Sophie retrieves water quality monitoring equipment from Glen Lake.
My name is Sophie Schwartz
and I am so excited to be this year’s Watershed Science and Outreach Intern for the Glen Lake Association (GLA).
Growing up in urban Grand Rapids, I always sought out any chance I could to immerse myself in nature and learn as much as possible. In 2021, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend high school at The Leelanau School in Glen Arbor, located right between the shores of Lake Michigan and the Crystal River. The school’s emphasis on hands-on experiential learning gave me the opportunity to explore and learn about the natural area through hiking, swimming, boating and even snowshoeing. By the time I graduated from The Leelanau School in 2024, I had come to think of Glen Arbor as my home and recognized its natural elements as something extremely important to me.
My experience at The Leelanau School inspired me to pursue an environmental studies degree. I currently attend Eckerd College in St Petersburg, Florida, where I double major in Environmental Studies and Spanish with a minor in Film. I hope to be able to combine my interest in film and environmental work to capture and document the natural world, and my dream job is to work for the United Nations to help shape worldwide environmental policy.
Since graduating from The Leelanau School in 2024, I have returned to Glen Arbor each summer to work and stay connected to the area. I have also developed a reputation amongst my peers in Florida as being the #1 tourism advocate for Michigan. I am passionate about the local area and sharing my love and appreciation for it. Introducing others to the area has been deeply rewarding for me, and I hope to be able to continue this through my outreach work at the GLA.
This summer, I am very excited to be able to expand my field skills and deepen my knowledge of the watershed while also connecting with others who appreciate the lakes as much as I do. I am also eager to be able to contribute to the GLA’s work in a meaningful way. One of my main projects this summer is documenting data on Glen Lake’s invasive shoreline species, and this data will be shared with local partners like the National Park Service. I have already really enjoyed my time on the boat with GLA scientists Rob Karner, Joe Blondia, and Laura Wiesen, and have learned an incredible amount from their stories and experiences. I hope to continue meeting more community members through my work on the Discovery Boat, in the field, and around town.