Hi, I’m Seneca Humphries! This summer, I had the privilege to work at the Trust as the Community Outreach and Engagement Intern, combining my Anthropology and Geography studies at James Madison University with my passion for non-profit work and the great outdoors. I was drawn to this position because of the Trust’s commitment to not only protecting the natural world and enhancing the visitor experience but also building relationships with the people who live near the Park boundaries and those who have Indigenous ties to the land.  

For a bit of context, Shenandoah National Park’s Artist-in-Residence program launched in 2013, funded by the Trust. Every year, the Trust supports six artists who live and work in Shenandoah for three weeks, experiencing the beauty and wonder of the natural world at their appointed time during the April through October timeframe. This program provides the artist with uninterrupted time to pursue their own body of work and the opportunity to inspire and educate the public through workshops. 

At the end of their residency, they donate a piece of their work reflecting their unique experience back to the Trust, where it will be displayed in community spaces on behalf of NPS. During the last decade, dozens of artists have been inspired by the landscape to donate over 20 pieces back to the park: photographs, paintings, quilts, recycled wall hangings, clay sculptures, wood burnings, and more.  

Most of my focus this summer was on developing the Artist-in-Residence Pop-Up Gallery program by making connections in the 8 counties surrounding the Park to secure community locations for hosting the Gallery. The first location for the Gallery has been the Front Royal Visitors Center, where employees are excited by the visitors’ positive feedback and enthusiasm about visiting Shenandoah. As of now, we officially have 4 more host locations for the Gallery from September of this year all the way into mid 2026 ranging from libraries to visitors centers to art galleries.  

To prepare for these galleries to be presented to the public, I spent time contacting the artists to obtain missing artist statements and artwork information, researching storage solutions, organizing the physical artwork, and learning all about gallery curation. The artists spend weeks of their time creating artwork that represent both a snapshot in time and a personal connection to the Park, so we want to ensure their donated work is cataloged and well cared for. I also spent time developing a Gallery mission statement to bring our vision to life, finalizing artist information to be printed on plaques, and collaborating with our Communications Manager Lee Tookes to create sponsorship and promotional materials. 

My university studies have shown me how placemaking, creating space imbued with meaning and personal significance, is an intertwined combination of the physical and cultural landscape. With the beautiful vistas and the rich history of the Park, what better space for placemaking than Shenandoah! The Pop-Up Gallery takes this one step further by bridging the gap between the people in the surrounding counties and the Park’s visitors, with a free art gallery open to all. Not everyone has the opportunity or access to visit Shenandoah, so this Gallery extends the beauty of the park to those beyond its boundaries. The more people that get involved with the protection and care of the natural world, the better chance we have of making a tangible and long-term difference. 

Bonus: I went on a bear hunt! The Trust loans stuffed bears to local DMVs to promote our license plates, and my task was to track them down to make sure they were on display at each location, offering a cute t-shirt for each bear if they requested it. The DMV may seem like an odd place to tell people about the Park but the Trust’s license plate sales bring in more than $200,000 in funds each year to support education, conservation, and visitor experience! 

My interactions during this time, whether it be with donors over hor d’oeuvres or artists over email or community members over the phone, have bolstered my confidence in communicating with people of all kinds by seeking to understand their individual needs and interests. I have also seen the impressive power of art mobilized to drive social change by gently moving hearts and minds in the same way that artists are moved to create art.  

As I end my internship at the Trust, I am grateful for the experience of working in a non-profit organization to see how creative and informed community engagement truly impacts the real world. Each person in the office has a unique career background with rich experiences, allowing them to specialize and excel in their work while also successfully collaborating with others. Institutional missions and goals are not just a marketing line but an everyday reality because of everyone’s personal connection to the work the Trust and the Park do. I want to find and foster this type of office environment in my future workspaces and am proud to have been a part of the Trust’s mission this summer.