Outer Island Interns 2024

Interns are hired each summer to staff Outer Island and to assist visiting groups with educational programming during their visit to the island. The interns also conduct research activities, including water quality monitoring, and participate in maintenance activities on the island facilities. Below are brief bios for the Summer 2024 Outer Island Interns:

Abigail Boyle

Hello all!

My name is Abigail Boyle, and I am an Environmental systems and sustainability major at Southern Connecticut State University, graduating fall 2024. At SCSU I have been involved in a wide range of Environmental work, including the faculty lead study abroad program to Iceland in summer of 2023. There I was allowed to get hands on research collecting field data on top of a Moutian Ridge, in the town of Seydisfjordour Iceland, and taking biodiversity water quality in the fjord of Seydisjdour. From the summer collection of water quality samples, I was fortunate enough to be asked back with a team lead by Dr. Emma Cross and go back to Iceland in September 2023 to collect another round of data. From that trip I was able to have more hands-on experience with the project, have been doing my own research involving GoPro video analysis and have been watching the video footage since then. On campus I am also involved in the Geography, Environmental, and Marine Science club where I act as social media coordinator and run the Instagram! I am also involved with the theater group, Cresent Players, on campus and act in various plays throughout the school year. If you don't find me outside on campus, I will be on stage!

When not on campus you can find me in the woods swimming in waterfalls, dancing outside or in a studio, skateboarding, traveling around the world, or relaxing on the various beaches in Branford, CT, my hometown. I am a Branford local and have grown up on the shores of Branford Point, Kilams Point, and Stony Creek. Eating Stony Creek pizza, jumping off the dock at Sunset, or swinging on the swings at Branford Point (even as an adult).

I am thrilled to be interning for the Stewart B. McKinney Wildlife Refuge on Outer Island this summer. I love my hometown, and love to be outside (basically at all times), and it has been my life goal to do anything I can to help preserve this beautiful planet we all call home. And to bring that awareness to people around me. And I believe that it starts at the local level. Therefore, I am so excited to get out there and help my community learn about this beautiful Island that I was awestruck by as a kid, and to help preserve this coastal wildlife center. See you all soon!

Kaitlin Cole

Hi everyone!

My name is Kaitlin Cole. I am a biology major at Central Connecticut State University, graduating in May 2024. My studies at CCSU have focused on ecology, biodiversity, and evolution. My fascination with the natural world began when I was a child; The home I grew up in was surrounded by 5 acres of forest, carved with flowing streams and a small pond, all of which I used for my own personal exploration. I remember looking for frogs, turtles, worms, and any other curiosity I could find while enjoying the serenity and sense of adventure I felt in the woods. Jane Goodall, Steve Irwin, and David Attenborough were some of my childhood heroes, and still are today.

Outside of school, I enjoy hiking, painting, reading, watching documentaries, and exploring unfamiliar places. In January 2024, I traveled to Belize for a study abroad trip, where we observed the biodiversity of the Belize Barrier Reef and learned about the marine and jungle ecosystems that comprise the region. The trip was truly life changing and eye opening; Seeing the beauty and interconnectedness of the wilderness up close solidified to me how important it is to protect it, while making it clear that wildlife biology is the correct career path for me.

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work on Outer Island at the Stewart B. McKinney Wildlife Refuge this summer! I am eager to do my part in protecting and preserving the coastal wildlife and beautiful habitat of Long Island Sound. This will be my first hands on experience outside of school using wildlife techniques, so I am very excited to learn and experience new things, while also teaching others! I hope to see you out there this spring and summer!

Megan Magalik

Hi everyone!

My name is Meg Magalik, I’m a junior at Central Connecticut State University studying Biology. I have always had a very deep interest in the natural world and our environment since I was a child, and much of it has to do with growing up on Long Island sound. I am hoping to become a scientific educator in the future- one of my passions is sharing that love for science with others and am looking forward to assisting with educational programs here on Outer Island! Some of my passions include wildlife photography, hiking, fishkeeping, and drawing. I’m excited to work with you all this summer!