Dara Wilson (left) and Mawusi Bridges join NCSCE’s Washington, DC staff as program interns
At the start of this year, NCSCE recruited two program assistant interns to support existing projects and planned events throughout the Spring 2016 semester. Mawusi Bridges, the Faculty Development Events Assistant, and Dara Wilson, the Informal Science Education Partnership Programs Assistant, will be working alongside the central office staff as the Center’s programming and services expand, adding their unique perspectives and providing additional support for program-specific objectives.
Mawusi Bridges, of Springfield, VA, works with the Faculty Development Events Manager Kyle Simmons, providing support for the planning and logistics of events, including the SENCER Summer Institute [link http://www.sencer.net/Symposia/summerinstitute2016.cfm ‘SENCER Summer Institute’]. Her professional background is in nonprofits and event and program management. She previously worked with the employee wellness program at the University of Virginia, contributing to the design and distribution of program materials and wellness resources. During her undergraduate career, Mawusi gained valuable experience in marketing, planning, fundraising and logistics as a leader in various student organizations at the University of Virginia.
Dara Wilson, of Silver Spring, MD, joins the NCSCE staff as the Informal Science Education (ISE) Partnership Programs Assistant. She works with the Program Manager Hailey Chenevert on literature searches, research, and outreach. As she pursued her undergraduate degree in International Development from American University, Dara developed a strong interest in ecology after spending her summers abroad in Bolivia’s Amazon basin. At the Smithsonian Zoological Park she developed skills in informal science teaching methods and subsequently worked for the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama to better familiarize herself with the nuances of international and environmental development within a non-profit organization. Dara strengthened outreach and educational initiatives for endangered amphibians and contributed to several other ecological field research projects during her time abroad. Dara continues to practice conservation communications through her contributions to the SENCER-ISE website.
Both Mawusi and Dara are natives of the Washington, DC area and share interests in non-profit development, event planning, and learner-centered education. They each bring unique experience and perspective that will contribute to the success of NCSCE and are looking forward to meeting the larger NCSCE community.