This summer, TwispWorks has been fortunate to host Lindsey Flannery through Western Washington University’s Sustainability Pathways Program.
The program offers undergraduate students immersive, community-engaged experiences in sustainability within the Methow and Okanogan Valleys. Directed by Joshua Porter, it partners with more than 40 local and regional organizations to give students practical work opportunities alongside academic coursework focused on climate resiliency and sustainability. Students from all majors take part in paid practicums while completing the Sustainability Planning Studio course, building skills in project management and community engagement.
For Lindsey, the program has been an opportunity to bridge her academic interests with real-world impact. Below, she shares in her own words how she found her way to the fellowship, how her work at TwispWorks connects to her passion for sustainability and community resilience, and what she hopes to take from the experience moving forward.
How did you find yourself in the program?
I was lucky enough to hear about the program through a friend, who was part of the program last year, and had an incredibly positive experience. Come junior year of college, there is a lot of hype and pressure to secure a summer internship, and the fellowship really stood out to me because of its commitment to real community engagement, as well as its structure and accessibility.
Interdisciplinary learning is deeply important to me—I believe that tackling sustainability requires understanding community resilience, both past and present. Having grown up in a much larger community than the Methow Valley, it’s been powerful to witness how large-scale issues can be addressed locally through the exchange of ideas and through the work of artists and organizations making a tangible impact.
How does your work at TwispWorks connect to your interests in sustainability, education, or community resilience?
I place a lot of value in being able to explain the importance of community support and environmental protection in economic terms. Working under the Economic Program Director at TwispWorks has allowed me to see how my academic interests play out in real-world settings.
Exposure to programs like the Investment Network bridge ways that equity and community support can intentionally build stronger more engaging communities, lifting everyone up. Gaining experience in different realms of nonprofit advocacy like communications, outreach and grant research is an insight into the technical core of organizations like TwispWorks, showing how grassroots movements can become a reality. Textbooks can only take you so far; seeing these cooperative efforts in action—where sustainability, education, and community resilience intersect—has been incredibly inspiring.
What are you hoping to take away from this experience as you continue your studies or career path?
This program offers me a valuable opportunity to explore and refine my future career ambitions. I envision myself working for nonprofits in the future, and my time at TwispWorks allows me to gain firsthand insight into essential aspects of that world. Observing how TwispWorks grows and actively engages with the community will undoubtedly hone in my future career interests. One of the most meaningful parts of this fellowship is the opportunity for mentorship. Being able to ask questions directly to professionals in the field I hope to enter is an invaluable experience—especially at this early stage in my journey.
I am very interested in social connections and how they can be used to fight the increasing individualist and polarizing social climate today. Being able to truly listen to people with different opinions than your own is a skill. I want to work with small communities in the future, and this experience allows me to gain confidence respectfully listening and contributing to conversations regarding the tight-nit Methow Valley community. Although I understand I can’t fully grasp the community in just one summer, my time here is already shaping how I approach this kind of work.
While this is technically a work experience, it carries personal significance that goes far beyond that. I’m excited to see how it inspires and informs both my academic focus and my future career path.