My name is Elijah Wade, and I look forward to working with The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) through their Penn State internship this summer. I am a sophomore finishing up my third semester after recently transferring to University Park from the Berks campus. My major is Agricultural Science with a minor in Horticulture. As I spend more time in my major, I am developing a greater interest in trees and may add an Arboriculture minor next semester. My future plans may involve working in plant propagation, tree care, or somewhere in the field of horticulture.
Working with the American chestnut tree will provide me with valuable experience in my area of study and an opportunity to give back to nature. After spending hours in the garden and on hiking trails and looking after houseplants, I feel a responsibility to reciprocate nature’s gifts. One such way to give back is working toward uniting our native ecosystems with their long-lost friend the American chestnut, the king of the forest. I would like to thank TACF and Mr. Stephen Hoy at Penn State for this exciting opportunity and look forward to an insightful summer.