Around the WATER Office: Meet Our Summer Interns!

Wondering why WATER has been flowing faster than usual? With 3 new interns in the office along with our year long Loretto Volunteer Wendy Mallette, the pace has quickened, and the possibilities are endless.
So if you’ve been dying to put a face to the voice who answered the office phone, the signature on that letter, or the worker behind website updates, read on!

Wendy Mallette – Maryville, TN

Wendy is the office’s yearlong intern through the wonderful Loretto Volunteer Program. She graduated from Valparaiso University in 2012 and is now headed to Yale Divinity School for a Master of Arts in Religion with a concentration in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Wendy came to WATER because she wanted to learn more about the kind of work being done in feminism and religion in a nonprofit setting. When she’s not leading the summer interns through the numerous projects WATER takes on, she enjoys biking, visiting art museums, and reading anything related to queer and feminist theory. She’s excited to work with so many new colleagues this summer!

Molly Bolton – Winston-Salem, NC

Molly Bolton is a third year at the Wake Forest School of Divinity. As a student and a pastoral intern at Green Street UMC, she found WATER’s resources lovely and helpful, and was inspired to join the alliance! Molly is especially interested in rituals for women, feminist methods of pastoral care, and “queering” worship. She loves art and poetry, but prefers exchanging stories with friends to just about anything. She is looking forward to a summer of learning from the pros and getting to know wonderful women. (Editor’s note: she is one.)

Rebekah Renfro – Melbourne, FL

Rebekah will be a senior at Smith College located in Northampton, MA. After falling in love with alternative biblical interpretations, she declared a major in religion, though still pursuing the pre-medicine track. She hopes her studies in religion will prove valuable for a career in genetic counseling, providing the most holistic and ethical approaches to her practice. Rebekah came to WATER thirsting for feminist perspectives, wanting to learn from the strongest of women, and gain real life work experience. When not at work, she loves swimming and fishing in all bodies of water, and singing with her soul. “I know after this summer I will take WATER with me wherever I go!”

Elizabeth Lancaster – Dover, DE

Elizabeth is beginning her senior year as a Religious Studies major at Hendrix College in Conway, AR. She came to WATER to learn more about feminist theology, specifically in relationship to body theology. She also wanted to get involved in the administration of a nonprofit organization, to learn by doing. Outside of the office you might find her training for the upcoming field hockey season. She recently returned from a four-month study abroad experience in Pondicherry, India, and now constantly craves Indian food. Elizabeth hopes to take a mental bibliography of feminist theologians back to Hendrix at the end of this summer, expanding her religious studies as she continues her education.