Ariel Higuchi is a Junior majoring in History at Brown University. This summer, she will work for the Department of Sustainability under the US Department of Forestry in Juneau, Alaska.
What major projects are you working on in your internship? What responsibilities are you most excited about and why?
The main project I am working on is helping develop an asset priority index for Region 10 of the Forest Service. This index will help the region create a systematic way of determining which assets are priorities and therefore, which assets need to be funded over other assets. Moreover, it further includes an evaluation of the building’s sustainability standards as set out by Executive Order 13693. There is a lot of backlogged data. In my opinion, unorganized data and poor data are almost the equivalent to no data. I hope my work with the Forest Service this summer allows the data to be put to good use and critically evaluated so that smart, informed decisions can be made regarding budgeting.
When did you realize you wanted to explore public service?
Public service can be slow, but when changes are made, they have the potential to become engrained into the fabric of society. I don’t recall exactly what prompted my desire to explore public service but I think of it as just one of the many modes of social change. It is very unlikely that one mode alone will solve a social issue. Therefore, I decided I wanted to explore public service and understand what type of unique benefits and costs it brings to the table in discussing the methods in which a person could begin to think about addressing a social issue.
What are your plans/ goals after this internship? Are there any goals you want to accomplish this summer?
I am currently studying for the LSAT and hope to apply to law school in the next year or two. I will also continue my work as the advocacy chair of Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE), an official organization through Brown University’s Swearer Center for Public Service. With the rest of the leadership team at HOPE, I lead advocacy work and direct service work to assist individuals experiencing homelessness in Rhode Island.
What are you looking forward to in DC / where your internship is located?
This summer I am working in Juneau, Alaska. Juneau is an incredibly beautiful city, possibly a slice of heaven. I look forward to going on more hikes, camping trips, and the midnight sun.
What do you do for fun?
I enjoy hiking and being outside, so Juneau was a very lucky fit. I also love practicing Kung Fu and Tai Chi under my Sifu back at home. I also enjoy singing, dancing, and almost anything competitive in nature.
What is something that most people would not know about you?
I am a member of Brown University’s only A Capirate group, ARRR!!! We spontaneously perform, sing sea shanties, and sometimes we know the lyrics, sometimes we don’t.
Meet all of our CAPAL Scholars & Interns here.
Posted by Nattacha Munakata
Nattacha Munakata is currently a rising sophomore at George Mason University, studying Community Health with a concentration in Clinical Science (Pre-med). On campus, she is Peer Health Advisor, working to raise awareness and educate students on health issues. She is also involved in TEDxGMU and Thai Student Association. Outside, she likes to volunteer for local organizations and events, such as the DC Sakura matsuri and her local FIRST robotics team. During her free time, she likes to watch Netflix dramas and explore new music.