Internships are an integral part of Willistown Conservation Trust’s (WCT) work. Each year hardworking students join our team and bring with them a wealth of experience and enthusiasm. They provide essential duties during our busy seasons working on the farm, banding birds, maintaining trails, planting trees, taking water samples, mapping, interacting with volunteers, teaching our young Rushton Nature Keepers, and more. These students represent the future of the conservation movement, and we are proud to play a role in educating and inspiring these future leaders!
Get to know our interns below, and be sure to say hi when you see them!
WATERSHED
 | Sarah Busby Watershed Protection Program Co-Op Sarah Busby (she/her) is a fourth year Biology undergraduate at Drexel University with a concentration in Ecology/Evolution/Genomics and minors in Bioinformatics and Science, Technology & Society. Previously, she worked in the Macroinvertebrates lab of the Patrick Center for Environmental Research at the Academy of Natural Sciences collecting, identifying, and organizing macroinvertebrate samples from the Delaware River Watershed. She is excited to join the Watershed Protection Program at WCT and build upon her experience through interdisciplinary knowledge of watershed ecosystems. Outside of work and school, Sarah enjoys identifying species on nature walks, playing board games with friends, and exploring different corners of Philadelphia. |
 | Vincent Liu Watershed Protection Program Co-Op Vincent Liu (he/him) is a 4th year Environmental Science major from Drexel University. He is minoring in Japanese and enjoys fencing and gaming as his hobbies. |
 | Catherine Quinn Watershed Protection Program Co-Op Catherine (she/her) is an undergraduate student who attends Drexel University and studies environmental science. This is not Catherine’s first time working with us at the Trust; she worked between the WCT Watershed Protection Program and the Academy of Natural Sciences’ Environmental Biogeochemistry Section last summer. Catherine is looking forward to working on her independent project on freshwater mussels as well as continuing to gain hands-on experience within our different programs here at the Trust. When Catherine finishes her co-op internship, she plans to complete her B.S. in Environmental Science and hopes to find a career in conservation. |
RUSHTON FARM
 | Noa Djistelbloem Rushton Farm Intern Noa (she/her) is a second year student who attends Cornell University. Her major is Agricultural Science with a concentration in global health and sustainability, and she is minoring in nutrition. This is Noa’s second summer working at WCT and she’s happy to be back! In addition to Noa’s previous experience, she is also on the steering committee at her institution for a student-run organic farm. Noa is currently on a project team to work on implementing aquaponic systems in local schools and communities. Noa plans to stay at the trust until the end of summer. She is incredibly excited to learn more about small scale farming and its impact on communities and enjoys working with the Rushton Farm crew. Once her time at the Trust is over, Noa will go back to school to continue working on her degree. |
 | Kat Harrar Rushton Farm Intern Kat (she/her) is a rising sophomore at Cornell University. She majors in Agricultural Science with a concentration in policy and business management and a minor in business. Before interning for the trust, Kat worked at the Kimberton Wall garden for two years during her time in high school. She also worked at the Swarthmore farmers market and helped with social media aspects. In addition, Kat worked at the Bryn Mawr farmers market where she was positioned as a vendor, setting up the stand and organizing produce. Kat hopes to gain more experience in the community surrounding food, and looks forward to seeing firsthand how everything starts at the beginning. After her time at the Trust is over, Kat will return to school to complete her degree and concentration. |
 | Barlow Herbst Rushton Farm Intern Barlow (he/him) is a rising senior who attends Harriton High School. Prior to his internship at the trust, Barlow participated in the Rushton Bird Banding program. Barlow has been birding for four years which is how he discovered WCT and all we do. He initially started with saw-whet owl banding and eventually began volunteering at Rushton Farm. Barlow will be interning for the trust until the beginning of the new academic year. He is looking forward to learning more about conservation farming and agroecology to discover more about the agricultural field as a potential future pursuit. |
 | Abby Oswald Rushton Farm Intern Abby (she/her) is a second year student at UC Davis. She majors in Plant Science with a concentration in crop production. This is Abby’s third summer working at Rushton Farm. Abby also worked on the student farm at her school, both as an intern and as lead student farmer. Abby hopes to gain more experience in farming, and wants to learn more about crop production and agriculture. After her internship is complete, Abby will return to school and continue working towards her degree and working on the farm at UC Davis. |
BIRD CONSERVATION & NORTHEAST MOTUS COLLABORATION
 | Phillys Gichuru Conservation Associate Phillys (she/her) has a B.S. in Zoology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture, and an M.S. in Wildlife Conservation from Virginia Tech. Before attending graduate school, Phillys was an intern for Kenya Wildlife Service and Jomo Kenyatta University. She was also a Product Manager with F&S Scientific Limited in Kenya. Phillys has shown interest about birds and their biology through bird banding. She is eager to learn more about our Stewardship and Watershed programs. After completion of this internship, Phillys plans to obtain a career in wildlife conservation, and to work at the intersection of conservation, research and policy. This position is generously funded by the McIsaac Family. |
 | Kaitlin Muccio Avian Field Technician Kaitlin (she/her), having achieved her B.A. in Animal Behavior from Franklin and Marshall College, is currently working towards her M.S. in Biology with a concentration in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution at Tufts University. She has volunteered at wildlife rehabilitation centers as well as at the WCT banding station during the spring migration. Kaitlin has also worked for Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission as a Wildlife Biology Research Assistant conducting avain, endangered plant and moth surveys, and assisting with the goat grazing program to manage grassland habitats. She is extremely excited to return to WCT and hopes to continue to build her banding skills and eventually establish a career in bird conservation and ecology. |
COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH
 | Niya Juanita Moss Communications & Outreach Intern Niya (she/her) is a senior at Villanova University working towards her B.S. in Chemistry and her minor in Mathematics. She has a particular interest in sustainability and the impact of chemical disasters on the environment and people. This is Niya’s second year interning at the trust. In addition to her coursework, Niya participated in the Villanova Engineering, Science and Technology Enrichment and Development (VESTED) program which introduces these fields to students in under-resourced communities and schools and inspires those students who have the potential to expand our region’s and nation’s pool of future engineers. As a STEM student, Niya hopes to broaden her experience in the fields of research and conservation during her internship with the Trust. After her internship, Niya plans to go back to school to complete her bachelor’s degree and eventually obtain her MS in Environmental Science. This position is generously funded by the McIsaac Family. |
STEWARDSHIP
 | Will Steiner Seasonal Land Steward Will (he/him) is a junior who attends Ursinus College and studies biology. Prior to joining us at WCT, Will participated in a few research trips during his time in school. Will is looking forward to gaining experience from working with the Stewardship team and engaging in hands-on conservation work. After his internship is complete, Will plans to finish school and continue to seek biology and conservation related opportunities. |
