When Gretchen Klotz first arrived at Aloha Camp in Vermont as a 6-year-old, she didn’t know how to swim. Fourteen summers later, the University of Richmond senior is working as both a tent counselor and the head of the swimming department at the same camp. She’s not only swimming confidently but also helping others learn to do the same.

“I learned how to swim here,” Klotz said, speaking during a break from camp duties. “Now I get to help other kids get comfortable in the water and support them in so many other parts of their lives. It’s really special to be giving back to a place that helped raise me.” 

Supported by the Burrus Fellowship, part of the Richmond Guarantee, her internship brings her closer to her career goal of becoming a pediatric physician’s assistant.

As a tent counselor, Klotz lives with and mentors a small group of 14-year-old campers, guiding daily routines, supporting emotional well-being, and helping resolve conflicts. As head of swimming, she oversees a six-person team and coordinates lessons ranging from basic water comfort to advanced stroke clinics and long-distance lake swims.

“I’ve spent hours teaching swimming and then gone straight to dinner, where I need to create conversation and keep the energy up,” said Klotz, a leadership studies major and biology minor. “It’s demanding, but also exactly the kind of responsibility and interaction I’ll need as a future PA.”

Being immersed 24/7 with her charges gives Klotz unique insight into youth development. “You see these kids at their best and at their most vulnerable. The experience teaches you how to read people, how to listen, how to support them in ways that matter,” she said.

Aloha Camp has evolved over time and become more inclusive. That intentional shift is one reason Klotz felt called to return as a counselor. “A lot of kids don’t have the freedom to express themselves safely in the real world. Camp is a place where they can, without judgment,” she said.

Through pre-camp training and ongoing support from licensed social workers on staff, Klotz and her colleagues are equipped to handle real and nuanced conversations. “It’s about teaching respect and building a community where everyone feels seen,” she said.

Every space is a classroom

Klotz has enhanced her academic studies with volunteer work at Richmond Public Schools. That experience, along with Professor Thad Williamson’s class on Justice and Civil Society, has helped shape her perspective.

"Some of my campers receive financial aid, and they don’t have to worry about being treated differently,” she said. “Everyone is on the same playing field here.”

The leadership training she receives while interning at Aloha helps her guide her staff through feedback loops, mentor new counselors, and create space for difficult conversations.

“It’s not just about being in charge,” Klotz said. “It’s about building trust, empowering others, and learning how to lead with compassion.”

Klotz appreciated that Richmond’s flexibility enabled her to pursue something meaningful to her. “This is the kind of job that prepares you for anything,” she said. “It’s a professional experience, but also a personal one. It’s shaped who I am.”

She points out that that kind of holistic development, which is rooted in service, leadership, and community, is exactly what the University champions through the Richmond Guarantee. And for her, it’s one more way of honoring the camp that helped her grow up.

“It feels so full circle,” Klotz said. “To come back here every summer, now in a position of leadership, and to help kids through their own journeys. It’s not just work, it feels like home.”