Interns Explore the Nature of Work at the Philander Chase Conservancy

By Amelia Yeager '20

One of Kenyon’s most distinctive features is its beautiful rural landscape. The Philander Chase Conservancy (PCC) works to conserve this natural panorama for future generations, and has permanently protected over 5,500 acres of land from development within a five-mile radius of the College. A highly committed team of administrators and students work together to protect and steward the land. This is where the interns come in. 

“The Conservancy was created in 2000, but much of  what has been accomplished in that time period has been accomplished quietly. We want people to know what we do,” says Amy Henricksen, Project Coordinator for the PCC. “Not only do interns help us spread the word about our land conservation mission by writing pieces for our blog, they also get exposure to the field of land conservation and the work of a not-for-profit board, so it’s a good professional development opportunity for them as well.”

Interns are instrumental to PCC’s mission of conserving the land surrounding Kenyon, which is made up of farms, woodlands, and bodies of water like the Kokosing River. The Conservancy does this through agricultural and conservation easements, which give landowners the opportunity to protect their land for future generations while still owning the land. PCC also oversees Kokosing Nature Preserve, home to 23 acres of restored land that serve as a green burial cemetery. 

The Conservancy’s two current interns, Alex Hoffman ’20 and Jayne Gelman ’22, occupy their working hours writing, often for the blog A Knox County Almanac, and also spending time out in the local community. “The Nature Preserve was featured on the recent Knox County Heart of Ohio tour, so they helped staff that event as tour guides,” Amy said. “They’re also thinking about ways that they can take the Conservancy’s message to local schools, asking students to think about what the land means to them,” added Jill Shriver, the Conservancy’s Administrative Assistant.

Interns’ contributions to the Conservancy are complemented by their experiences with the unique atmosphere of a land trust. “Our interns get exposure to the specialized work that goes into running a land trust,” Amy said. “We’ve found in the past that when we work with students, if they want to continue on in the field, this experience makes them very marketable for post-college employment.” 

Writing is an essential skill for the Conservancy’s interns. “On a weekly basis, they do some sort of writing, whether that’s attending a lecture and writing about what they learned or blogging at some level having something to do with land. They also attend board meetings and work on organizational projects,” said Jill. In this way, PCC exposes interns to the communications and marketing side of the professional world. The interns also have the opportunity to interact with the staff at Fahlgren Mortine, a top-tier communications agency in Columbus. “One of the members of our board is Neil Mortine, President and CEO of Fahlgren Mortine,” Jill said. “Our interns get exposure to that agency, which is incredibly valuable and unique.”

Current intern Alex Hoffman ’20 describes the intersection of his Kenyon education and his internship.  “Last summer, we worked with the marketing firm, Fahlgren Mortine, to learn more about marketing strategies. From those lessons, we developed our own blog, A Knox County Almanac, which combines our newly learned practical knowledge, with the creative spirit that a liberal education at Kenyon has instilled in us.” Because much of their work is done remotely, Jill and Amy stress that their interns are self-driven in their projects.

Being outgoing is a plus for applicants. “A property that has an easement has to be monitored once a year to assess compliance with the terms of the easement,” said Jill. “You have to be willing to go walk a farm and interact with the landowners. You have to be somewhat outgoing, because you’re meeting people from different backgrounds and interests.” At the heart of the PCC’s mission is what Amy calls “a love for the land, the outdoors, and nature.” Interns share this love as well as a passion for preserving it locally.

In Alex’s words, “land is easy to take for granted, and this opportunity has enabled me to reflect on something that is so important, and yet so difficult to quantify. We live in a quantifiable world, and sometimes it’s important to appreciate the importance of its qualifiable aspects.”

The Philander Chase Conservancy will be hiring new interns in the spring for the 2020-2021 academic year. Those interested in applying should keep an eye on Symplicity. Make yourself the best possible candidate by visiting the CDO to review your resume, cover letter, and interview skills.