By Lindsay Seventko, Communications Intern

As I began searching for an internship nearly six months ago, I struggled to find an opportunity that seemed well-rounded in potential experiences. I kept comparing what one particular friend told me about his internship, David May, who was American Forests’ Communications Intern in summer 2015, with what I had heard from other people.

His experience of actually contributing real work by creating content for the website and magazine, and aiding the communications department in all areas of the organization, contrasted strongly with other stories of months of filing paperwork and making coffee. I wanted a similar opportunity to gain real experience and develop new skills, especially in a way that combined communications and marketing with forest conservation.

Growing up in a congested New York suburb, I always cherished family getaways to the Adirondacks, one of the most well protected state parks in the country. There, I learned to love the richness of forests and always wanted a “professional wilderness explorer” job.

As I’ve grown up, I’ve remained passionate about forest conservation and environmental issues, but my interests have also evolved to include marketing and communications. Thus, I’m excited for this internship to be a blending of the two — an experience in communicating the science of forests and trees in a creative, and simple, way and an opportunity to aid the conservation, education and policy efforts of American Forests.