Jennifer Cappeto
Jennifer Cappeto is the American Cemetery intern at NCPTT this summer. She will be working with Dr. ElizaBeth Bede, the DuPont Materials Research Fellow, to develop a conditions survey and site map for the American Cemetery in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The American Cemetery is believed to be the oldest cemetery in the Louisiana Purchase, having been in continual use as a non-denominational burial ground since the founding of Natchitoches in 1714.
Cappeto’s duties include creating a survey for the historic cemetery and assessing the condition of nearly 2000 grave markers and tombs. Also, she will develop a site map for the cemetery and photo-document each surveyed grave. In addition she will train local volunteers from the community to assist with the cemetery survey.
Cappeto will complete her master’s of science in historic preservation at the University of Pennsylvania next spring with a concentration in building materials conservation. She earned her bachelor’s degree in the history of art and architecture from Middlebury College in Vermont.
Seth Fornea
Seth Fornea is working with NCPTT and Northwestern State University of Louisiana as a chemistry intern this summer. Fornea’s main tasks are to assist Dr. Deig Sandoval, the NCPTT/NSU joint faculty, to measure sulfur dioxide deposition on consolidated stone.
Fornea will help prepare stone samples for exposure, treatment and analysis. He will assist in artificial weathering experiments in conjunction with this project. In addition, Fornea will occasionally assist in other projects, such as the American Cemetery Project, as needed. His internship with the center will last for at least 10 weeks.
Fornea is a junior at NSU and is majoring in chemistry with a minor in math. He is an active member of the chemistry club, the NSU Crew and the First Baptist Church. His future plans include becoming an environmental chemist and growing ‘really big watermelons’ on his parent’s farm.
April L. George
April L. George has joined the staff of NCPTT as a summer intern in the Public Outreach Program. She is a senior at Northwestern State University of Louisiana working on a degree in business administration and marketing.
Her duties at NCPTT will be creating a community outreach program for the Natchitoches area to inform citizens of the work the Center performs. Her responsibilities include preparing periodic newsletters, organizing web-site content and promoting NCPTT to the public.
George is from Lafayette, Louisiana. After graduating from high school in St. Martinville, Louisiana, she was awarded an athletic scholarship to play volleyball in Jacksonville, Florida. She played there for two years and earned an AA degree in Business.
George transferred to Northwestern State University to continue her volleyball endeavors and will graduate this fall. April plans to attend Louisiana State University to pursue a master’s degree in marketing.
Darren J. Modzelewski
Darren J. Modzelewski is working with NCPTT this summer to compile information on Native American consultation, training and other cultural resource management information for the NCPTT website. He will also be working on a project involving the integration and training of federal agencies in dealing with issues related to Native Americans.
Modzelewski will work to develop an interactive distance-learning training on consultation with Native Americans in cooperation with the Department of Justice and Tribal Governments. This is a cooperative effort of NCPTT’s Federal Preservation Institute, Department of Justice National Advocacy Center and Northwestern State University.A graduate of Brown University with a concentration in anthropology and history.
Modzelewski plans to apply to graduate programs in anthropology and historical archeology in the fall. Following a graduate degree, he would like to return to Brown University as a faculty member and create a Native American Studies Department.
Judi Moon
Judi Moon is working with NCPTT and Northwestern State University as a materials testing intern this summer. Her primary responsibilities include conducting research on the interaction of air pollution with conservation treatments for limestone and marble alongside Dr. Deig Sandoval.
Moon will assist NCPTT staff in developing testing methodologies for evaluating sulfur dioxide interaction with consolidated stone. She will also develop a methodology for artificial aging of treated stone samples. Moon will be a part of the NCPTT and NSU staff for 10 weeks.
Moon is a recent graduate from the University of Pennsylvania with a Masters of Science in Historic Preservation. Her focus has been on architectural conservation and she has participated in saving world heritage sites such as the Mesa Verde National Park. Judi plans to continue her work in the field of preservation and to work as an international conservator.
Rob Morgan
Rob Morgan started on May 13th with NCPTT’s public outreach program and will work with the Center for a 10-week summer internship.
Morgan’s main goal while at the center is to gain public support for NCPTT and its various activities spanning the Natchitoches community and the rest of the United States.
His duties include designing brochures and newsletters, writing press releases and writing articles for the Center’s newsletter, NCPTT Notes.
Morgan attends Northwestern State University of Louisiana and is majoring in journalism with an emphasis in public relations. At NSU, he is involved with The Current Sauce, the student newspaper; the Potpourri, the school’s yearbook; and the Rowing Team.