USU AmeriCorps One Utah Summer of Service Fellow Fosters Community Engagement With Nature

Days of trekking through Utah’s Logan Canyon and scouting birds in the tranquil waters of Cache Valley’s Cutler Marsh are departures for Utah State University scholar Kai Li Tullis. The 2026 Honors graduate is accustomed to long hours of reading, writing and research: He’s earned a bachelor’s degree in International Studies with a minor in Chinese, along with certificates in Global Peacebuilding, as well as Leadership and Diplomacy.

Tullis, who embarks this fall on master’s studies in Anticipatory Intelligence at USU, is serving as an AmeriCorps One Utah Summer of Service Fellowship intern with Cache Valley’s Stokes Nature Center.

“This internship has acted as a great break from my formal studies,” says the Hyde Park, Utah native, who lists camping, hiking, hammocking and rock climbing as her favorite activities. “It’s given me an opportunity to learn more about nature and other interests, which can be hard to do during the school year.”

Did you know, Tullis asks, that there are more than 2,000 known types of fireflies?

“And some of them eat mosquitoes, making them even cooler to me,” she says.

Tullis is also gaining appreciation for the importance of accessible environmental education, and the significant impact organizations like Stokes Nature Center, a nonprofit based in Logan Canyon with a new educational center opening soon in nearby Nibley, can have on a community.

“I’ve had the opportunity to interact with people of all ages who are participating in the center’s outdoor concerts, canoe trips, firefly tours, hummingbird nights and more,” she says. “It’s a very special experience to teach others about the beauty of our natural world, and to observe their reactions as they get away from the everyday stress of urban life.”

Tullis, who works with USU alumni Kate Hunter (Biology, PhD’26), director of education for Stokes Nature Center, and Anna Nelson (Communication, Writing Journalism, BA’24), community engagement specialist, says she’s learning why environmental stewardship is so important.

“We all depend on the earth’s natural resources,” she says. “These resources support everyone’s well-being.”

As an undergraduate at USU, Tullis says she wasn’t directly involved in environmental science study, but her classes still helped to prepare her for her current internship.

“I had the opportunity to learn about and build program management and communications skills, while practicing critical thinking,” she says. “All of those experiences have benefited me as I’ve planned my workdays and worked with the public.”

Tullis says some of her most influential faculty mentors at USU include Colin Flint, Shannon Peterson and Austin Knuppe of the School of Social Sciences as well as Rose-Judd Murray in the Department of Applied Sciences, Technology and Education.

“These faculty members are excellent scholars, teachers and mentors,” she says.

As she prepares for graduate school, Tullis is studying for the Foreign Service Officer Test, which is an initial step in a multi-phase selection process overseen by the U.S. Department of State.

“I would love to pursue a career in diplomacy or security,” she says.

For the time being, Tullis encourages everyone in the Cache Valley community to take advantage of opportunities provided by Stokes Nature Center.

“Get involved in the AmeriCorps Summer of Service Program or Conservation Corps, or just sign up to volunteer,” she says. “And definitely participate in Stokes Nature Center activities. There’s something for everyone.”