50 Years, 50 Legacies: Voyageurs Field Fellows
50 Legacies: Voyageurs Field Fellows
Brian Harmon, the current Acting Superintendent at Voyageurs National Park often says that the National Park Service is in the “forever business,” charged with stewarding the remarkable landscape and the park’s cultural and natural resources in perpetuity. It takes a lot of people to care for and pay attention to a place – maintenance and facilities staff, biologists, archeologists, archivists, interpretive rangers, law enforcement, and administrative staff – each of whom helps keep the park running smoothly and are a linchpin in making Voyageurs National Park a prime destination.
The chance to don a park ranger’s flat hat and be part of the team who cares for National Parks is a coveted and exciting job, but it can be a challenging world to break into.
The Voyageurs Field Fellow program was created by Voyageurs Conservancy in 2021 to create pathways for young people to learn about themselves, possible career pathways, and learn-by-doing in the field! Since the program began, Voyageurs Conservancy has hosted 29 field fellows at Voyageurs National Park, Voyageurs Wolf Project, and Voyageurs Conservancy.
“I would say that it really opened my eyes to even more of what the parks have to offer and what sorts of careers are out there. I was not fully aware of what careers were out there within the parks and this fellowship really helped me learn more about that professionally.” - Conor Bolton, 2024 Field Fellow
The Field Fellow program connects students and early-career professionals with field-based teams working across digital media, aquatic biology, facilities and maintenance, cultural resources, education, and wetlands and wildlife. Fellows spend the season in the field, with regular meetings with their cohort throughout the summer. In the cohort meetings the fellows deep dive into professional development, learning about career pathways, exploring their personal interests and skills, resume building, interview and job application skills, and creating their portfolio project.
The portfolios capture a snapshot of the skills and interests they develop over their season, giving fellows a chance to do a deep dive into a meaningful project that they design and complete themselves. Fellows then present their portfolios at the end of the season – check out this webinar from the 2025 season to see a few!
Creating my final portfolio was probably the most "successful" thing I did as a Field Fellow because it became a way to showcase all of the work that I had done over the summer in a way that applied all of the skills and knowledge I had acquired during my time there! - Ellen Windels, 2023 Field Fellow
As we look to the next 50 years at Voyageurs, we know that these young professionals will be the ones stewarding this place into the future. The Field Fellow program helps ensure that the “forever business” of caring for national parks is open to more people by removing barriers, expanding access, and creating meaningful, hands-on experiences that allow emerging conservationists to see themselves in these careers.
By investing in accessible pathways and real-world learning, Voyageurs Conservancy is helping build a legacy of a more diverse, skilled, and committed next generation ready to protect Voyageurs National Park and public lands everywhere.
It might be intimidating at first to be working in a diverse group all working in such unique positions, but you will learn so much more about yourself, the other field fellows, Voyageurs National Park, your passions, your career path, and why you are here. Enjoy yourself while you are here, because it will fly by and I hope you only experience as much as you can while you are here in this beautiful park. You are here to make an impact but also to enjoy yourself through your special time here. - Faith Jung, 2023 Field Fellow
Check out the full list of our 50 legacies!
This year, we’re celebrating 50 years of Voyageurs National Park by sharing 50 inspiring stories of the people who shaped its legacy. Years, 50 Legacies is a yearlong storytelling series highlighting individuals whose lives are woven into the fabric of the park – whether through conservation work, cultural traditions, recreation, research, or personal connection.
Raise a canteen and celebrate this historic milestone with us at our 50th anniversary website. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more inspiring stories and updates!
