Today’s MHS grad, Liam Schwartz, self-referred for this article, making my work so much easier.
Liam began by sharing: “After graduating from MHS in 2019, I served with AmeriCorps doing conservation fieldwork in Utah and South Carolina, supported Hawaii’s statewide sustainability initiative through AmeriCorps VISTA program and worked in environmental advocacy.”
It was obvious that Liam had a love for the environment. So, now let’s go back to his high school years to find out when that passion started.
Some of his clearest high school memories center on specific teachers rather than the hallway or gym. There were three teachers, in particular, that left a lasting impression on him—Corey Davis (AP U.S. History), Tim Miller (Sociology) and Jay Stanley (Physics).
About his favorite teacher Corey Davis – “For the better part of my junior year, I ate lunch with him in his classroom every day. I don’t remember every conversation, but I remember what it felt like—unhurried, genuine, the kind of talk you don’t always expect to find in high school.”
Jay Stanley deserves mention as well because he had the rare gift of making physics concepts “land” for someone who typically runs the other direction from the natural sciences. “I wouldn’t say he converted me, but he made me a lot less afraid of it.”
But the class that stuck with Liam most was Sociology, taught by Tim Miller. “Something about the way it framed human behavior and social systems just clicked with me. It ultimately led me to major in Sociology at Hamline University.”
Upon reflection, Liam noted that throughout high school, he gravitated toward social studies. He took every elective that the department offered and had exhausted the list by the time he graduated! “Looking back, it was a pretty clear signal about where I was headed in life.”
After high school, Liam attended Hamline University in St. Paul earning a BA degree in Sociology with a minor in Environmental Studies. His undergraduate thesis examined how different emotional appeals influence climate-related behavior. It was another sign of where his interests were leading him.
Liam is currently back in school pursuing a master’s degree in environmental science and policy at Northeastern University in Boston. He expects to graduate in 2027. He described his coursework in climate science, economic analysis and public policy as a toolkit for understanding why environmental problems persist and how policy can fix them. “My goal,” says Liam, “is to work at the intersection of land conservation and public policy, ideally helping state and local governments develop solutions for natural resource protection, land stewardship, and climate resilience.”
Throughout his life, Liam has immersed himself in a wide variety of activities and adventures. Since the list is far too long for me to mention everything, I asked Liam to select 3-4 of his most unusual adventures.
“After graduating high school, I took a gap year and became a student at the High Mountain Institute, an outdoor leadership school based in Leadville, CO. While in that program, I went backpacking in Colorado, Utah, and Chilean Patagonia, while completing coursework and living in community.
“For three summers during undergrad, I played on Union des Bateaux FC, which is the premier amateur soccer club in western Wisconsin based in Eau Claire. The first season I was on the team, we won the league for the third time.”
“After college, I moved to Honolulu, HI where I served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Hawaiʻi Green Growth, supporting the state’s sustainability initiative called the Aloha+ Challenge. It was some of the most meaningful work I’ve done—community-driven, place-based, and genuinely hopeful. While living in Hawaii, in addition to exploring all the islands have to offer, I began playing competitive Ultimate Frisbee and have continued playing in graduate school, and just finished the collegiate season playing for Northeastern. I am currently trying out for a few club teams to play at a high level this summer/fall.”
Liam currently lives in Boston and is interning with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, working in the Policy, Planning, and Analysis Division, doing “exactly the kind of work I came to grad school for.”
When asked how he felt about growing up in Menomonie, he noted the quality of life in small-town America—a slowness and familiarity that you don’t appreciate until you’re living somewhere else that doesn’t have this quality. He remembers biking around town late at night without a second thought. That sense of safety and ease isn’t something that all kids have today.
At the same time, UW-Stout gave energy to the city that most small cities don’t have. It brought a liveliness to the community through its assorted people, ideas, and events. This made for a nice balance for those living in Menomonie.
Liam ended our interview by saying, “Soccer was a big part of my childhood and adolescence there, and the sport has stayed with me. But the thing I treasure most is the friendships. Some of the people I met in high school and youth soccer are still among my closest friends. That’s true despite years of all of us scattering in different directions after graduation. That kind of friendship is harder to come by than many people realize. I think there’s something about growing up in a tight-knit community that makes it more likely. I think Liam hit the nail on the head with his closing paragraph, don’t you?”
Judy Foust is a retired longtime 7th Grade Reading Specialist at Menomonie Middle School. To submit info to her or to request an interview she may be contacted at [email protected]
