A number of students at the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) will gain firsthand experience in agriculture and related fields here in the territory as well as Samoa, Hawaii, Pohnpei and Vietnam under internships made available through the College’s Division of Agriculture, Community and Natural Resources (ACNR)/Land Grant.
“With support from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and from our Director Aufa’i Apulu Ropeti Areta and our staff, we’re able to offer a number of experiential learning experiences,” said ACNR Instruction Coordinator Mrs. Pauline Tuitele-McFall.
The local ACNR Internship Program runs from June 5th to July 14th, and consists of a 40-hour weekly schedule at various ACNR locations.
Participating student interns include Logomalu Papalii, Fa’amanu Puaina, Jr., Puaolele Taisau, Michelle Paletaleo, Christine Fruean and Iosefo Sio.
They will receive stipends funded through the USDA NIFA Resident Instruction Grant Program for their work at designated ACNR sites.
The Apia, Samoa Internship also gets underway on June 5th and ends on July 14th, and involves a 40-hour week under the auspices of Samoa’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF).
ACNR student interns are Imelda Luamanu, June Talamoni, Fa’atoia Areta, Ulelemaikalani Kwon, Jason Tufele and Fatima Anesi, who will receive stipends funded through the USDA NIFA Resident Instruction Grant Program. “
Students Naseri Meki, Anastasia Magalo and Simeona Leo will travel to Pohnpei, Micronesia as interns with the USDA NIFA Summer Experiential Learning, based at the College of Micronesia from June 7th to the 28th.
Their travel and related expenses will also be funded through USDA NIFA Resident Instruction Grant Program.
Malia Talia has been selected to make the journey all the way to Asia as a participant in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)/Research Coordination Network (RCU) Internship to Vietnam.
While the details for her trip are still being ironed-out, Ms Talia has the opportunity to intern in Vietnam through full funding by the REU/RCU.
The REU will also fully fund recent ASCC graduate Jennet Chang during her trip to Hawaii as part of Research Experience for Undergraduates, Earth Science on Volcanic Islands, which will take place from June 5th to August 4th at the School of Ocean and Earth Science & Technology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.