Miles City Field Office Hosts Hutton Scholar

By Alden Shallcross, State Lead - Montana/Dakotas Aquatic Habitat Management Program

The Miles City Field Office hosted a Hutton Scholar student for the summer of 2020.

Sponsored by the American Fisheries Society, the Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is a paid summer internship and mentoring program for high school students interested in fisheries or biology.

As a Hutton Mentor, Miles City fish biologist Christina Stuart recruits students from her local high school who are interested in fisheries to apply to the program. In 2020, Miles City high school student Elise Anderson was among the few selected by the Hutton Committee.

The Miles City Field Office hired Elise for seven weeks to collect aquatic samples, water quality data, and identify riparian vegetation. During this time, the BLM taught Elise about fisheries and aquatic habitat management, as well as the various career paths that are available within this field of practice.

Elise had a great time working with the BLM and has stayed in contact with Christina regarding classes and other opportunities in fisheries she has found during her first year in college. She has developed an interest in the resources and is planning her curriculum and summer jobs to position herself for a future career in fisheries management.