2018 Munson Intern

UA PR Student Earns Grant for Riverkeeper Internship

Toxey Wins College of Communication and Information Sciences’ Top Award

For Immediate Release:
May 30, 2019

Contact:
Anna Claire Toxey, Public Relations Intern, Black Warrior Riverkeeper: [email protected], 727-631-1482
Charles Scribner, Executive Director, Black Warrior Riverkeeper: [email protected], 205-458-0095

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Anna Claire Toxey, a native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., has received a grant from the Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation to work with Black Warrior Riverkeeper, a nonprofit clean water advocacy organization. A senior at The University of Alabama, Toxey will work as a public relations intern throughout the group’s service area, the 17-county Black Warrior River watershed.

The Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation provides funds to programs that focus on the conservation of natural resources in North America and the Caribbean Basin, with an emphasis on North America. The foundation’s internship grant to The University of Alabama’s Department of Advertising and Public Relations is the highest award presented to a student in the College of Communication and Information Sciences.

“I am very grateful for this grant and for the opportunity to work with Black Warrior Riverkeeper this summer,” Toxey said. “Being a Tuscaloosa native makes it even more rewarding to partner with an organization whose primary focus is protecting the historic Black Warrior River. I am looking forward to using my public relations knowledge to help support the organization and its mission.”

As a member of Waterkeeper Alliance, Black Warrior Riverkeeper identifies pollution problems and works to fix them while increasing public awareness. The organization also engages partner groups and individuals in its efforts. Last year, 520 volunteers donated 6,983 hours of community service through Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s projects. The majority of those volunteers were students from The University of Alabama.

“Our great state leads the nation in freshwater biodiversity, but we are plagued by pollution and apathy,” said Charles Scribner, executive director of Black Warrior Riverkeeper. “I am so thankful for The University of Alabama’s nationally renowned PR program helping us spread awareness of these urgent facts.”

“By generously providing students with a grant for the internship, the Munson Foundation helps both the conservation organization as well as the student,” said Dr. Joseph Phelps, chairman of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at The University of Alabama. “It is a wonderful opportunity for students to practice what they are learning in their classes while helping the nonprofit organization meet its objectives.”

For Allie Binford’s high resolution photo of Anna Claire Toxey at the President’s Mansion, click here.

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Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect and restore the Black Warrior River and its tributaries. The citizen-based nonprofit organization promotes clean water for the sake of public health, recreation, and wildlife habitat throughout the Black Warrior River watershed.

Black Warrior Riverkeeper intern Anna Claire Toxey at the President’s Mansion. Photo by Allie Binford.