Kristie Fach graduated from Moravian College in 1999, majoring in biology. She currently lives in Emmaus, Pa, where she works at the Wildlands Conservancy as the director of Ecological Restoration.
I grew up loving the outdoors and spending summers camping, hiking, and exploring nature. I always enjoyed learning about the environment and was fascinated in how there was always something new and complex to learn about the natural world.
At the time, environmental sciences wasn’t a main topic discussed as a career, and I was a teenager who had no idea what options there were for a profession. I was very anxious, not knowing what I wanted to do after college, and worried that I would not find a career I was passionate about. People offered easy advice of going into the growing medical field or switching to an English major because of my love for reading.
These were all professions that I did not feel connected to. I became a general biology major at Moravian College, which was years before they expanded their incredible environmental program and also became a university. The classes included parasitology, organic chemistry, genetics, physics, and plant physiology. I struggled to connect to these classes and find interest in these areas.
After my freshman year, I met with my advisor and asked about the environmental courses that were offered as electives that sounded interesting; ecology and animal behavior were just a couple of the classes taught by Dr. Frank Kuserk.
I was so excited about these classes and the opportunity to learn as much as I could about the fascinating layers of nature. I was very fortunate that Dr. Kuserk was just as eager and passionate to teach his students about the environment.
He scheduled outdoor labs and class trips and never seemed to tire of answering questions from his students. I learned that the natural sciences could be a profession, and one that I would be passionate about. Dr. Kuserk helped guide me in developing a topic for an independent study to conduct stream research at a local state park. It was energizing (and a relief) that I had a much clearer path for my future and the type of career I wanted to pursue.
The environmental courses and independent study that I could include on my resume helped me get an interview to begin my career in conservation. I started at Berks Conservancy (now Berks Nature). and eventually moved back to the Lehigh Valley to work at Wildlands Conservancy, where I am now the director of Ecological Restoration. After college, I stayed in contact with Dr. Kuserk and Moravian. Dr. Kuserk was a strong supporter and advocate of Moravian’s expansion of its science program and was very proud of its now highly esteemed environmental majors.
Dr. Kuserk spent his summers as the faculty advisor for students in the SOAR program, spending countless hours in the field with his students conducting water quality monitoring to assist in Wildlands Conservancy’s stream restoration work.
He was always looking for ways to connect his students to other ecology professionals and grow in their field. I was one student so many years ago who was affected by the class and professor who made the most difference. I can’t imagine how many more students he’s helped who are now professionals. He passed away in 2017, but I will always remember the difference he’s made and the moment when I realized I could do what I love for a living.
