In and Out of the Line of Fire, Emily Wilson Wins Yosemite’s Volunteer Award

November 14, 2018

Image caption: Emily Wilson, at right with fellow summer 2018 intern Hannah Zimmerman, was cited for a Volunteer of the Year award by her host, Yosemite Archives. (Photo credit: Stephanie Burbank)

Ensconced at the Yosemite Park Archive last summer as the 98,000-acre Ferguson Fire engulfed the park’s western edge in flames, Emily Wilson experienced the kind of “apocalyptic event,” that her supervisor had warned was not uncommon at Yosemite.

After a brief evacuation, during which she returned to Stanford, Emily was able to return to Yosemite and finish her work digitizing historical photos and documents for the archive. “I have processed now hundreds of images from park photographers,” she wrote in September. “Yosemite Falls is as gorgeous as it was in 1937, but you don’t see anyone buying sugar cubes from a valley hotel to feed bears today (yikes).”

We’re proud to announce that our 2018 summer intern Emily Wilson has received a Volunteer of the Year award for exemplary service to Yosemite National Park.

While admitting that working at Yosemite in the midst of a wildfire is “not for the faint of heart,” Emily stuck it out and got the job done. As evidence of her dedication, we're proud to announce that her supervisor, Paul Rogers, nominated her for a Volunteer of the Year award for exemplary service to Yosemite National Park.

According to the National Park Service, Yosemite welcomes over 10,000 volunteers in a year, who in 2017 donated 139,500 hours of work. Out of those, the park awards volunteers in nine categories. Emily was cited as Individual Youth Volunteer of the Year for the Yosemite Archives.

We were glad that Emily was able to share her experiences with prospective interns at the Haas Center’s Cardinal Quarter fair on Nov. 13, and extend our heartfelt congratulations on her well-deserved award.

Read more at the Out West Student Blog »

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