Hi! My name is Bianca Petersen, and I am joining Oakland Township this summer as a Land Stewardship Technician. I am excited to be a part of Oakland Township Parks and Recreation and being a part of its team. Here’s a little bit about myself.

I recently graduated from Grand Valley State University (GVSU) with a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources Management (NRM) and a double minor in Biology and Dance. My journey at GVSU allowed me to nurture my love for being outdoors.

I originally wanted to study marine biology, so studying biology seemed to be the right choice. I have always been drawn to the water and all the creatures that reside there. When I was younger, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents at their boat up in Elk Rapids. I loved to play on an old cement dam that had been turned into a water slide just down the road. My summer days were filled with splashing around in the water and looking at all the fish and frogs.

However, when my advisor offered Natural Resources Management as an option other than biology, it piqued my interest. I am so glad I decided on NRM because it broadened my perspective on how our natural environment functions and what we can do to help it. A funny thing about me picking Natural Resources Management as my degree, I watched a show around my freshman year of college on the Discovery Channel. It looked into what Conservation Officers or Game Wardens with the Department of Natural Resources do. It was a small detail in my life but the show captivated me, and I realized that was the career I wanted to join, and still do.

Another interesting thing about me: I originally went to GVSU as a dance major. I began dancing at the age of five or so at the studio my mom taught at in Grand Rapids. So, in total I have danced for roughly 16 years. I learned a fair bit of dance styles throughout the years including tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, contemporary, and modern.

Entering the dance program at GVSU, I noticed a difference compared to my time at the studio. I didn’t have as many varieties of dance, but the space and our professors helped us hone in and strengthen the skills we already had. I enjoyed one of my classes called Dance Company, where we would audition for choreographed pieces that our professors and guest artists created. I even got to take an African style class as well as a breakdancing course.

This summer I am excited to put to good use the skills and knowledge that I have learned from my time at GVSU in my first official field season. So far, I have enjoyed the bird walks and learning more on how to identify birds. I am looking forward to gaining more knowledge from those around me and learning new skills throughout this summer. Feel free to say hi if you see me on the trails!