Mid-Summer Update: Our Field Interns Are Thriving!
If you try to reach our GSS interns right now, you’ll likely get an out-of-office reply—and that is exactly what we like to see! Halfway through the summer season, our sponsored field crew is deep in the wilderness, putting their skills to work across North America.
We are thrilled to share that field updates and photos are officially rolling in! Our students are navigating rugged terrains, gaining critical hands-on conservation skills, and sending back proof that they are making a tangible impact.
📍 Spotlights from the Field
Lola Schwinghamer – Rio Grande Return (New Mexico)
Lola checked in from the Southwest with an update full of enthusiasm for the diverse restoration techniques she's mastering. Trading her past Alaskan adventures for the river valleys of New Mexico, Lola has been fully immersed in hands-on watershed healing.
"We started out building BDAs, beaver dam analogs, but now we're working in the burn scar building rock and wood structures in the stream. It's been really cool getting experience with so many different restoration techniques that I had no idea were a thing. I'm kind of dreading coming home because I've loved this work so much." — Lola Schwinghamer
Her team’s recent efforts focus on wildfire recovery, utilizing low-tech, process-based structures to stabilize streams and invite life back into fire-damaged ecosystems. Lola notes she has learned immense amounts over the past months and is eager to bring these stories back to Winona!
Katherine Goergon – Kenai Watershed Forum (Alaska)
Katherine has wrapped up an incredible first month and a half on the Kenai Peninsula, marking a milestone as this is her very first internship! She reports that the local team has been exceptionally welcoming and patient as she masters brand-new field techniques.
"My first month and a half with the Kenai Watershed Forum has been filled with a variety of different experiences... I've been learning so much." — Katherine Goergon
Katherine's days have been a diverse mix of hands-on watershed science, including checking thermal stream loggers, hiking out to survey the Cooper Landing Bypass for invasive plants, and wading into wetlands to ground-truth anadromous (salmon) fish habitats. Later this month, she is gearing up for the highly anticipated Kenai River baseline water quality monitoring event.
Daniel Araoz – Kodiak Soil and Water Conservation District (Alaska)
Further west on Kodiak Island, Daniel is fully immersed in the local ecology and community. He has been hitting the trails and ridges to assist with native vegetation surveys, invasive species management, and habitat assessments.
Whether he's trekking high into the mountains with his field crew to map environmental data or donning high-visibility gear to inspect and catalog plant species along local waterways, Daniel is getting a masterclass in island conservation. His updates show a team that is working hard, staying smiling, and deeply committed to protecting Alaska’s unique natural resources.
📍 Updates from Around the Regions
While the Wi-Fi is a bit harder to come by for our final crew member, we are happy to report that things are moving along beautifully:
Alexus Vang is on location with the University of Montana O'Connor Center. Because Alexus is embarking on longer, multi-day field hitches deep in the Rocky Mountains, getting regular updates is a challenge—but word from the field is that everything is going exceptionally well as she pushes forward with regional natural history data collection and ecological monitoring.
A Sincere Thank You to Our Benefactors
These immersive, career-defining experiences are only possible because of your generous financial support. By funding these paid field internships, you aren't just supporting summer employment; you are directly investing in the next generation of environmental scientists.
As Lola, Katherine, and Daniel’s experiences demonstrate, getting students out of the lab and onto the frontlines of real conservation builds a practical confidence that no textbook can match. Our industry partners gain enthusiastic, high-caliber support, and our students return to GSS as stronger, more capable leaders.
We will continue to share deep-dive spotlights and field photos as our crew temporarily trades their muddy boots for keyboards later this season. Stay tuned!
To learn more about how student internships bridge the gap between data and real-world conservation, visit us at www.geospatialservices.org.
