Copper Basin community partnerships
by Vicki Heisser |
Copper Basin Extension Center Coordinator Katie Bobowski has, as she notes, “worn many hats” in her life. From working as a forestry technician with USFS, to leading a 4-H chapter, to teaching science, Bobowski has worked in many fields. Now, as the coordinator at Copper Basin, she is working for PWSC helping students as they navigate the University system and working with area organizations to give back to the community.
Beyond her work with students, she is heavily involved in community outreach. As one
of her “favorite” parts of her job, community outreach allows Katie to meet with area
residents, hear about what they would like to learn, and help to organize special-interest
courses and lectures for community members.
Some of these lecture in this past year have gone online, and Bobowski’s work coordinating
has been invaluable. In particular, she was an integral part of the Science Lecture
Series for WISE (Wrangell Institute of Science and Environment; a small nonprofit
which does science and environmental education). It was Katie who was in charge of
the technology that enabled the lecture series to reach many individuals. Her exceptional
work earned her the nickname “Technology Queen.” As executive director for WISE, Robin
Mayo notes, “Zoom obeys [her].”
Bobowski has been such an asset for PWSC, WISE, and the Copper Basin community, and
she continues to be. With the start the new year, Katie will continue with outreach
and partnering with WISE to help them keep their lecture series running. Her commitment
to education and outreach in Alaska is inspiring!