Internship Program: Doing Important Work

INTERNSHIPS Doing Important Work

The Internship Program

LEISHA LOZANO

At CVRF, our interns are an essential part of our operation. We’re committed to providing youth in our communities with opportunities to learn, grow, and build professional skills. As part of our annual internship program, we offer classes in resume writing and professional development, as well as work with instructors from the University of Alaska to prepare interns for life as students in a higher education or vocational program. For LEISHA LOZANO, interning at CVRF over the last two years has been a valuable experience and one way of funding her education at University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she is studying social work.

A hardworking student, she enjoyed the challenges of the CVRF internship and the opportunity to develop new professional skills. One of her favorite parts of the internship was working on the GIS program during the fall semester. “The software we were using was really complex, and we had to attend trainings and watch videos to learn how to use it. I’m glad I did, though, because it was so rewarding to see my maps come together and to say, ‘I did it!’ I know this experience will open up new opportunities for me in the future.”

In 2021, 10 high school and college students participated in the summer internship and earned a total of $72,600.

CVRF PROVIDES PPE TO KEEP COMMUNITY SAFE

During the pandemic, CVRF has maintained the health and safety of the

community as one of its highest priorities. In addition to enacting COVID protocols that enabled our fleet to operate for two years without a single onboard case of COVID, we have gone the extra mile to ensure our operations in region do not risk the safety of staff or residents. We have distributed PPE to people in the region and instituted no-contact deliveries of the essential goods we provide to help our communities grow and thrive.

FEEDING OUR COMMUNITIES

Last summer, when the Department of Fish and Game closed subsistence fishing in Chevak, Hooper Bay, and Scammon Bay, leaving many residents unable to fill their freezers and fish racks for the winter, CVRF jumped into action. By partnering with other Alaska organizations, including Alaska Marine Lines, Ryan Air, King Salmon Ground Services and SeaShare, CVRF was able to help deliver salmon to more than 625 households in CVRF’s largest communities. In total, CVRF and its partners provided 22,500 pounds of salmon, 6,000 pounds of which were donated by Ekuk Fisheries and distributed via SeaShare.