SAP Intern Alumni
We Love Our Intern Alumni!
We celebrate the impact of our talented intern alumni. Your dedication to sustainability continues to inspire and drive change in agriculture. Thank you for being a part of our journey and shaping the future of sustainable farming!
Testimonials
Austin VanDyke – Lead Farm Crew Intern 2016-2017
“If the farm has taught me anything, it’s this: perfection is the enemy of good enough. Often we plague ourselves with the fear of failure, which inhibits us from doing good work. In striving for sustainability, whether that be in our food system, our work place, or our personal relationships, we simply don’t have time to plan for the ideal. Starting now, where we are, with what we have is necessary, and keeping in mind the fact that sustainability is iterative, and constantly evolving reassures the idea that the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, but the second best time is now.”
Ellen Lavigne – SAP Intern Summer 2016
"At the SAP I learned how to grow plants organically. I learned to value working outside and with my hands. I learned that I love to be in touch with the natural systems on earth. The impact has been massive. The SAP showed me how rewarding a farm life is. It set me on the path of being a regenerative, organic farmer so that I may facilitate a communal understanding of the importance local food systems hold in our society."
Quoc-Khanh Nguyen
Quoc is interested in food security and accessibility, and how using novel techniques in sustainable farming can increase production. This summer, he designed us a hydroponics set up that maximizes vertical space and increases our access to fast growing leafy greens year-round.
Kayla Forest
As the Food Access Intern, she is interested in looking into the food deserts that are surrounding the community and how we can provide fresh and healthy produce to those living in them. She is seeking to look further into what the different barriers are that surround communities that are considered food deserts, while finding a way in which those who receive food from the SAP though different programs such as Replenish can utilize those ingredients to prepare healthy, and fresh meals. She is looking to do this by including a recipe card along with the food and a picture of the finished product, or offering cooking classes for those to attend, or classes on how to grow fresh produce in small spaces.
Marie Pozy
Marie was one of the creative forces behind the various recipes included in CSA’s and farm shares. Using our crop plan, she created recipes from the various crops and implemented seasonality in their creation. These recipes, beautified by another intern this summer, will be made available to students picking up SAP produce at Replenish as well – helping increase the usability as well as access of fresh food!
Hanna Derwent
Hannah was one of the social media interns over the summer and took a more unique approach to our social media presence. Rather than creating Instagram or Facebook posts, Hannah returned to our blog to create long-form interviews with attendees at SAP events, as well as interviews with SAP and GVSU alumni working at Blandford Nature Center’s very successful farm operation.
Katie Gorman
Katie conducted various projects this summer that focus on creating visual and informational content about what the SAP grows and does in terms of farming and other agricultural work. She is seeking to connect what we do at the SAP to other resources/organizations within the GV community as well as the surrounding area (possible topics relating to these things include non-profit work, environmental justice, intersectionality, etc.) She is also working with Jake on revitalizing community gardens!
Molly Tracy
Molly served as both the social media intern as well as the compost intern during the winter semester. She was responsible for keeping students engaged with our social media during the semester and helped increase engagement by providing photography services as well. As the compost intern, Molly created and initiated a pilot program to provide students with composting services on campus.
Emily Fredricks
Emily Fredricks was the floral production intern for the Spring/Summer 2022 semester. In addition to being a key player in the SAP’s harvesting team, Emily oversaw the maintenance of the different flowering crops the SAP had to offer, including sunflowers, snapdragons, cosmos and celosia
Macey Mikesell
Macey is the structure and tools intern for the winter 2022 semester. Macey has a diverse background in the craft brewing scene, having tended to the ornamental hop garden at Founders while working there as support staff. With that background in hop care, Macey designed and implemented a new irrigation system for the hop gardens at the SAP. He also built new seed starting tables for the seed house and spearheaded the creation of composting bins for Molly’s compost initiative.
Katie Scheuer
Katie was an ENS intern interested in food security and access. Working directly with Replenish and Professor Sinn’s ENS 201 courses, Katie helped the SAP increase student’s connection to locally grown, sustainable produce by implementing a plan for production of microgreens to meet the need of Replenish during the SAP’s off-season.
Jake Torok
Jake is a Natural Resources Management major and Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Biology and ENS minor. Jake is interested in implementing sustainability practices in his life, and pursuing methods of increasing sustainability efforts across campus. While at the SAP, Jake was particularly interested in soil health and how regenerative practices increase soil health. Jake also works part time at Hope Gardens in Grand Rapids, expanding children’s access to food and sustainable gardening practices.
Delane Matthysse
Delane was the floral production intern during the 2022 planning season. Delane was interested in increasing the floral production capacity of the SAP and finding ways to utilize the increased number of flowers grown by the SAP. Delane implemented a bouquet creation guide to help volunteers, interns, and anyone interested create beautiful bouquets using the flowers included in the 2022 crop plan. She also designed a flower drying station, to create dried floral arrangements and shadow boxes to sell during the off season.
Wyatt Thorndill
Wyatt served as the Feenstra Lead Intern during the 2021-2022 season. Wyatt was a frequent volunteer who showed natural leadership skills and had incredible drive. An NRM major, Wyatt looks to live life to the fullest. Following graduation, Wyatt is looking to serve as a front-line firefighter for the US Forest Service, traveling across the United States’ public land wherever fire comes.
Hayley Blair
Hayley served as the Feenstra Intern for 2020-2021 and returned as a farm crew member for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. A Biology major, Hayley has a variety of interests, including conservation biology and world service. She used her time at the SAP to learn more about working with volunteers and to build up her leadership skills. Following graduation, she has been hired on as a Conservation technician, working for the prestigious CCC branch of Americorps.
Harold Thommen
Harold is an Education major. Harold had extensive knowledge in sustainable agriculture before coming to the SAP but was looking to learn more about the field and how he could implement it in the classroom. While at the SAP, he developed a lesson plan that uses the advancements of agriculture – and, in particular, sustainable agriculture – to teach history.
Andrew Vickery
Andrew is a Studio Art Major. Andrew started volunteering at the SAP with an interest in learning more practical skill, in hopes of homesteading after graduation. After being hired as farm crew, Andrew spent his time beautifying the SAP, designing or restoring signage, and helping streamline the community garden space. Andrew also explored what it would mean to use the SAP as an exhibition space, with hopes of having a fall and spring showcase next year.
Michael Hinkle
Michael Hinkle served as the Dave Feenstra lead intern at the Sustainable Agriculture Project (SAP) for the 2018-2019 season. Michael is a Natural Resources Management major, with a passion for agriculture that goes back to childhood. One day, he hopes to use the talents and ideas acquired at the SAP to one day operate an agro-tourism farm in Michigan.
Margaux Sellnau
Margaux was awarded the Dave Feenstra Lead Intern at the Sustainable Agriculture Project from 2019-2020. Her passion is understanding how identity and cultural norms have shaped the choices and connections people have towards nature, working to pursue her passions in a Master's program. Her natural curiosity to question and understand continues to transform her learning at the SAP and beyond. She became Interim Farm Manager and Educator in the spring of 2020.
Chris Galbraith
Chris is a Plant Biology major interested in efficient and sustainable farming techniques, such as bio-intensive agriculture.
Austin Vandyke
Austin graduated with a Natural Resource Management major and Biology minor. His passions include, but are not limited to, seaberry trees, downhill skateboarding, reptiles, and anything written by Kurt Vonnegut.
Krista Affholter
Krista is a plant enthusiast and hopes to incorporate her love for medicinal plants while continuing to expand the SAP’s diversity and sustainability.
Ellen Audia
Ellen is an aspiring ecologist and farmer. She is excited to share her love of beautiful, wholesome food with the community.
Dana Eardley
Dana is passionate about creating equitable food systems. She is eager to cultivate relationships with CSA members, and share her enthusiasm. For the 2016 growing season, Dana interned at D-town farm in Detroit.
Matt DeJonge
Farming is one of Matt’s favorite pastimes. It allows him to see real changes occurring around him, culminating in fuel to power through the day.
Youssef Darwich
Youssef enjoys building soil, climbing trees and growing the best food possible to share with the GVSU community. Youssef graduated in 2015 and in the 2016 growing season, he was hired on as a permanent member of the SAP and served as the Farm Manager & Educator for several years.
Burritt Watrous
Burritt is a math and physics major who happens to love the outdoors. He takes the principles of sustainable agriculture to heart and hopes to own a farm.