GRO Forum SEf*
Environmental Protection Agency Greater Research Opportunities Undergraduate Student Fellowships
Where are they now':
Catching up with GRO Alumni
Candita Woodis
In the 1800s, Chief Manuelito of the Dine (Navajo), told his people:
"My children, education is the ladder to all our needs. Tell our people
to take it." It was as if the Dine people were iri a canyon, he said, but
if they climbed up the ladder education provided, they would see into
the distance and find the resources the people needed. To share those
resources, educated Dine needed to return home and work for their
people.
Candita Woodis, a 2002 Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellow,
grew up on the Navajo Nation. She was the first Navajo to receive
the GRO Fellowship, and at that time, the only Native American in
the program. The Navajo Nation is made up of parts of Colorado,
Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. It has a land area of more than
27,000 square miles and a population of more than 250,000. The
Navajo Nation is known for its history, culture, and numerous national
monuments and historical sites, including Monument Valley, Canyon de
Chelly, and Shiprock.
I encourage students to be involved in
science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics, because as a country and
a nation we need home-grown scientists
and inventors.	-candita woodis
"All my life, my parents and community have encouraged me to get an
education and come back and work for the Dine people," Candita said.
"Going back has been my lifelong goal." Beginning in childhood, Chief
Manuelito's words were ingrained in her by her parents, teachers and
the Navajo media.
Candita experienced first-hand the environmental challenges facing the
Navajo people. Jobs have been and still are scarce, and the Dine must
weigh supporting their families against concern about the environment.
Many Navajos, including Candita's father, worked as uranium miners,
When Candita realized that few Navajos pursued educations in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics, she found a unique way to
support both her community and environmental education. "I became
very interested in scholarships and fellowships because they helped me
graduate from college," Candita said. "I took the path of encouraging
students to attend college by helping them with scholarship funding and
encouraging them to go into environmental fields."
Candita recently began work as the senior financial aid counselor for the
Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship and Financial Assistance (ONNSFA),
which provides need-based financial aid to help eligible Navajo people
attain their educational goals, under the condition that they bring their
learning back to their people. Candita performs outreach to spread the
word on available scholarships, and counsels and advises students. "I
enjoy helping others achieve a college education with minimal to no
debt," she said. "I encourage students to pursue degrees that they will
enjoy, and where they can serve a purpose and always be needed."
As a GRO Fellow, Candita earned a Bachelor's degree from Arizona State
University and a Master's from The University of Arizona. As for her GRO
internship in Atlanta, GA, Candita recommended, "GRO Fellows should
consider doing their internships far from home so they can experience
a new city and learn about new environmental issues. It's good to be
informed of local issues, but there are global issues that are affecting all
of us."
In the long term, Candita hopes to get a Ph.D. and to continue helping
her people. "I'd like to be involved in a project to help everyone in my
community have an affordable green home," she said, "and to make
homes available for individuals who have achieved their educational
goals when they return." She would also like to see the Dine consider
green technologies. "The Navajo Nation needs to explore green energy,"
she said. "We have the land and resources for wind and solar power."
and Candita saw the unfortunate effects of mining on her father, her
community, and the land. "It was unnecessary for those miners and the
environment to suffer," she said.

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GRO- ng opportunities
The last issue of the GRO Forum featured Ciarra Greene, a 2010 GRO
Fellow from Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, who was invited to
participate in the 2011 Society of American Indian Government Employees
(SAIGE) Conference, in Tulsa, OK. Here's an update on Ciarra's experiences
cjl uic oni\JL uui iici ci iuc a\ iu uui nig, i ici oui i n i ici n iuci 1101 up.
At the SAIGE
Overall, this summer has been eye opening! conference, ciarra
I've made lifelong relationships, acquired networked with
skills that I can use in a variety of settings, numerous American
and discovered new fields of study that will Indians active in the
help me achieve my own personal goals.	Federal Government,
including Larry Echo
Hawk, the Assistant
Secretary-Indian Affairs in the Department of the Interior. "This network
of professionals provided words of encouragement, advice on academics,
career opportunities, and basic life lessons," Ciarra said. Ciarra, a
member of the Nez Perce tribe, participated in the SAIGE Youth Track with
30 students from the U.S. and Canada. "We all valued the heritage and
the traditions we relate to," she said. "We formed a 'family' that shared
our struggles and achievements and will continue to support each other
through our life journeys."
Also this summer, Janice Whitney, the Regional Indian Program Coordinator
in EPA's Region 2, invited Ciarra to attend Tribal Consultation Training
at Region 2 Headquarters in New York City where Ciarra gave a short
presentation on challenges of working with tribes in both the Southwest
and Northwest. "Ciarra offered some very informative and passionate
remarks to the audience - she left an indelible impression," Ms.
Whitney said. "I believe she will make very significant and substantive
contributions on behalf of her nation in any field she chooses to
pursue."
Ciarra's EPA internship hosts in Edison, NJ, Randy Braun and Helen
Grebe, generously accommodated her trip to the SAIGE Conference
and other opportunities. Ciarra worked with the Helicopter Monitoring
Program, assessing "floatable" debris in the New York and New Jersey
Harbor Complex. "Flying in the helicopter every day was not only
invigorating, but also full of responsibilities," she said. Ciarra learned
observation techniques, flight safety, emergency procedures, and
survival techniques. She also did water sampling from the helicopter
and water quality analyses back in the lab.
Fellows' reflections - summer 2011 GRO internships
Getting to my study plots
proved tricky, as mud flats
generally happen to be muddy.
I managed to get myself stuck
in the mud past my knees a
couple times, only to be saved
by my trusty field partner with
either an oar or a bucket to dig
me out. Though I'm not sure if
coastal ecology is what I want to
do, I gained a lot of knowledge
on a new topic and definitely
enjoyed my time exploring the
marshes of the Pacific Northwest.
I could not have asked for a more
perfect project for me than the
National Wetlands Condition
Assessment. 1 cannot wait to find
out what all these data mean and
how we can use them to protect
and conserve these amazing
ecosystems.
Melinda Hopper ~
Rachel King ~
I am incredibly thankful
to have been afforded the
opportunity to develop my
own set of wings under the
guidance and mentorship
of EPA; the Mid-Continent
Ecology Division provided
an experience and an
atmosphere which nurtured
and fostered my interest in a
positive way.
Jonne Woodard ~
I now have tangible
fruits of my summer
labor from which
I can build my
resume for graduate
school and/or job
applications.
Justin Paul ~

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Introducing the 2011-2013 GRO Fellows
Portland ME
Holly Andrews
Miami University,
Oxford, OH
Mackenzie
Billings
uaiirorma Koiytecnnic
State University
San Luis Obispo, CA
Jacquelyn Blake-
Hedges
uonege or William ana
Mary
Williamsburg, VA
Tyler Bleeker
Calvin College
Grand Rapids, Ml
Gina Chaput
University of New
Hampsmre
Durham, NH
Kevin Chen
ic Institute
or NYU
Brooklyn, NY
Hannah Coe
St. Mary's College of
Maryland
St. Mary's City, MD
Carlos Cruz-
Quinones
University of Puerto
Rico-Rio Piedras
San Juan. PR
Nicole D'Alessio
University of New
Hampshire
Durham, NC
Clarice Esch
Western Kentucky
University
Bowling Green, KY
Amy Fischer
Arkansas State
Univers ity
Jonesboro, AR
Daniel Fultz
Alderson-Broaddus
College
Philippi, WV
Brendan- Michael lairo Guerrero
Galloway
State University of
New York
Syracuse, NY
University of
Wisconsin-Parkside
Kenosha, Wl
Aiden Irish
University of Portland
Portland. OR
Jessica Johnson
Salisbury University
Salisbury, MD
Ravin Joseph
Post University
Waterbury, CT
Kimberly Kiser
Appalachian State
Univers ity
Boone, NC
Maxwell Lehner
Ursinus College
Collegeville, PA
Deirdre
MacFeeters
Ursinus College
Collegeville, PA
Cara Mayo
Juniata College
Huntingdon. PA
Brian McConnell
University of New
Hampshire
Durham, NH
Lisa McLaughlin
Texas A&M University-
Kingsville
Kingsvilie, TX
Kelsey Morgan
Juniata College
Huntingdon. PA
George Osei
Alcorn State
Univers ity
Alcorn State, MS
Elizabeth Peters
The University of
Alabama
Tuscaloosa. AL
Tiana Ramos
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA
Andrew Reighart
St. Mary's College of
Maryland
St. Mary's City, MD
Tiorra Ross
Howard University
Washington, DC
Roxanne
Sanderson
University of
Maryland-Baitimore
County
Baltimore, MD
Emily Seelen
Gustavus Adolphus
College
St. Peter. MN
Jared Smith
Clarkson University
Potsdam, NY
Tyanna Smith
Portland State
University
Portland, OR
Katie Steele
Texas State
University-San Marcos
San Marcos, TX
Laura Terada
Loyola Marymount
University
Los Angeles, CA
By traveling to a new location I am content with saying
I accomplished more in these 12 weeks than I have
ever done with any other summer both in research and
personal experiences.
Tom Langer ~
The other interns I met while in Corvallis are now close
friends who I intend to see again and hopefully even have
the chance to collaborate with professionally in the future.
It was a phenomenal networking opportunity as well as one
of the most mentally stimulating experiences I've had.
Allison McAtee ~
Not only did I learn countless professional skills this summe
working at the EPA but I also had a ton of fun while doing it!
One of the things I most enjoyed was the exposure I got to
the different kinds of research being done and interacting
with other employees.
Allison Baker ~
Nessly Torres
The University of
Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX
Cory Ventres-Pake
Mount Holyoke
College
South Hadiey, MA
David Wallace
Oklahoma State
University
Stillwater; OK
Brooke Weigel
St. Olaf College
Northfieid, MN
Catherine Wise
University of Southern
Maine

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A EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Research
and Development (8723F)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
EPA/600/N-04/198
October 2011
www.epa.gov/ord
i was able to travel to the Alaska office in Anchorage during my summer
internship and meet with organizations and tribal members, learning about
their work and perspectives on environmental degradation and community
adaptation. It was a privilege to meet with tribal Elders and to hear their
wisdom and knowledge of the world around them.
Rachel Lamb ~
.gov/R10/tribal.NSF
Green building design and
analysis is an area that I had
found interesting for some
time and the completion of
this internship has made me
realize that I definitely would
like to pursue this type of
work at the graduate level.
Janique Cheesman ~
I was proud to see
that this EPA facility in
Athens was walking the
walk of environmental
stewardship and its
pursuit of human health.
Tradd Cotter ~

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