Ewe-Nique Experience
Ohio Wesleyan Students Complete Internships at Organic Farm, Nature Preserve
Name: Emily Keckler '28
Hometown: Marengo, Ohio
High school: Highland High School
Major: Geography
Minors: Women's & Gender Studies and Environmental Studies
OWU Connection Experience: Working as an in-person Summer Education Intern at Delaware's Stratford Ecological Center, a nonprofit educational organic farm and nature preserve located on 236 acres about 5 miles south of the OWU campus.
During her three-month internship, Keckler worked as a camp counselor at Stratford's Farm Camp, along with fellow Bishops David Horton '28 of Worthington, Ohio, and Sarah Youngquist '27 of Cary, North Carolina. The students also worked with alumna Bryce Floyd '24, Stratford's education program coordinator.
My Role
"Every week, I led a group of eight campers ranging from preschoolers to seventh graders through farm chores and daily activities in order to help connect them with the land," Keckler says. "Together, we fed animals, sang songs to a llama, watered plants, picked carrots, explored the creek, made popsicles, and much, much more!"
Why This Opportunity?
"I initially heard about Stratford from the Environment & Sustainability Department, and I later met with the education program coordinator and an AmeriCorps volunteer at OWU's 2026 Career and Summer Internship fair during the Spring Connection Conference. Everyone was incredibly kind, and I love sharing my love for the world with other people."
I realized my love for sheep! … Sheep of all ages were following me to get their heads scratched and to try to chew on my clothes!
My Favorite Moment
"I realized my love for sheep! Most of my campers each week seemed to fawn more over the goats, but I really love the sheep. They share a lot of the same quirks as the goats, munching on clothes, sticking their heads in the hay basket, and loving attention, but I think the sheep are especially funny.
"On the very last day of Farm Camp, after the campers and their families were done touring the farm and we had cleaned up the building and stored away the supplies from camp, I went to visit the sheep. They were in the barn, and I started scratching some of their heads. I bent over beside a few sheep to take a picture with them when I realized I was totally surrounded by sheep. Sheep of all ages were following me to get their heads scratched and to try to chew on my clothes!"
Lessons Learned
"While I love working on the farm with people who love the earth, one of the most important things that I realized from this experience is that I would not like to pursue a career in education. I love seeing the campers smile and being the one to guide them through such a fun, meaningful experience, but it is an incredibly stressful and energy-demanding position to be in. Education does not feel like the best fit for me, and that's OK because now I have more paths to explore thanks to what I have learned about myself!"
My Campus Involvements
"I am an OWU Connection intern."
Why I Chose Ohio Wesleyan?
"I chose OWU because it is close enough to home that I can visit my family and my cats whenever I please. It also offered me the most generous financial aid out of the universities I applied to."
My Plans After Graduation
"I am still working out whether I should apply for a master's program, take a gap year, or dive right into seeking a career. Regardless, the resources here are helping me network and discover what my goals are and what I can do to align myself with those goals."