Borderlands Nursery & Seed is proud to be working with the Resilience Internships and Student Experiences (RISE) program for the second time to host two paid internships with University of Arizona students for the winter/spring 2024 semester!
The RISE program aims to provide undergraduate and graduate students with paid internships related to resilient environments and societies, which in turn support the vital work of grassroots organizations across southern Arizona. Borderlands Restoration Network partnered with the RISE program last year to host two student interns, Andres and Julie, at our Native Plant Program during the summer semester of 2023, and it was such an enriching and productive experience for all involved.
The RISE internships enabled our program to grow while sustaining current projects focused on native plant revegetation in ecological restoration. In turn, BRN provided the interns with education and work experience in horticulture and conservation that supported the development of strong interpersonal and technical skills that contributed to career readiness after graduation. Through the program, BRN has broadened our avenues for community connection, and the interns walk away with new inspiration and enriched resumes. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to host two student interns again and are excited to continue this mutually beneficial and rewarding partnership!
Please join the BN&S team in welcoming our winter/spring interns, Reed and Lillian, whom you will likely meet if you come to a volunteer day at the nursery or seed barn or pop in during open hours to buy plants. In their bios below, learn more about these passionate individuals who will be on the team until early May.
Meet Lillian:
Lillian Mance (she/her) is a senior at the University of Arizona studying Natural Resources with an emphasis on Ecology and Rangeland Management. She was born and raised in Tucson with a nearly unparalleled love for plant life.
Her professional goal is to become a botanist, conducting research and participating in restoration efforts worldwide! She has always held a deep appreciation for the natural world, and she is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Borderlands Restoration Network and help Mama Earth in any way possible.
In her free time, you can catch her collecting plants and crystals, reading a good book, or trying to refine her Pickleball game!
Meet Reed:
Reed Coffey (they/them) has called Tucson home for the past decade. Their time with the Arizona Conservation Corps and love of the outdoors helped develop their interest in native plant restoration.
In their final semester of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology undergraduate program at the University of Arizona, Reed divides their time between work in the Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, focusing on climate reconstruction, and with the Borderlands Restoration Network. They are enthusiastic about exploring ways to connect their study of the past with actions that move us toward a sustainable future.
The plants and landscapes that surround us have also been Reed's artistic inspiration throughout their life. They paint both as a celebration of the beauty of nature and to call attention to the need for conservation work.