As a podiatrist for 20 years, Pamela Sowizral never envisioned a career as the volunteer coordinator and bird-related project manager at Drumlin Farm.
A Childhood Spent Outside
Growing up, Pam and her family were avid nature-lovers, enjoying camping and bird watching. As a high school student she excelled in biology, continued her studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and went on to work in viral research.
Science for Good: Pam’s Career in Podiatry
As with many outdoors people with a knack for science, Pam found research stimulating, but lacking in connection to both people and the natural world. A “social person,” Pam went on to graduate school earning her doctorate in podiatric medicine. She enjoyed treating patients but after a time felt she had accomplished what she had wanted in the field and decided to move on to something new.
New Paths at Drumlin Farm
It was years of volunteering in her home town, combined with a head for details and knowledge of plants and birds, that made Pam a perfect candidate for the position of volunteer coordinator at Drumlin Farm. She now organizes individuals and volunteer groups to work on projects like invasive plant control, farm field chores, special events and care of the sanctuary’s livestock and captive wildlife.
Since her start at Drumlin Farm, Pam has dramatically expanded the volunteer program. This past year (2014) she oversaw 1,500 volunteers who contributed 19,800 hours of service! Her next focus is to develop a more complex and integrated volunteer contingent.
A Love for Birds
In addition to her role as volunteer coordinator, Pam manages bird-related projects at the sanctuary. She oversees the nest box monitors, leads bird walks, performs bird surveys and is editor of the Birder’s Connection e-newsletter. And much to her approval, Pam enjoys the same views that Henry David Thoreau appreciated when he hiked this drumlin.
I have fallen in love with the sanctuary itself. It really is a beautiful place. I feel a connection to this land and am privileged to work here.
Are you thinking about volunteering at Drumlin Farm? Check out opportunities coming up this fall, or contact Pam!
Thank you for posting this, it was an interesting read. The beautiful reservations and landscapes here in Massachusetts , have inspired me. I never realized how much I enjoyed working outdoors up to just a few years ago, volunteering. Now, I would like to further my knowledge in hortculture & botany.