Mary Frank
More about Mary’s internship
In 2020, Mary had been selected as the Lands intern for the Dene Tha’ First Nation community of Chateh but was not able to fulfill her internship in the community due to Covid-19 restrictions. She was, however, able to work remotely and support some Beaver First Nation projects. This year, she was selected as the Lands intern for Beaver First Nation and has been able to meet in person those that she worked with last year. Within the first three weeks of her internship, she has been busy with writing grants, working in the community gardens and getting to know the community.
What were you hired for and what are you working on? (and mention you’re working with lands department)
I was hired as the 2021 Lands & Consultation intern in Beaver First Nation. I am supporting the Lands department with various projects related to gardening and land use. Currently, I’m working on a grant to fund a community garden in Boyer. I will be working with a fellow intern, Kylie, to organize some youth programming to teach gardening and food preparation skills. We’ve also had a chance to help out with planting and maintaining the community orchard in Beaver First Nation’s Child Lake community. Later in the summer, I will be supporting Beaver First Nation’s Traditional Land Use assessment by organizing and conducting interviews with community members.
Who are you?
Hi, I’m Mary! I am a Lands intern with Engage North this year. I just finished my third year of a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, in the Faculty of ALES. My program concentration is called the Environment and Peoples of Canada. It explores environmental issues and how they impact communities in Canada, as well as the relationships that people here have with their natural surroundings.
What are your specific interests as an intern for Engage North?
I’m really excited to get to know Beaver First Nation and build relationships while I’m there, including a relationship with the environment. As a lands intern, I’m interested in learning about land use and environmental management and hearing Beaver First Nation’s priorities in these areas. While working remotely as an Engage North intern last year, I worked on some plans for a garden and a greenhouse, so I’d love to continue with those projects if possible.
Why do you want to be an intern? What attracted you or motivated you to get the position?
Engage North’s mission of building relationships between the university and northern community partners attracted me to this position. I think Engage North is playing an important role in building bridges between students and Northern Indigenous communities, and the opportunity to take part in that is so special. The Lands position also aligns with my academic interests, as a large part of my studies explores intersections between reconciliation, Indigenous sovereignty, and environmental protection.
With remote work being affected due to COVID and the current situation, how do you plan to interact with your community/communities?
After working remotely as an intern last year, I’m thrilled to be travelling to Beaver First Nation this summer. We will be working with precautions including social distancing, masking, and working outdoors when possible, but the opportunity to be there in person is irreplaceable.