Shedd Aquarium Celebrates National Volunteer Week

At Shedd Aquarium, volunteers are valued partners that can be found in almost every area of the aquarium. Whether they are preparing food for Shedd’s 32,000 animals, sharing stories with guests, testing water samples or diving, ever volunteer has a crucial role in advancing the aquarium’s mission.

In 2016, nearly 300,000 of Shedd’s visitors had direct interactions with our guest engagement volunteers. Additionally, Shedd’s 844 volunteers contributed 112,000 hours of service in a single year. Shedd Aquarium is excited to showcase three unique volunteer stories, highlighting the diversity in roles and experiences that volunteers gain at the aquarium.

Rachel Watson, Guest Engagement Volunteer

Rachel Watson is a 25-year-old graduate student at Northwestern University studying chemical engineering, but she has also been a Shedd volunteer for the past two and a half years. When looking for something to do, Watson explored Volunteer Match and applied for a volunteer opportunity at Shedd Aquarium – the rest is “fish-tory!” Today, Watson leads Behind-the-Scenes Tours on Friday afternoons where she leads guests through an hour-long tour focused on animal care by relaying accurate and relevant information about Shedd’s animals. Most importantly, she’s able to make guests trip memorable.

To become a Behind the Scenes Volunteer, participants partake in trainings that provide skill-based knowledge to prepare facilitators for tour delivery and exhibit interpretation. “The training is extremely helpful, and it allows you to go at your own pace,” said Watson. “This isn’t my job; it’s the way that I escape the stress of my day-to-day.”

Etta McKenna, Guest Engagement Volunteer

Etta McKenna is a 70-year-old retiree who has been a member of Shedd Aquarium for about 25 years and is going on her ninth year as a volunteer. McKenna is a Penguin Encounter Volunteer on Tuesday mornings where she acts as a liaison between guests and the animal trainers. She’s passionate about creating special moments for guests by captivating them with Shedd animals and stories, generating a sense of compassion for animals and driving guests to become curious to know more about aquatic life.

“All I can say is it is really fun!” said McKenna. “You get to see couples doing proposals during the penguin encounter, groups of men wearing tuxedos to their encounter … you’re a part of their experience and you get to make their day.”

Mark Niewoehner, Fishes Husbandry and Diver Volunteer

Mark Niewoehner has known about Shedd for a long time and decided about seven years ago to get hands-on experience by becoming actively involved at the aquarium as a volunteer. Niewoehner splits his time between caring for the animals in Shedd’s Amazon Rising exhibit through exhibit maintenance and feeding the animals. He also dives in the Abbott Oceanarium in the evenings. Occasionally, Niewoehner is given the opportunity to observe routine check-ups in Shedd’s animal hospital. When he’s not on the clock volunteering, Niewoehner likes to take advantage of the various perks that volunteers at Shedd have. This includes complimentary water taxi rides, free entry to other museums in Chicago, access to events at the aquarium like Jazzin’ at the Shedd and more.

“Not only have I learned about how dedicated Shedd Aquarium is to animal care, but I’ve discovered that Shedd is a leader in conservation,” said Niewoehner. “It has made me more environmentally aware, now I bring my compost, Styrofoam, electronics and more to be recycled at the aquarium.”