Environmentally-focused student reels in internship with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

KALAMAZOO, Mich.— Kiona Powers, a rising sophomore at Western Michigan University, is already getting her feet wet in her field of study. She recently secured an internship with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services where she engages directly with local fishers, anglers and river goers to promote the Eat Safe Fish Program, educating the community on healthy fish consumption and mitigating health risks. 

A double major in Spanish and environmental and sustainability studies, the exciting opportunity blends both Powers' passions and skills. She began learning Spanish in elementary school through a language immersion program and continued her language studies in high school through a dual enrollment partnership between Kalamazoo Christian High School and WMU.

As her Spanish proficiency grew, so did her college credit. Now coming out of her freshman year, Powers is almost done with her Spanish major and is excited to delve into courses that focus more on the environment and sustainability. 

“I’ve always been big on the outdoors; I always go to lots of national and state parks,” she says. “And I think about Spanish a lot in all my other studies; it’s a big part of my life,” 

Spring 2024, she took SPAN 4400: Internship with Service where she saw her majors intersect firsthand.

“Dr. Lindsay Jeffers, who does this Spanish 4400 class, was my first professor at Western when I was 14,” she says. “She emailed me about this class and set me up here with a lot of professors that I could talk to.” 

Working closely with schools, hospitals and other organizations, the class provides Spanish majors the chance to apply the language to an internship or service-learning experience within Kalamazoo’s Hispanic community.  

For Powers, the class led her to Kalamazoo River Watershed Council (KRWC), a nonprofit that restores and protects the Kalamazoo River. She translated documents and website materials, focusing on the health risks of eating contaminated fish. Her work was crucial, as she learned some communities rely on fishing from the river for food—either unaware of the risks or having no alternative options. 

“There is a huge gap of accessibility," she explains. “If they can't get this information in their language, they're not going to know of the concerns.”

Her efforts in promoting safe fishing and consumption among underserved populations made her a standout candidate for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services where she was offered an internship position as a river walker.

In this role, Powers engages with the local community on a daily basis. Talking with fishers, anglers and recreational river-goers alike, she highlights the Eat Safe Fish Program—a Michigan government initiative that promotes safe fish consumption. She collects data and spreads informational materials to raise awareness and support the program

“I was not expecting to have this kind of a job freshman year,” she says. “I love being outside, talking with people, and seeing people engaging with the river.” 

To other students, she encourages them to take the leap—whatever it may be. 

“When it comes to taking a hybrid class, there’s no harm in trying it and going for it,” she says. “Same goes for taking another language–there’s no disadvantage, it will only get you further.” 

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