Summer 2025 Back to the Bays Internship Reflection
As summer comes to a close, we take a breath after our peak busy season and reflect on the people who volunteered their time to improve our local marine environment. Between aquaculture and habitat restoration, species monitoring and data processes, youth education and public outreach, Stewardship campaigns and fundraisers, the whirlwind of summer was made possible with the help of our dedicated Summer 2025 Back to the Bays Interns! Our staff had the pleasure of working with four passionate undergraduate college students this summer, who assisted in all aspects of our work, while obtaining knowledge to help pursue their goals in environmental and marine sciences. Kacy Sparrow, Elizabeth Saia, Abbie Engrassia, and Lillie Henthorne made this summer memorable, with their hard work, enthusiasm, and thirst for knowledge.
Our Interns
From left to right: Kacy Sparrow, Elizabeth Saia, Abbie Engrassia, & Lillie Henthorne.
Intern Testimonials:
“I absolutely loved my internship with Back to the Bays! I was able to tag horseshoe crabs (like I’ve always wanted to do!) and learn how their eggs are an important food source for the Eastern Red Knot, a threatened migratory bird species. I loved doing the late-night tagging sessions with the Tiana Bayside site coordinator Danielle Morris, who always made it fun. We even saw a fox one night that tried stealing a glove from our bag! I also gained valuable skills working in the water quality lab, running sediment samples, and learned more about our local ecosystems. While taking care of some of the fish tanks, I was taught the difference that biological filtration makes for an aquarium compared to one that does not have it. It was also an amazing opportunity to lend a hand in making the prototype Seahorse hotels that were later deployed. This women-led team of Kimberly Barbour, Kim Manzo, Kate Rossi-Snook, Hazel Wodehouse, Kelsey Ketcham, and Carolyn Munaco was truly an honor and a pleasure to work with.”
~ Kacy Sparrow
“I am so glad that I had the opportunity to intern with Back to the Bays this summer. From the moment I began my internship, all of the CCE staff were so welcoming and excited to share their knowledge with us. I was able to learn about how the program works, the role that each staff member plays in ensuring that things run smoothly, and how the projects conducted by Back to the Bays make a difference in our local environment. I did not have any prior experience working with marine life or marine ecosystems, so I learned a great deal just by observing camp lectures, taking care of the touch tanks, and helping with everyday tasks around the facilities. My background in STEM and conducting lab work was put to use by testing sediment samples and assisting with fieldwork. I loved being able to get a taste of each initiative that Back to the Bays works towards, from restoring eelgrass populations, to designing seahorse “hotels,” to releasing spat-on-shell oysters in order to grow oyster reefs.
I also enjoyed the educational aspect of the program, which I was able to witness by helping out with camp. It was exciting to see how passionate young kids are about helping the environment and how eager they are to make a difference in the world. Their enthusiasm for a better future, along with the real impacts made by Back to the Bays staff, instilled in me the hope that creating positive change in the environment is still possible. Additionally, having the opportunity to work with so many female scientists, including the other interns, was quite inspiring. It reaffirmed the confidence that I have in myself and in my career path. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of such a great community of people. I will take the experiences and knowledge that I’ve gained from this internship with me as I continue to pursue my academic and professional careers.”
~ Elizabeth Saia
“My time at Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Back to the Bays program was an incredibly rewarding experience that allowed me to grow both personally and professionally. I had the opportunity to assist with community outreach and fundraising initiatives, contribute to horseshoe crab monitoring projects, and support summer camp programs that connected local youth with the marine environment.
One of the most valuable skills I learned was how to tag horseshoe crabs and use quadrat sampling techniques for population counts during the monitoring season at Tiana Bayside Facility in Hampton Bays. Being able to apply these field methods gave me a deeper understanding of marine research and how data collection directly supports conservation efforts.
This internship also helped me gain confidence in communicating science to diverse audiences through outreach events and summer programs. Overall, the experience confirmed my passion for marine science and inspired me to continue pursuing opportunities that combine fieldwork, education, and advocacy. I’m grateful for the mentorship I received and for being part of such a dedicated team working to protect our coastal ecosystems.”
~ Abbie Engrassia
“I am very grateful for the experience I had while working with Back to the Bays. I was quickly thrown into things when the staff needed help with a school field trip, and I jumped at the opportunity. Although I didn’t quite know everything yet, I was able to get a handle on things after hearing Kate give a presentation to each group of kids on oyster reefs and spat-on-shell. Getting to know the staff throughout the summer was particularly interesting to me, as each member has such a distinct role and plays an important part in making the program what it is. I love to talk about science and research, so having the opportunity to ask questions to Kate Rossi-Snook (Aquaculture Specialist) and Kim Manzo (Habitat + Seahorse Specialist) about eelgrass restoration, oyster reef development, seahorse populations, and their personal career experiences was both stimulating and inspiring. It was great to participate in each hands-on aspect of Back to the Bays Initiative. I was able to count eelgrass shoots for population analysis, release spat-on-shell oysters, conduct sediment analysis for both eelgrass and oyster reef restoration, and assist in the engineering of seahorse “hotels.” One significant moment during the internship was the week when the interns developed a rough plan for the seahorse “hotels” and, with the help of the staff, refined the design. Finalizing the design and deploying the “hotels” off Cedar Beach at the Southold facility for CCE was especially fun and rewarding. Overall, I am thankful for the valuable experiences I had this summer as an intern, and I’m deeply appreciative of the staff at CCE and Back to the Bays.”
~ Lillie Henthorne
Internships & Volunteering
If you are a college student or post-grad interested in participating in a Back to the Bays internship, please consider applying for our Summer 2026 season. Check our page in the new year for more information. To inquire about Fall or Spring internship opportunities, or for any other questions, please contact our Science + Engagement Manager, Hazel Wodehouse, at hew57@cornell.edu.
Interested in more general volunteer work with Back to the Bays throughout the year? Please consider joining our growing network of Back to the Bays Stewards!