Mt. Philo Forever Internship | Vermont Parks Forever

Mt. Philo Forever Fund

A Summer Internship Program Honoring William Cameron Hagedorn

Getting the chance to work on this beautiful mountain in my hometown has been an amazing experience that I shall be forever grateful for.

~ Iain, 2017 Summer Intern

Will Hagedorn grew up hiking and sledding on Mt. Philo. During college he worked at Mt. Philo State Park as an intern, a job he loved. Will died unexpectedly in 2013, at the age of 24. In Will’s memory, his family created the William Cameron Hagedorn Mt. Philo Forever Fund. Supported by family, friends, and generous donors to Vermont Parks Forever, the fund offers an opportunity every year for a young person to connect with nature, practice environmental stewardship, develop teamwork and collaboration skills, and experience working with the public.

This funded internship position, at the oldest state park in Vermont, is equally demanding and rewarding. As Ranger John puts it “we collectively ignite a spark for future independence, personal growth and community service for our interns”. That is what the goal of the program is – to instill confidence, a robust work ethic, and a lifelong commitment to the environment in each of these young people. The testimonials from the recipients each year affirm that it is a transformational experience for them.

Please help us continue to provide this opportunity for another intern next summer. This program is sustained through the generosity of our donors.

Meet 2022’s intern, Jonan!

“Thank you. I enjoy being outside, and it’s nice to work a job that I want to get to.” – Jonan

Jonan’s favorite parts of the internship are being outside and interacting with hikers. He said he’s learned a lot about the park, learned how to run a cash register, and has strengthened his work ethic.

Thank you to our past interns!