Meet Jeremiah Sharp: Events and Education Coordinator

As the seasons change, so does our team. Early this spring, we said a heartfelt thank you to Laura Rodriguez as she began her well-earned retirement. Laura dedicated years to advancing our mission and helping our events and education grow. She played a key role in building our community, supporting our mission, and inspiring future generations to care for the land. We will miss Laura greatly, but we are excited for her next adventure and wish her all the best in this new chapter.

As Laura moves on, we are happy to welcome Jeremiah Sharp as our new Events and Education Coordinator. Jeremiah comes to us from Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center, where he gained valuable experience in programs, public events, and volunteer work.

Jeremiah earned a double major in Biology and Environmental Studies at Manchester University. He enjoyed Environmental Studies because it included policy, economics, and social sciences, making his education well-rounded. “I wanted to look at issues from both an ecological and socioeconomic perspective,” he explains.

After finishing his undergraduate studies, Jeremiah went straight to graduate school at Goshen College and earned his Master of Arts in Environmental Education in 2023. There, he learned how to help people connect with nature. “A highlight of my graduate studies was teaching school-aged children in the Bahamas about their local ecosystems, math, and English, ” he shares.

Just a week after finishing graduate school, Jeremiah started working at Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center, where he held two different roles. He worked with graduate students, co-led a trip to Hawaii, coordinated public programs, and more.

“I chose to come to Black Swamp Conservancy because I like the challenge of building new programs, events, and connections,” Jeremiah says. He was excited to continue the work Laura started. “Human connection and care for the Earth are such driving factors in what I do. In such a rapidly advancing world, I believe in slowing down, taking in the beauty we have, fostering community, and being mindful of how we use our natural resources. These are not grandiose ideas, but cornerstones of environmental science that I want to help shepherd to current and future generations.”

One of Jeremiah’s main goals at Black Swamp is to grow the volunteer program. He wants to create a program where volunteers feel valued, learn new things, and build community together.

We are excited to have Jeremiah join us and look forward to all he will accomplish.

Welcome to the team, Jeremiah!