by Shannon O’Brien
Welcome to the Schoodic Institute team, Addie Prosser and Conor Moses! Both joined our organization in the last few months and their projects are underway.
The Development and Stewardship Intern, Addie Prosser, is developing a donor stewardship framework. She is creating communications that foster donor engagement, including invitations to subscribe to our monthly eNewsletter and appeals to supporters, along with expressions of gratitude for their support of Schoodic Institute’s mission. Additionally, she will assist with updating content and collaborate with staff on administrative tasks. She seeks to gain experience in donor engagement, stewardship, and philanthropy after earning a degree in international business administration from the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Amsterdam. Prosser brings strong organizational and communication skills, gained from owning her own company and from prior work as an assistant consultant. She is returning to her hometown of Gouldsboro, Maine, to start her career after graduation, and we are excited to have her help with improving our communication efforts.
“Being at Schoodic Institute feels like a full-circle moment, returning to a place that helped shape my work ethic and connection to community,” said Prosser. “I’m delighted to apply what I’ve learned at university and in my previous work experience to the development work here, in a place I love. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from such a wonderful and supportive team here at Schoodic Institute.”
Conor Moses is the annual Sea Watch Migration Monitor, spending his mornings at Schoodic Point hunched over a spotting scope to identify and count birds in flight. Based on previous years, Moses will count approximately 60,000 birds heading south for the winter. Most commonly, he will see Double-Crested Cormorants, Common Eiders, Northern Gannets, and Scoters. Moses comes prepared, having earned a degree in wildlife and fisheries biology from the University of Vermont in 2025. Additionally, he has experience in bird research, including conducting forest songbird point counts in New England and surveys for American Goshawks in the Stanislaus National Forest in California. Moses will diligently count the thousands of birds migrating this year until mid-December, when the movement slows. Sea Watch has been a crucial source of information on bird populations since 2016.
“I’ve had a great time here at Schoodic Institute so far. It’s been a really cool experience connecting with other staff and hearing about the work they’re doing in the park,” said Moses. “The winter ducks are picking up at Schoodic Point, which has been exciting! Looking forward to seeing how the rest of the season goes.”
Stay tuned to learn more about the final seabird count Conor will reach, or to see the impact of Addie’s work on Schoodic Institute communications. We are very fortunate to offer spaces for early-career professionals to develop and strengthen their skills as they build the foundation of their careers. Thank you for supporting Schoodic Institute, which makes these fundamental opportunities possible.