My Semester as a Policy and Research Internship with TreePeople

Jason T., Spring 2024 

Hello there! My name is Jason, and I’m thrilled to share a snippet of my experience interning at TreePeople with you! A little bit about me: I am a senior at USC majoring in Environmental Studies with a minor in Landscape Architecture. I love being in the great outdoors, whether traveling, hiking, or snowboarding; I just love experiencing all the beautiful landscapes our Earth has to offer.  

For my last semester at USC, I was eager to apply my knowledge and skills in a professional environment, and TreePeople was the perfect fit. With TreePeople, I have worked closely with the amazing Mary Hillemeier, TreePeople’s Policy & Research Senior Coordinator, who has been tremendously supportive and gracious enough to gear my internship towards my specific professional aspirations. My primary assignment has been working on community outreach for a stormwater management project in the City of San Fernando called ‘Calles Verdes.’ I designed surveys and flyers and tabled at various community workshops to help facilitate collaboration among community members on this project. I have also conducted field research for TreePeople’s ‘Los Angeles Residential Landscape Diversity Study,’ sampling data from various residential lawnscapes and gardens across Los Angeles to assess the status and needs of LA’s urban soil. 

Through TreePeople’s positive work environment and endless support, I have learned and been able to contribute more than I ever could have imagined coming into the internship. I am grateful for every single person I met at TreePeople, for their endless love and support throughout my time with them!