Sustainability Internships

          With paid internships at the Big Red Farm or through Restoration Ecology, opportunities to support Lawrenceville sustainability are very accessible to students. The Big Red Farm strives to connect students and faculty to other members of our community—plants, animals and land. Students are able to gain a deeper understanding of sustainable agriculture through summer work. 

          Lawrenceville offers seven positions in the Big Red Farm internship - two for students with limited time who will work four hours per week, and five for students who would like to work 12-15 hours per week. Only Lawrenceville students can fill these positions! In order to qualify for the internship, you should live relatively close to campus and have interest in farming or gardening, along with personal skills such as organization and communication. Responsibilities if selected include showing up to your respective hours and maintaining flexibility in order to work with a variety of peers. The interns will plant seeds, pull weeds, care for animals, and maintain a vegetable plot, while reflecting on their experience and readings through journal entries and photos.

          Shloka Chodhari  ’26 worked as a Big Red Farm intern last summer. Chodhari enjoyed her experience on the farm because she was able to “get one-on-one experience by being at the farm with Ian MacDonald and  Benjamin Bois” which gave her the opportunity to “accumulate so much knowledge about how the Big Red Farm is run.” Many students at Lawrenceville have not visited the farm since II Form Orientation—or ever—so this would be a perfect chance to visit. Chodhari was responsible for helping out with “sustainable farming from morning to afternoon” by completing tasks like “weeding, filling up the hog feed, chicken feed, or spending time with the trained dogs!” She suggests future interns prepare for a hot day of work and the ability to be physically active early in the morning.

          Lawrenceville also offers a shorter five-day Restoration Ecology internship for students partnership with ecologists from the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space. Land stewardship responsibilities for the interns will be invasive species removal, rare species identification, deer herd management, and other ecosystem efforts.

          Tanmay Sammeta ’24 participated in this program last year, where he “worked closely with stewards to survey invasive species on campus.” One of his favorite parts of the experience was getting to “explore the lesser-known areas of Lawrenceville’s vast 700-acre campus.” He was able to see new locations of Lawrenceville’s campus and gain “a deeper appreciation for our campus’ natural environment.” The students saw how their efforts could contribute to a more sustainable Lawrenceville while deepening their knowledge of ecological management.

          Whether or not you have experience at the Big Red Farm, if sustainability and farming piques your interest, check out the opportunities for summer paid internships and speak to Dr. Stephen Laubach if you have any questions. Past interns assure you that working on the Big Red Farm or with Restoration Ecology is an enjoyable and valuable experience!