Our Summer Interns By Amy Klein

Our Summer Interns

By Amy Klein, Director of Development and Communications

This year, the WLAC was incredibly lucky to have three interns on the team: Emily McAteer, our Marketing and Communications Intern, and Maggie Bailey and Tegan Swanson, our Stewardship Interns. We are so grateful for all of their hard work and know that their impact on Walloon will last for years to come. Below are some highlights from an interview with these three amazing young professionals:

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE WLAC?

EMILY: I started three years ago, in 2019, doing junior membership and volunteering. Last year, I started volunteering a lot more and helped create the wakesurf event that is now Ski, Surf, Sail Walloon. Then I applied for the internship in the fall [2021] and worked here after I moved from San Francisco to Walloon Lake. TEGAN: I heard about it last year, and again this year through a professor of mine. MAGGIE: I had seen the posting on social media, and I knew that I would be home for the summer and I wanted to do some sort of internship, so this opportunity seemed like one I wanted to pursue.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PROJECT?

EMILY: Probably the preserve sign project as I got to go on hikes and be outside. Fun to be out of the office and work on the signage. I also liked making the new signs and helping create the preserve trail maps. TEGAN: I really enjoyed doing our Capstone Project on the dog waste compost stations at Postle Farm Preserve. Taking it from the research stage, getting it approved through committees, and finally taking it to the board to get the overall go ahead. MAGGIE: I also really enjoyed the Capstone Project, but I think the project that stuck with me the most was the Howell-Zimmerman Trail because it was the first big project that we completed. That one was really cool.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOOL?

TEGAN: Willy the Weed Whacker MAGGIE: Bertha the Brush Hog

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE EVENT?

EMILY: Dog Day of Summer. It was new, fun and super cute. I also got to be around a bunch of dogs all day for work…so that was pretty awesome.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PRESERVE?

EMILY: Norcross Family Preserve - it’s small, but I love the dock and being able to be on the water. It’s just my favorite spot to be on the lake. TEGAN: Cedar Valley Preserve – it has a good variety of ecosystem types and a nice trail overall. MAGGIE: Norcross Family Preserve – my memories on the dock are super special.

IF YOU WERE AN INVASIVE SPECIES WHAT WOULD YOU BE, AND WHY?

TEGAN: Garlic Mustard – because I really like garlic and you have the potential to cook with it. MAGGIE: Japanese Barberry - because I’m stubborn and I poke back.

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAY?

EMILY: There are so many of them, but a big one would be that I kind of know now what I might want to go into after school. I got a lot of experience with conservation work and nonprofits, which kind of guided me into other interests too. They all helped me grow and will help me declare my major in environmental protection or policy. This was all reassuring that this is something I want to go into. Also, the reason I was so passionate going into this internship was because I care so much about the lake. It’s a small part of the earth I can help. As I get older, I can help more and on a bigger scope, but as an 18-yearold, it’s so nice to have a small place to help with. TEGAN: Reassurance that I’m heading in the right direction with what I want to do with my career and life.

MAGGIE: The importance of nonprofit work and the challenges that comes with it, but also I think the reward is much greater. It’s something I might see in my future and I’m excited about that as a result of this position.