Silas Courey has joined the Friends team as one of our GIS (geographic information system) & Dendrology interns! Silas will be graduating this December from Cornerstone University with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology.
If you’ve been out planting trees with us this fall, you’ve likely met him. Read on to get to know him more!
I am passionate about finding innovative solutions to urban planning problems with an emphasis on green infrastructure. The work that Friends of Grand Rapids Parks is doing is exactly the type of work I hope to continue throughout my career and this internship was an obvious choice for me.
My next step is to continue my education by pursuing a Masters in Urban Planning. The work that we do at Friends consists of many moving pieces which all must coincide to get trees in the ground. Watching and aiding in this process has been a great learning opportunity in project management.
At Friends, I am learning a ton about how the non-profit sector works! The inner-workings of non-profits are a new field for me, and something that I am excited to get to learn about and take into the future.
My favorite park is White Pine Park because it holds one of the last pure White Pine stands in the county!
I’m not good with favorites but Le Kabob on 28th is one of my go-to Mediterranean spots.
If I could be an instantaneous expert at anything it would be composing and conducting orchestral music.
Joe Rogan is my current go to podcast, I am definitely a daily listener.
If I could only eat one item for the rest of my life it would most likely be pizza, I feel like there is enough variation possible to keep it from getting boring.
The three most necessary apps on my phone are Spotify, Cash, and probably my PNC banking app (lame, but highly convenient)
On the weekend you’ll find me working at Terra Firma Bouldering Company ,rock climbing, playing music, reading, or just hanging at my apartment with the roomies.
Friends of Grand Rapids Parks has an active internship program and we’re always accepting resumes for the next season! Interested? Check it out here.