LLTC Student Selected for Costa Rica Internship

Leech Lake Tribal College Student, Cedric Fairbanks, (Red Lake Nation enrolled member) has been accepted into a select 2012 summer internship in Costa Rica by the Organization for Tropical Studies through its Native American and Pacific Islander Research Education (NAPIRE) program. Cedric will spend eight weeks this summer in Costa Rica conducting research on mammal behavior and tropical biology under the supervision of a research mentor.

The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) is a nonprofit consortium of over 60 universities and research institutions from the United States, Costa Rica, Australia, México, Perú and South Africa. Since 1963, OTS has provided leadership in education, research, and the responsible use of natural resources in the tropics. The NAPIRE program provides a graduate-level research experience to about 20 undergraduate students from the United States and Pacific Islands each year. The program is designed to provide an understanding of tropical ecology that is grounded in a foundation of the social, political, economic, and scientific aspects of resource use and conservation.

The combination of theoretical research and hands-on field work in one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems makes this a unique experience for the students involved. After completing his studies at Leech Lake Tribal College, Fairbanks plans on pursuing a four-year degree and a career in an environmental science-related field.

Parents: Bonnie Fairbanks-Stangel, Bena-MN / Deceased, Lowell “Joe” Kingbird, Ponemah-MN