Located at 8,200′ in the central Rocky Mountains, Betty Ford Alpine Gardens internship program provides the next generation of horticulturists, conservation scientists, and educators the opportunity to build their professional skills through hands-on learning and unique experiences supported by our garden staff and community. Each internship is an opportunity for those interested in public gardens to put their skills into practice. Summer Interns learn about mountain ecosystems, alpine plants, and how a public non-profit botanic garden operates. The internship program has been endowed by the Frechette Family Foundation. Thank you for investing in the futures of young educators, horticulturists and scientists together with us.
Say hello to Rowan Nygard, a summer horticulture intern. Rowan grew up by the Eno River in Durham, North Carolina. He has journeyed West to learn about alpine ecosystems, crevice gardening, and the ecology of the Rocky Mountains. Rowan recently graduated from the Professional Horticulture Program at Longwood Gardens. In his free time he is a mycological educator and photographer. Rowan is a passionate ecologist and gardener, and is looking forward to expanding his horizons during his time in Colorado. If you see him in the Gardens, ask him about entomopathogenic fungi!
Meet our education intern, Emily Short! Emily grew up in Minnesota and is very excited to spend the summer in the mountains. Attending Boston College with a major in Transformative Education and Environmental Studies, she is passionate about environmental education. Come say “hello” at the education table in the gardens on Wednesday or Friday mornings and learn something about dinosaurs!
Meet Horticulture intern Tate Erickson. Tate grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota and obtained a dual major in Horticulture: Controlled Environments and Nursery and Landscape Management at Colorado State University. Having experience coordinating the Annual Trial Garden in Fort Collins, caring for many residential yards around the area, and working in greenhouse production, he is excited to hone his skills at Betty Ford, focusing on rock gardens, crevice, and alpine plants around the world. He’s excited to delve into the collection at Betty Ford and contribute to the efforts to preserve the alpine and elevate science.
Meet Mary Ipson, our summer conservation intern! Mary grew up in Parowan, Utah and attended Southern Utah University, majoring in Biology with a focus on plant and wildlife conservation. Since then, she has accrued experience working at the SUU Greenhouses and researching native plant species and pinyon jays in the field. In her free time, Mary enjoys spending time outdoors mountain biking, backpacking, hiking, climbing, and growing plants. She can’t wait to explore the alpine and help with conservation efforts this summer. You can often find Mary helping out at garden events or up in the alpine, if you’re feeling adventurous!
