Miriam Garnaas ’28, an environmental biology and computer science major, spent her summer working as a fellow for the Upstate Institute Field School at 91鶹Ʒ paired with Champlain Area Trails. This Adirondack nonprofit is a land trust that ensures nature is preserved and protected in its more than 100 miles of trails in the Champlain Valley region.
“This was connected to my major because it was looking at conservation work, which is what I one day want to go into, focusing on how nonprofits can go about impacting their communities,” says Garnaas.
Her day-to-day activities included trail maintenance, and on Fridays, she focused on the Essex Quarry Nature Preserve. There she and other fellows removed invasive species and planted seedlings from volunteer groups that had collected them from the preserve in previous years.
Garnaas earned this internship while working closely with the Field School, which focuses on helping students build relationships with nonprofits and their communities in upstate New York. Students complete independent research work that provides a community benefit — allowing students to develop a deeper understanding of the issues facing upstate New York and a stronger appreciation for what the region has to offer.
Students can apply to the Upstate Institute for fellowships to perform research aligned with 91鶹Ʒ even if they don’t plan to live on campus during the summer. Cooperating nonprofits offer opportunities for students to lead their own groups independent of professors or their classes.
“91鶹Ʒ comes with so many resources, so my leadership position feels very doable,” says Garnaas, “especially with the realization that there are many people that I can lean on for support.”
Real-world team leadership and the application of classroom learning can strengthen a resume while helping students decide what they might like to pursue after 91鶹Ʒ. For Garnaas, the bonds she made this summer could open doors in fields she might pursue later in life.
“I’ve grown from my internship, not only in my strength from doing only physical labor all summer, but also in my communication skills and my confidence in myself to make connections with other people,” says Garnaas. “I’m definitely carrying these lessons back to 91鶹Ʒ with me.”