SOIL Interns
To read more about SOIL intern’s experiences see the following blog sites:

Ashley Dahlberg, University of California Santa Cruz
Andrew Carroll, Stanford University
Patricia Leiver, University of Miami
Rachel Koscianski, University of Miami
Woody Talley, University of Miami
Greg Sweinton, University of Miami
Emanna Louis, University of Miami
Brian Averill, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
Andrew Carroll is a plant  biologist in the PhD program at Stanford University. He received his Bachelor’s in Physics and Biology from the University of Virginia in 2005. He is an active member in the Stanford Chapter of Engineers for a Sustainable World, and represented them while working in Haiti with SOIL during the summer of 2006. As a scientist, he recognizes that the promise of technology is empty if we lack the compassion to use them to help those in greatest need.
Gabriele Puz is a graduate student in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Stanford University and her focus in her Master’s degree is on water and sanitation in developing countries. Gabby completed her undergraduate studies in Environmental Engineering at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. She worked as an environmental consultant in France and the US before returning to school in 2006. After finishing her Master’s degree, Gabby plans to continue working in the water and sanitation field in developing countries and would love to return to Haiti to work with SOIL and SOL on community projects.
Ashley Dahlberg is an undergraduate at the University of California Santa Cruz where she is studying Environmental Justice and Legal Studies.  Ashley’s passion for combining human rights work with the environment was amplified by her recent internship with SOIL.  While in Haiti she had a special interest working with the urban community, Shada. Ashley is currently developing a potential project to do there in the future that addresses waste management.  Now that she is back in California, she continues her work for SOIL as the Student Outreach Coordinator.  Recently, she has been raising awareness about Haiti and the work SOIL is doing by giving presentations and making cards.
Emanna Louis is a graduate student at the University of Miami , completing her final year of a five year BA and MA program in Latin American Studies.  She is taking classes with a concentration in International Administration.  Emanna is twenty years old, born and raised in Boynton Beach , Florida by her Haitian immigrant mother.  She has 3 sisters, the oldest residing in Leogane Haiti .  When she graduates in May of 2008 she hopes to find a career in an international development NGO or nonprofit organization.  The Peace Corps is a possible option. 
Patricia Liever is currently a second year student at the University of Miami, majoring in International Studies and Economics and minoring in Spanish.  She plans to graduate in December 2009.  Patricia’s academic interests include developmental economics and NGO management.  In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, SCUBA diving and spending time with her friends and family.  She is originally from Allentown, Pennsylvania. 
Gregory H. Swienton is 21 years old, born April 16, 1986. He grew up on a small Island  12 miles off the coast of Rhode Island called Block Island. Greg graduated Block Island High School in June 2004 and enrolled as a Freshman at the University of Miami that fall. He is a senior at UM with a major in Business Management and Organization and minor in International Business. Greg spent the Spring Semester 2007 abroad at the Chinese University of Hong Kong as a full time exchange student. While overseas he was able to travel throughout China as well as much of South East Asia. In China he visited Beijing, Xi'an and Tibet. In South East Asia he traveled to Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam.  Every single place lent its own unique experience and made a forever lasting impression on Greg. He is extremely interested in programs that reach out and try to make a difference in the world and is always looking to help people, towns, cities or countries in any way he can.
Rachel Koscianski is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio but has been living in Miami for the past three years and attending the University of Miami.  She is twenty years old, and graduating from the University with a double major in French and International Studies this May 2008.  Rachel has applied to Law School and have already been accepted to the University of Miami’s Law School, but is still waiting to hear back from the rest of the schools that she has applied to.  Rachel’s future goals consist of becoming a lawyer and finding some way to incorporate French into her law degree and daily life.  She has spent some time in Western Europe, mainly France, and this trip to Haiti will be her first.  She is very excited to use her experience in Haiti as a learning opportunity and as an opportunity to broaden her world view.  
Woody Talley is currently a graduate student at the University of Miami.  He is pursuing a Master of Arts in International Administration, where he hopes someday to be working in an NGO or international organization.  He is originally from North Carolina.  He received a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  While there he studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Upon graduating in 2003, he went to Peru on an archaeological field school project.  After that, he remained in Peru for 2 years teaching English.  He then returned to NC and taught English as a foreign language for 2 years.  He now teaches English in Miami while completing his graduate program.
Collin Cousins is an Economics major at Macalaster College whose interest is in the sustainable development of underdeveloped economies. His effort in this project is to investigate ways in which economic development can be sustained alongside environmental protection. He believes that countries like Haiti will be able to generate better income from increased soil fertility link to better living conditions; practicularly economically impoverished communities dependent on agricultural commerce.
Westenley Alcenat was born in Haiti where he witnessed first-hand the detrimental conditions of the rampant poverty on Haitian inhabittants. and moved to the U.S at the age of ten. He is a Political Science major at Macalaster College whose interest is in the field of International Relations. He is particularly interested in improving fair trade relations between countries like the United States in Haiti, in order to promote a stable and fair international political economy (IPE) in the age of Globalization.