Today's interns are tomorrow's leaders, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' 2024 interns are no exception! We've been fortunate to have a great group of interns serving with us this summer in our internship program. They have gone above and beyond, working hard and showing of their skills. As a group, these interns were eager to help with department projects, no matter how large or small, with a positive attitude and willingness to learn in the moment. The department recognizes and celebrates our 2024 interns.
2024 MoDNR Interns
- Benjamin Albertson
- Molly Amos, Missouri State University
- Brooke Anich, University of Missouri - Columbia
- Kelton Back, Missouri University of Science and Technology
- Travis Barbour
- Becca Bessette, University of Missouri - Columbia
- Jonathan Briggs, LaGrange University
- Lexi Buechter
- Jacob Creed, Missouri University of Science and Technology
- Colby Elliott, Southeast Missouri State University
- Quinten Ellsworth, Northwestern Missouri State University
- Logan Farris
- Morgan Farris, Northwestern Missouri State University
- Sarah Guymon, Missouri State University
- Eugene Gyawu, Missouri University of Science and Technology
- Lillian Henderson, University of Missouri - Columbia
- Valerie Holcomb, Missouri State University
- Tate Kitchell
- Ophilia Krouse, Missouri University of Science and Technology
- Alayna Kruse, University of Missouri - Columbia
- Jonathan Lepper
- Shuchen Liu
- Katelin Meek, Missouri State University
- Piper Megellas, University of Chicago
- James Meyer
- Kayla Olson, Southeast Missouri State University
- Alexander Rehrig
- Jared Rexing
- Robin Schofield, Three Rivers Community College
- Eliza Siebert, Westminster College
- Emma Spencer, Missouri University of Science and Technology
- Ashtin Standifer, Westminster College
- Nicole Taylor, Southeast Missouri State University
- Nathan Toomey, Prescott College
- Lauren Williams, Northwestern Missouri State University
- Jillian Winkeler, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Intern Spotlight
Our interns are essential to our MoDNR team! Below are a handful of examples, highlighting what our interns have been able to collaborate and accomplish this year.
Brooke Anich
Brooke assisted the department's St. Louis Regional Office with compliance assistance duties throughout the summer. She helped regulated water systems with triggered unsafe sample investigations and the regional office's inspectors with sampling, inspection report editing and data management. Because she performed some of our regular compliance assistance duties, she lifted many burdens off of our shoulders to be able to do other work as well. We can breathe a bit easier with the pair of extra hands (and not just because she helped us carry our equipment to the car)! Brooke also planned and taught a water filtration program for local elementary children through our educational outreach program.
Jacob Creed
Jacob interned with the department's Dam and Reservoir Safety Program. He worked on important inundation maps with the DSS-WISE, a dam breach simulator software program. The inundation mapping project was beyond the scope of our current man power. Without Jacob the project would not have been a success. It appears he will complete the entire portfolio of regulated dams during his time with the program this summer.
Colby Elliott
Colby stepped up and assisted the department's Southeast Regional Office in a variety of efforts, namely our scrap tire collection center compliance assistance project. Colby conducted site visits at a large number of these facilities to provide education and awareness of the solid waste regulations that impact them. This helped minimize concern investigations and have a greater number of these facilities in compliance upon inspection, reducing paperwork and increasing compliance rates.
Morgan Farris
Morgan assisted the Water Pollution units at the department's Northeast Regional Office. She helped inspectors in the field conduct inspections and investigations, transported water samples to the laboratory and provided compliance assistance to entities renewing their permits. She also conducted site visits at nonresponsive sites to determine current facility status and hand deliver renewal applications. A large number of renewal applications were submitted as a result of her efforts.
Nicole Taylor
Nicole assisted the department's St. Louis Regional Office, Water Pollution Control staff. Nicole was able to assist on some water pollution control inspections and concerns. Following up, she was able to analyze eDMR data to contribute to reports. Nicole also played a part in a project of moving regional office permit files to digital storage. Nicole helped with tasks that were hard to ever find the time to accomplish by full time staff.