The Westport River Watershed Alliance was able to hire two interns this summer, thanks to a $10,000 donation from BayCoast Bank.

Recent college graduates Ami Araujo and Katie Daffinee, both alumnae of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s biology program, spent their summers assisting the organization’s education and monitoring programs.

Araujo is now pursuing her master’s degree in marine biology at her undergraduate alma mater, and Daffinee hopes to pursue a career in the microbiology field.

Matt Patrick, executive director of the Westport River Watershed Alliance, said the alliance was thankful for BayCoast’s donation.

“It helps us do two things: educate children and provide work experience for two very promising graduates from our local state university who are interested in pursuing careers that will benefit the environment,” he said.

“We are happy to be able to help in this cause; helping students to learn about new and interesting employment opportunities by working in the field has always been a high priority of ours,” said Nicholas Christ, bank president and CEO. •