Three of Cascadia College’s sustainability students are returning to Bothell after interning at various organizations in the Northwest and abroad.

Students in the college’s bachelors of applied science in sustainable practices program are required to do an internship, working with a sustainability-oriented organization or company. Three of the current cohort of juniors took the opportunity to travel — doing internships in Olympia, at Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho and in Iceland.

Antonio Riani, who is from Sammamish, worked with the Washington State Department of Transportation Wetland Ecology and Monitoring Program in Olympia to remove invasive species and learn ecological restoration methods. Drew Riggles from Woodinville interned at Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho, managing invasive species of plants and insects, learning about pest control methods and maintaining the nature of the park. Riggles is now driven to pursue entomology, a career he hadn’t considered before, according to a press release.

“I gained valuable hands-on experience working with committed members of the parks, forest, and various conservation companies,” said Riggles said in the release. “I’m excited to work further towards conservation efforts as I move forward to study insects professionally.”

Joao Vilca Soto, a Bellevue resident, traveled to Iceland with the Global Trek and Adventures program in Reykjavik to conduct cultural and environmental field research. His work will be part of an upcoming “Anthology of Iceland” book, describing both the culture and unique environment around the isolated island.

Cascadia’s fifth cohort of bachelor’s students will start classes at the end of September. Applied associate and baccalaureate degrees encourage students to engage with industries aligned with their program through internships and on-campus projects relating to sustainability.