College students honored for participation in Governor's Environmental Corps

SPRINGFIELD --- Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Doug Scott recognized 34 college students for their summer of service to the Agency and the citizens of Illinois, during a luncheon at the Executive Mansion. 

 

"Since 1991, the GEC program has provided a true hands-on learning experience for more than 500 college undergraduate or graduate students," said Director Scott.  "Students in such fields as engineering, geology, chemistry, biology, communications and law have gone on to careers in the environmental field, and their contributions also energize our own staff mentors each summer."

 

The majority of selected students were paired with staff mentors in Springfield, where the Illinois EPA's headquarters, organics laboratory and central regional office are located.  However, some students were placed in regional offices in Des Plaines, Rockford, Peoria, Champaign, Collinsville and Marion.

 

Students are assigned agency mentors in his or her area of environmental interest and are able to make meaningful contributions to the regulatory and compliance assistance operations of Illinois EPA.  In addition to their work experience in a professional office setting and field operations, GEC interns were also able participate in regular field trips and workshops to gain first-hand knowledge of current environmental challenges and solutions.  Days spent out of the office gave interns the chance to work outdoors restoring wetlands, picking up trash, or touring landfills and treatment plants.

 

For more information about the Governor's Environmental Corps, please visit the Illinois EPA online at www.epa.state.il.us.

 

--- Matthew Anderson, Mt. Prospect, Illinois Wesleyan University

--- Lisa Buettner, Petersburg, University of Illinois at Springfield

--- Amber Bukowski, Donovan, Eureka College

--- Matthew Chan, Hong Kong (China), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

--- Molly Corrigan, Springfield, Southern Illinois University School of Law

--- John DeRosa Jr., Riverton, Illinois College

--- Eric Finley, Athens, Grand View College (Des Moines, Iowa)

--- Abby Hahne, Sheffield, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

--- Elizabeth Halel, Belleville, Loyola University (New Orleans, La.)

--- Jennifer Hill, Western Springs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

--- Laura Honigman, Rochester, Illinois State University

--- Samantha Hufnagel, Henry, University of Illinois College of Law

--- Kang Hui-Clotfelter, Beijing (China), University of Illinois at Springfield

--- Jacqueline Jackson, Lansing, Governors State University

--- Kyle Johnson, Petersburg, University of Illinois at Springfield

--- Kyle Kearns, Cary, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

--- Lindsay Kelderhouse, Island Lake, Central College

--- Martha Leverenz, St.Louis, Missouri, Dominican University

--- Joshua Lochhead, Chester, Eastern Illinois University

--- James McManus, Jacksonville, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

--- Jacquin Milhouse, Chicago, Davidson College

--- James Miralgio, Franklin Park, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

--- Daniel Mosher, Pleasant Plains, Northwestern University

--- Kiel Peregrin, Springfield, University of Illinois at Springfield

--- Jennifer Prigge, Rochester, Cornell University

--- James Rice, Jacksonville, Illinois State University

--- William Rinehart, Springfield, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

--- Jeron Schultz, Springfield, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

--- Rupak Thapaliya, Katmandu (Nepal), Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

--- Daniel Urban, Elk Grove Village, Purdue University

--- Terri Walczak, North Riverside, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

--- Ying Wang, Nanyang (China), University of Illinois at Springfield

--- Kimberly Whitlock, Naperville, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

--- Tara Wood, Peoria, University of Arkansas