoration and it helped me to decide what I want to do next.
What resources did you utilize to obtain this internship?
I knew the woman who had the internship the summer before me and she told me about the position. I applied on a whim and it was one of the best decisions of my life.
What advice would you offer to other students seeking similar internships?
I would advise students to let their passion show when they are going after something that they love. That’s what I did during my interview and I know that was one of the reasons why I was selected.