Amber Bydynkowski | Visitor Services Manager
There is something to be said about stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying something new. That nervous excitement builds up, almost like a euphoric vibration that sends you through a whirlwind of emotions. Not only is experiencing something new a big step into becoming a well-rounded individual, it can also have positive effects on one’s confidence and self-worth, and even boost brain function. Have you ever wanted to try something new, but didn’t know where to start? There are several short-term opportunities available throughout our organization that allow folks to dip their toes into new experiences and perspectives, while also gaining valuable career skills.
My first big leap outside of my comfort zone as a young adult goes hand-in-hand with my first introduction to our organization as a conservation crew member in the summer of 2016. I grew up in a small town in the country, but I had never immersed myself in nature as much as I had during that summer. We lived in tents, cooked on camp stoves, and hiked up to the job site carrying our tools and equipment by hand for 4 weeks straight. I can still recall how much the muscles in my legs were searing with pain for the first few days on the job as we hiked with our equipment to the top of Brady’s bluff at Perrot State Park. I learned valuable skills such as using hand tools and running heavy equipment, trail building/maintenance, and dry stone masonry, which was used for building a retaining wall and staircase. Although I was nervous and had little to no experience in the field, I continued to persevere every day. By the end of my time on the crew, I was carrying full 10-gallon gas cans and 20 lb rock bars up the bluff, no problem. The best part about my time on the crew was seeing the finished product of our hard work. I still visit there often to reflect and appreciate my time there.
After my crew experience, I decided that this was the place I wanted to be, but in a new light. I came back in the summer of 2018 as an Environmental Educator, again something I had never done before. That was my first real chance at using my college degree to share the knowledge I had gained in a meaningful way with the community. There were times in the beginning when I felt inadequate to answer questions and insecure about being a leader. As time went on, my confidence grew exponentially and I believe it shined through to those around me. It was one of the most rewarding experiences to help young people foster an appreciation for environmental stewardship from as young as 3 years old all the way to young adults. I was growing as an individual in tandem with the students I was teaching, some of which are still involved in our programming today.
I continued on as an Environmental Educator until the spring of 2020 when I switched gears into the role of Disaster Response Crew Leader. As I’m sure we all remember, COVID really took the world by storm during that spring so as an organization we launched our Disaster Response Crew, which I had the opportunity to lead. We filled in for volunteer positions that were left vacant due to high-risk groups of people typically fulfilling those roles. We assisted with sorting at local food pantries, delivered meals to those in need, and covered shifts at the Salvation Army. During the fall of 2020, we focused our efforts on helping the local communities that were affected by the 2018 flood and still had remnant damage to be addressed. Although this was a last-minute change of events for our programming/organization, it turned into the opportunity of a lifetime where I was awarded the 2020 Governor’s Service Award for COVID-19 response.
After a year of trials, tribulations and triumphs, I continued on to a new role as Facility Operations Assistant in January of 2021. In this role, I learned about what it takes to run a facility of this size in terms of facility maintenance, working with contractors, and visitor interactions. This ultimately led me to be promoted to my current role as Visitor Services Manager in August of 2021. Through all of my various roles here, there was something to be learned about how much a person can gain from stepping outside of their comfort zone. Having been here for several years and reflecting back on the experiences I’ve had, I couldn’t imagine how different my life might be had I not taken that first leap way back when in 2016. We have wonderful, shorter-term positions available yearly for others to test out the waters as I once had. I encourage you to reflect on new opportunities that may arise and consider taking the leap!