Liz Gunther

Where are you from?

I am from a small town in Central Florida, right outside Orlando, named Clermont. There is a beautiful chain of lakes in this area.   

Where do you/did you attend school? Share with us the city/town, what you
are majoring in, what your academic interests are?

My undergraduate alma mater is University of Central Florida in Orlando, where I studied Multicultural Humanities. I got my master’s degree from UMass Amherst in Medieval and Early Modern History. I am a current PhD student in Regional Planning at UMass Amherst studying cultural landscapes, world heritage and historic preservation.   

What are your career goals?

I would be interested in teaching at a collegiate level, I have really enjoyed the opportunities that I have had so far in that area. I have also been drawn to public facing work as well: education, cultural and natural resource protection. 

Outside of school and work what are your hobbies and/or interests?

I enjoy gardening in my yard, snuggling my two cats and my daughter. I love to cook and bake.  
 
What is your internship project focus? Explain what you will be doing, which
parks/partners will you be working with? Who is your mentor at the Olmsted Center?

My mentor is Jeffrey Killion and I am working on completing the CLI for the Sword Surrender Site at SARA as well as updating the CLIs for the other four SARA properties.

Why did you choose to participate in a Designing the Parks Internship? How is your internship hosted?

My internship is hosted through NCPE. I saw the posting for this opportunity and felt that it had a strong overlap with my research interests. I have been very excited to work with the NPS, a lifelong dream of mine.  

What are you looking forward to learning or exploring during your internship?

I am looking forward to understanding and feeling confident with CLI/CLR’s and the procedural aspects of how the NPS manages its cultural landscapes. I am looking forward to working with the dedicated experts at the OCLP. 

What types of opportunities will Designing the Parks provide you with?

Having the opportunity to work for the NPS and doing fieldwork in the area of cultural landscapes are both really engaging for me. I am also excited to use my writing skills to describe both these landscapes and sites as well as to discuss my internship experience.