We are grateful for our eighth year with terrific summer interns that exuded enthusiasm, curiosity, and a willingness to help wherever we needed them. They assisted our staff on the water, under the water and in the lab, and they helped educate our community at the boat wash, on the Discovery Boat, at the farmers market, and at our annual meeting. They all have lifelong ties to Glen Lake and are committed to our mission of preserving and protecting the water quality, natural resources, and quality of life in the Glen Lake / Crystal River Watershed through leadership, education, and collaboration.
Our intern program began in 2017 and is made possible by generous annual donations from Jim & Susan Dutmers, Tom and Monica Dutmers, and Bill and Rita Witler, in honor of their mothers, Patricia Johnson Dutmers and Elva Witler.
Sam grew up spending summers on Glen Lake with his grandfather, Jerry Morawski, and other family members. He is currently a senior at Denison University in Granville, OH, and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Earth Science. He was a Cranbrook High School varsity soccer team captain, a multiple Dean’s List recipient, and a LaMoreaux Scholar at Denison (awarded by professors for potential contribution to the geology field and outstanding academic achievement). He was also selected to be a Teaching Assistant and Summer Research Student at Denison and a National Park Service Forest Health Intern for the Sleeping Bear National Park Service. Sam’s dream job is to be a Climate Scientist.
For the GLA, Sam was instrumental in facilitating the Discovery Boat program, plankton sampling (towing a plankton net to bring up microorganisms), assisting with aerial (drone) data-gathering, and hydro-labbing (measuring the physical and chemical parameters of water, such as temperature, pH levels, etc.). He also worked at the boat wash as needed.
“Sam has a personable, sincere personality and was highly inquisitive and engaged in our work,” said Rob Karner, GLA Watershed Biologist. “I was encouraged by the intensity of his focus and his critical thinking skills. He was also a natural with a microscope and helped catalog the microorganisms we found in the lake to further build on our ten-year database.”
“My favorite part of this summer was when I was able to work alongside Rob Karner and Joe Blondia,” said Sam Morawski. “They are both such knowledgeable people that helped me learn so much about not just Glen Lake but biology, chemistry, and geology as a whole. Getting the chance to listen to them talk on the Discovery Boat and in a research setting made me a smarter person and one who cares even more about Glen Lake than I thought I could. To add to that, simply living in such a beautiful place is hard to beat. Not to mention, the community of people at the Glen Lake Association is unparalleled. As a whole, I was just happy to help keep Glen Lake’s water clean.”
Know someone that is interested in a 2025 GLA internship? Send an email to contact@glenlakeassociation.org to receive an application. In addition to the activities noted, our interns may also have the opportunity to work on videography, video editing, social media/communications, grant-writing, community relations, and/or education.
Intern Sam Morawski (far left) on a Discovery Boat Tour / Photo by Rob Karner
Intern Sam Morawski cataloging microorganisms at the GLA lab / Photo by Rob Karner
