Emma Hughes – NAMEPA Intern Essay

Throughout my internship with NAMEPA this summer, one thought in particular that stayed in my mind was, “Wow, I never even knew/thought of that.” I wasn’t particularly well informed about the marine environment going into this internship. Still, I had a desire to widen my horizons, and NAMEPA has helped me go above and beyond to develop a passion for this work.  

During this summer, the NAMEPA team led programs educating elementary school children about the importance of ecosystems, the dangers facing the marine ecosystem, and what types of organisms live in our bodies of water, with a beach cleanup at the end. These events were a fantastic experience to share knowledge that I was genuinely passionate about and see the kids apply that knowledge in our activities at the beach. 

Another opportunity I had was to be able to write for NAMEPA. I was extremely nervous about taking on this challenge, especially for a Sector Spotlight, which entailed reaching out and interviewing industry professionals. Thanks to the help of the NAMEPA team and Captain Anuj Chopra, I was able to take this challenge in stride to succeed.  

NAMEPA’s summer internship program was indeed a fantastic experience, and I loved every minute of it and am incredibly grateful that I could do it! I learned so much, and I hope to carry my newfound knowledge forward. 

By Emma Hughes