“‘I have fallen in love with places before … by falling in love I mean that the places changed me’ (Susan Fox Rogers). I knew within the first week of being here that I would either have a hard time saying goodbye to this camp or I would not say goodbye at all.”

“With conservation I’ve learned there is always a massive amount of work to be done. It’s overwhelming. There is so much we all should be doing in our day-to-day life; it’s easy to get discouraged feeling like one person could never truly make a difference.”

“While trail maintenance can certainly be a fulfilling time for many people, I have discovered that it is not a career that I would want to partake in for an extended period of time.”

“This endeavor has opened up a world of possibilities I never expected, and feel more than ready to tackle whatever the world throws at me next. So for that, I thank everyone involved in the last year of my life, it has been ‘more fun than a frog in a glass of milk’”

“Trail work has taught me to slow down and appreciate parts of the natural world that I hadn’t before.”

“Having spent my previous five years as a software engineer, I had a lot of uncertainty and doubt about going through such a drastic career change. But after my first year in the broad field of environmental science, if given the option to go back in time and choose again, I can safely say I absolutely would make the same choice again.”

“I definitely would not classify myself as a free spirit, or someone who takes life day by day. Anyone who knows me knows that I thrive off of planning, lists, and knowing what I am doing long before it is time to do them.”

“I am very thankful for the many conversations, experiences, obstacles, and accomplishments that I have been a part of here during the program. From interacting with the public on a daily basis, to cleaning composting toilets, I have learned a lot and could not have asked for a better experience to start my life after college.”

“I’ve always enjoyed looking at the world through a creative lens. I don’t believe in the “Black & White”; almost everything in nature is complex and nuanced.”

“It feels as though it was just yesterday that we were a group of strangers all standing behind the SLA awkwardly introducing ourselves and getting to know one another.”