Green Umbrella fellows finish internship with City of Oxford

This summer, the City of Oxford welcomed two interns, Oluwaseun Olubodun and Kate Kozak, from the Climate Action Fellowship offered through Green Umbrella. 

Green Umbrella is a non-profit organization that connects people, organizations and local governments in the greater Cincinnati area to “take decisive action in the face of climate change.”

This summer marked the second year that Oxford welcomed interns from the Climate Action Fellowship. These fellows work on projects both provided by Green Umbrella as well as relevant tasks for the city. 

Olubodun has studied at Miami University since 2019, first as a master’s student and now working towards her Ph.D. in the ecology, evolution and environmental biology program. Kozak is entering her junior year at Ohio State University as an environment, economy, development and sustainability major. 

Green Umbrella paired the two up to work in Oxford starting in late May under Reena Murphy, Oxford’s sustainability coordinator and the host site supervisor for the fellowship. 

“It’s a great collaboration for Oxford in the region,” Murphy said. “It’s a great way to learn from each other, and it’s a good way to get new perspectives and ideas in our community and really start chipping away at some of our long-term goals. I’m super grateful for the fellowship and the work these two have done this summer.”

Over the summer, the duo worked on various projects for Green Umbrella, such as energy benchmarking and climate budgeting, as well as other priorities for the city. Olubodun researched stormwater management funds, and Kozak concentrated on waste management. 

For Olubodun, the experience this summer differed from her typical work in the lab and in school because it allowed her to see how her research affects Oxford.  

“Being in the lab, you kind of forget the essence of a bigger picture,” Olubodun said. “We’re doing procurement, we’re doing energy benchmarking, we’re doing community wealth, [but] what’s the whole point of it? Why are we doing it? Why is it important? … So being able to take a step away from my regular activities and see how everything makes sense with the lens of sustainability, I think that’s what is very important to me.”

Beyond researching, Olubodun and Kozak also presented their findings throughout the summer to various Environmental Commission and Climate Action Steering Committee meetings. 

“Everybody was really nice,” Kozak said. “They asked so many questions. It was really kind of a jumping-off point. I shared the information, and they were like, ‘Okay, now how does this more directly apply to Oxford?’”

The interns only worked for the city over the summer. Despite their brief time, however, Kozak said everyone she worked with was welcoming and excited to introduce her to Oxford. 

“Considering that we’re only here for 10 weeks, they don’t necessarily have to get to know us,” Kozak said. “I think it’s really nice that people are putting in an effort to be nice. We’ve met people in other departments, and we’ve gone on various tours of places. All city staff members [want] to answer our questions, and they want to show us around town.”

Their research and work since arriving in Oxford has given both interns valuable experience in their fields, as well as introducing them to experts in different industries. Kozak said working on these projects, including a climate budgeting project that analyzed the city’s capital improvement plan through a sustainability lens, has taught her about what she likes in terms of data and research. 

Outside of working for the city, the interns have enjoyed spending time at the summer events in Oxford. From Freedom Festival to Red Brick Fridays, they have been able to see the people in Oxford that their work impacts.  

“It’s so nice,” Kozak said. “We’ve been at these community events for the waste stations, [and] that’s been my favorite part. It’s so nice to see all the people come out and get together … I think it’s very pretty around here, and everyone cares about sustainability, so that’s been uplifting as well.”

The fellowship term ends on Aug. 8. Kozak and Olubodun will attend the fellowship showcase on Aug. 20, where they will share their experiences with interns from other cities at the University of Cincinnati. 

Although this is only the second summer that Oxford participated in the Green Umbrella Climate Action Fellowship, Murphy said the city would love to continue participating and highlighted the benefits to both the interns and the city. 

“I just have a soft spot,” Murphy said. “I started in the city as an intern during my graduate program. The best way to learn is to do and to see what local government is all about.”