This past May, I graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I recently got my diploma in the mail, and I am preparing to start a new job and for my whole life to shift on its axis. For the first time ever, I will no longer be a student. In the face of all this change, I have been reflecting on my college experience, and all the opportunities that I have been given. One of the most prominent and long-lasting ones, and possibly the most formative, is the internship I have had with the RORG team.
Starting off with Extension
I started my work here when I was just a sophomore in college. It was my first summer internship. The entire fall and spring of that year, I had been searching for a position, and when I saw the posting for a stormwater internship, it felt like the absolute perfect fit for me. I have always known that I wanted a job that would help support the environment, as that is one of my greatest passions, and this internship would give me the work experience I needed while building towards that dream.
I was lucky enough to land an interview, where I met my amazing supervisors, Eliana Brown and Layne Knoche, and learned for the first time about Illinois MS4s, or Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems. These MS4s are present in many towns across Illinois, and these communities all have and keep track of efforts to keep pollution out of local waterways. I was given the position, and that summer, I collected data from MS4 reports (which I recently wrote a blog about!) for the 2023 biennial report published by the Illinois EPA, Illinois Department of Agriculture, and the University of Illinois Extension. I learned so much about how communities keep pollutants out of our lakes and rivers.
Early on, I also first learned about rain gardens and green infrastructure. It turns out I had walked past a rain garden many times without realizing what it was — the Red Oak Rain Garden! I had such a great time working with the team over that summer, so when I was asked if I was interested in staying on part-time during the school year, I immediately said yes.
Growing with the Extension Internship
In the years since that first summer, I have worked on many exciting projects. Of course, I have continued to collect data from new MS4 reports every year, but there are so many other things I got the opportunity to work on. One summer, I photographed green infrastructure on the Urbana-Champaign campus, like the green roof at the BIF and the permeable pavement at the Ikenberry Commons. Another semester, I was helping update the meanings of scientific plant names for Extension native plant and stormwater outreach. Overall, my tasks were extremely varied, and the RORG Team took special care to assign me projects relating to my interest in green infrastructure, for which I am very grateful.
My Role in Research
One of my main roles, in addition to working on MS4 reports, was contributing to research projects related to green infrastructure. A few examples include research on what makes green infrastructure projects successful, how nature-based programming benefits youth, and a particularly exciting one about interpretive signage. For the signage project, I conducted a pedestrian traffic survey at the Red Oak Rain Garden to determine which areas received the most visitors and would be the best location for a sign. I also researched what makes interpretive signage effective and how to keep it clean. Recently, RORG got its very own sign! Seeing the behind-the-scenes work come to life, and knowing I had a hand in it, was incredibly rewarding.
Connecting with the Community
One of my other favorite parts of interning with the RORG team was connecting with the the community at events. I’ve helped the RORG Team table at Green Quad Day, the McKinley Foundation’s Monarch Fair, and the Student Sustainability Committee’s Sustainapalooza, and at each one, I loved telling students and community members about RORG and how it helps mitigate local flooding while beautifying the area and supporting pollinators. Like many others, I had walked past RORG without realizing the depth of its design, so getting the chance to help explain what it is and why it’s there was especially gratifying.
Tabling at events was also a time when I got to connect with the other interns and hear about the other exciting projects going on at RORG. Possibly my favorite tabling event was the fall 2024 event Illuminating Art in Nature, when students from Allen Hall competed in a pumpkin carving competition, and students from Art classes hung up pieces of all-natural artwork around the garden. The results were breathtaking, and I made sure all my friends came to see it.
A Fond Farewell
After three summers working with the RORG team, it’s hard to believe that it is really coming to a close. I have met so many wonderful people, which makes it much harder to say goodbye. But I am also extremely grateful for all that I have learned, and the opportunities this job has granted me. I had fun working here, and I really felt like I was making an impact.
I now know that a truly fulfilling job is not just a myth, it can be a reality. It has refueled my passion for sustainability (and gardening), and I have realized that I don’t have to choose between using the knowledge I gained from my degree and making a positive impact where I want to make it most. Thank you to both the Team and the rain garden, and I will see you all in the next chapter.
Chantal Korde recently completed her studies in chemical engineering at the University of Illinois. She is very interested in sustainability, as well as clean energy. She hopes to enter a career that improves the environment, either by removing pollution and restoring its beauty, or by developing innovative ways to help people coexist with the natural world. Some of her hobbies include reading and yoga, and she has a tuxedo cat back home.
Red Oak Rain Garden 