The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is welcoming seven new interns for the summer. The student interns, who will be working on a variety of teams at the Maine DOE, were selected for the Maine Government Summer Internship Program by the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine.
Maine DOE’s interns will spend the summer assisting with daily operations, projects, events, and other meaningful work while gaining knowledge, connections, and professional experience at the Maine DOE this summer.
Maine Department of Education Interns
Grace Leclerc is a rising junior at Brown University, where she is studying Political Science and Education Studies. She is originally from Topsham, ME. As the Child Nutrition Intern, she is excited to work with the Child and Adult Care Food Program Team to help modernize their training program. In her free time, she enjoys playing the saxophone and learning sign language.
Ellie Lomangino is a rising junior at George Washington University studying International Affairs and French. She is originally from South Portland, ME. As a Data and Media Assistant, she is excited to support the implementation of technology in Maine schools, as well as gaining a broader understanding of the Maine DOE’s initiatives and field of education. In her free time, she enjoys playing piano and singing with the Vibes A Capella group.
Samuel Maltese is a rising senior at the University of Vermont, where he studies Food Systems, Nutrition, and Community Entrepreneurship. He is originally from Camden, ME. As a Learning Through Technology Data & Media Assistant, he hopes to leverage technology to improve education. At UVM, he manages digitalization for the university radio station, WRUV, and was published as a second author of Assessing the Efficacy of Commercial Probiotics in Preventing Colonization of Listeria monocytogenes on Wooden Cheese Aging Boards by Eurydice Aboagye et al. In his free time, he enjoys swimming, cooking, and gardening at his home in Camden.
Colin Marquis-Boutin is a recent graduate of Bates College, where he studied Politics and Chinese. He is originally from Mechanic Falls, ME. As a Recruitment Outreach Assistant, he will be raising the profile of the Maine Service Fellows initiative by attending recruitment events, developing an outreach plan, and creating marketing materials to promote the program, as well as researching and writing a report on current service program recruitment practices and trends. He is most excited to be a part of a team that connects dedicated service fellows to communities to complete important service projects. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and playing the saxophone.
Ava Shapiro is a rising junior at Colby College, where she is studying Government and Educational Studies. She is originally from New York, NY. As the Communications and Outreach Intern, she will be researching different education-related programs and events within the state, writing articles, gathering interview and photo/video content at events, and assisting with promotional materials. She is most excited to help with the Annual Educator Summit, the Maine DOE’s largest event which takes place in August. After graduation, she wants to pursue a career in educational policy in Maine. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, hiking, rock climbing, and listening to country music.
Meredyth Waters is a rising senior at the University of Maine, where she is studying Political Science with a focus on labor and leadership. As an Operational Assistant, she is excited to work for the DOE to pursue her interests in education and public administration and believes that this role will allow her to experience the intersections of public policy, operation, leadership, and labor. In her free time, she enjoys camping, a Wikipedia deep dive, and cheering on the Black Bears during hockey season.
May Whelan is a rising senior at Bates College, where she is studying Economics and Spanish on the pre-law track. She is originally from Bristol, RI. As a Volunteer Maine Human Resource Instructional Design Assistant, she is excited to revamp the adult learning platform for volunteer management, as well as learn more about the different realms of state and municipal government. In her free time, she enjoys dancing and traveling.
The Maine DOE is excited to welcome these summer interns and looks forward to their innovative ideas and fresh perspective on the many projects they will be involved with throughout the summer.
To learn more about the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center’s Maine Government Summer Internship Program, visit their website.
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