Saloon Session with Lane Kennedy
Lane Kennedy joined the Waterkeeper team as an intern in the Spring of 2015. She is currently studying at the College of Charleston, with a focus in the natural sciences. Lane is involved in many different aspects of Charleston Waterkeeper, each of which she approaches with a combined sense of insight and creativity. We hope you enjoy getting to know one of our outstanding interns in this new Saloon Session!
What is your connection to the water? Why intern with Charleston Waterkeeper?
I’m studying to become a Marine Biologist, aiming for a doctorate! My minors are in Physics and Environmental Studies. I SCUBA dive when I get the chance, and I spend every summer by the sea. I became an intern for Charleston Waterkeeper through the Bonner Leader Program at CofC. I chose to reach out to CWK because environmental conservation means the most to me, and we are encouraged to find an cause that is important to us. I love interning with CWK because I love the people, I love everything I’m learning, and I love protecting the Earth’s water.
Tell us about the Bonner Program and what being a Bonner Leader means to you.
I started as a Bonner Leader at the College of Charleston as a freshman. The Bonner Leader Program is a diverse group of students committed to service, leadership, and social justice. As a Bonner, I am committed to serve one nonprofit organization of my choice for all four years of college. Through the program, we have weekly meetings that focus on the development of leadership and facilitation skills, and discussions and education on relevant social justice issues. The Bonner Program is my home away from home, and in it, I have found some of my best friends. Bonner is a safe space where I can always find support and advice for whatever I may be going through. The Bonner Leader Program has given me access to opportunities I could never have imagined, such as interning for Charleston Waterkeeper.
Where can we find you when you’re not in school, interning, or volunteering? What’s your favorite way to spend your free time?
You can find me with my friends, playing the guitar, napping in parks, and staying fit with yoga. When we get the chance, my friends and I love to get together and make home-cooked meals and have family dinner nights. When I am home in North Carolina, I can be found cuddling with kittens or biking the local trails. Achieving my Bonner responsibilities, being in the Honors College, and having one major and two minors doesn’t leave me with much free time, so I make sure to spend it taking care of my mind and body.
What is your favorite part of interning with CWK? What gets you most excited?
I love being part of Charleston Waterkeeper. Every day I go into work, I know that the work I do is appreciated and important to CWK. I get to put my own ideas and creativity into almost everything that I do. I’ve met so many people, I’ve learned so much along the way, and I can’t wait to be a part of whatever CWK does next.
What’s something quirky about you that others may not know?
My family and I are obsessed with cats. Over my lifetime, my family has cared for 10 cats, and the most we have ever had in our household at once was 8 cats. All of the cats that stay with us are given Hawai’ian names. Our two newest kittens are named Kohu’ole and Keonimana, Kohu and Keoni for short.
Anything else you would like to share?
If there’s anything I’ve learned in college and my experiences thus far, it’s that life is too short to not pursue your passions. Shape your life around what matters to you, and don’t hold yourself back. Also, fun fact: the resting heart rate of a sea turtle is one beat every nine minutes.
