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Summer Staff Spotlight

It's summer and Friends of the Rouge has some new rays of sunshine. We warmly welcome our 2021 summer fellows and interns, read more about them!

Summer Staff Spotlight

It’s summer and Friends of the Rouge has some new rays of sunshine! We warmly welcome our 2021 summer fellows and interns, learn more about them below.

Restoration Intern

Kate Ekhator is a PhD student in Wayne State University’s Civil and Environmental Engineering program.  Kate has a Master’s of Science in Civil Engineering from WSU and a Bachelor’s of Engineering in Civil Engineering from Edo State University in Ekpoma, Nigeria.  Kate has experience with Greening of Detroit as well as dozens of research work that will support her work as Restoration Intern.  She also has 15 years’ experience as an Environment/Safety Officer for Pan Ocean Oil Corporation in Nigeria.

Restoration Intern

Dallas Ford is working on his Masters of Landscape Architecture degree at the University of Michigan.  His is expected to graduate in 2023.  Dallas has a Bachelor of Science from Eastern Michigan University. Dallas gained skills as an Intelligence Analyst in the Army where he served as Data Analysis and Leadership/Counseling and Development.  Dallas also has experience as an independent landscaping contractor. Dallas is assisting with designing and installing rain gardens and other GSI projects this summer.

Environmental Fellow

Maeghen Goode is a Dual Degree Student at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. She is studying Urban planning and Environmental Justice. Maeghen received her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University studying environmental studies and sustainability. After graduating from her undergraduate program, Maeghen did a service year with AmeriCorps through an organization called public allies where she worked on increasing community capacity. Currently, Maeghen is at Friends of the Rouge through a program called environmental fellows program which focuses on engaging underrepresented communities in the environmental sector. She is expected to graduate spring 2022. 

Summer Fellow

Isabelle Horvath comes to the FOTR team (virtually) as an Environmental Engineering PhD student at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. Isabelle graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Resources Engineering from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 2018; and M.S. focused in Water Resources Engineering, from Marquette University in 2020. This summer Isabelle is working on an urban river water quality model with benthic macroinvertebrate data collected by FOTR citizen scientists. The goal of this project is to better understand water quality changes in the Rouge River, and to learn about how those water quality changes are connected to human actions on land. Isabelle’s fellowship is funded through the Cooperative Institute of Great Lakes Research (CIGLR).

Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Intern

Swarali Lokre is a passionate learner and worker who is eager to help her community. She’s earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and Psychology from Eastern Michigan University, and a GIS Skills Certificate from Schoolcraft College. Swarali loves invertebrates and wishes to pursue a Master’s degree in Entomology in her future. She hopes to use her knowledge of GIS and science to assist her community in every way possible. This summer Swarali is interning with our Monitoring Program to survey for invasive aquatic plants including European Frogbit in Oakland County.