The power of bodies of water

By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications

Being around bodies of water can be relaxing. For Maria Granquist, it evokes positive thoughts and memories.

"My grandpa has a boat that I spend a lot of time on. Since I was a teenager, I would live a couple weeks each summer on his boat while going to the New England Science and Sailing camp. That's where I was exposed to all kinds of water sports and snorkeling."

Currently a junior on the Lehigh rowing team, Granquist often finds herself around water as part of her daily student-athlete life. She was also around the water this past summer, taking part in an Iacocca Internship in Bermuda. Granquist interned at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) and while there, she worked on building a genetic database for Bermuda fish.

It makes sense that Granquist would eventually find a love for Molecular Biology, which is her major at Lehigh. Her internship allowed that passion to come to the surface.

"Originally, I was in pre-med," said Granquist. "I didn't really know what I wanted to do with a Molecular Biology degree until I went to Bermuda. The research I did there was really interesting and I discovered how Molecular Biology can tie into Ocean Science and the environment. I have since added a minor in Environmental Science to my curriculum."

Granquist was exploring potential Iacocca Internships when the Bermuda opportunity caught her eye.

"I've always loved the ocean and fish," she said. "I wanted to learn more about the ocean sciences, so this internship seemed like a perfect opportunity to explore that area."

Granquist's project featured building a reference DNA database for all of the fish in Bermuda.

"I took tissue samples from different species of fish then extracted the DNA and did PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) before sending them to be sequenced," she said. "I sampled approximately 230 fish, which is only about half of the Bermuda fish species. It was a delicate process that took a lot of time so I worked many hours, but really enjoyed it."

Through the summer experience, Granquist learned more about Molecular Biology, and learned more about herself. She was one of two students from Lehigh in Bermuda, with the other student working on a totally different project with a different mentor.

Granquist had two mentors.

"One mentor was focused more on ecology and the other was focused more on the molecular side of things," she said. "I worked with another intern, who lives in Bermuda. He and I worked together as a team the entire summer. It was nice to have him as a partner because he was able to show me around the island and teach me the Bermuda culture."

Granquist learned about herself, becoming a more independent individual. At the same time, she got experience collaborating in different settings.

"It was my first time flying alone," she said. "I felt like I became more independent. Even though at college, you live on your own, it was still a different experience to be in an entirely different country."
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Collaborating is important in any team setting. Granquist's experience in Bermuda will only help her with the Lehigh rowing team.

"I definitely gained a lot of research experience and developed many lab skills," she said. "I learned to trust and work with my partner to solve problems together. We ended up collaborating on many things, in and out of the lab."

Translate that to rowing and Granquist should be a more confident individual, and leader, because of her experience. Soft-spoken, Granquist knows her strength isn't as a vocal leader, but it doesn't mean she can't continue to be a strong presence on her crew.

For an entire crew to work together, everyone needs to collaborate.

"In rowing, you have to work as one unit," said Granquist. "Working with my partner this summer, we had to work together as a team and be in sync to complete our tasks, similar to rowing."

To continue improving, no matter what aspect of life, you need to step out of your comfort zone in order to try new things and get better. Granquist has done just that… on multiple occasions.

"I was nervous going into the internship. I didn't know anyone, so I was nervous about making friends," she said. "But I think it helped develop my social skills, being more comfortable talking to people and making friends. Everyone was so friendly that I didn't want to leave when my internship ended, so I actually extended my trip an extra nine days.

"I stepped out of my comfort zone a lot. I went cliff jumping, which I had never done before. I also got to snorkel and saw cool fish like barracudas which was a little scary, but fun. I took advantage of every day, exploring the entire island and going to as many local events as I could. I also attended the America's Cup sailing races, which was an amazing experience to see the countries compete on the water."

Another example of Granquist stepping out of her comfort zone was joining the Lehigh rowing team in the first place as a walk-on.

"Growing up, I'd see crews rowing up and down the Mystic River and thought it looked fun, but I never pursued joining a team," she said. "Then, I saw the flyers around Lehigh and the rowing coaches recruiting. They said no experience necessary, so I thought I'd give it a shot."

Granquist loved being on the water, but transitioning to the act of rowing is challenging. After an (understandable) adjustment period, she has caught on quite nicely.

"Maria is the epitome of rowing; the sport is made up of people who are willing to step out of their comfort zones to find something new and fascinating," said Lehigh head coach Brian Conley. "Maria also shows what consistent hard work is about. Maria was the slowest rower her freshmen year, but every day, she got a little faster and a little faster. Even today as a junior, she is finding ways to get faster. She is never satisfied and it shows in how she approaches her rowing and her academics.

"After all the consistent hard work, Maria was part of our Varsity Four as a sophomore that made the grand finals at the Patriot League Championships."

In the end, rowing came naturally to Granquist. After all, she's been around water her entire life.

"Just getting into the boat for the first time, I felt very shaky and unbalanced, but you really get used to it and it's actually a pretty easy sport to pick up because it's a repetitive motion. But it is difficult to master," said Granquist. "I was really slow in the beginning which was discouraging, but I chose to stick with it and worked really hard to improve my speed."

From being on her grandfather's boat as a youngster to rowing as a collegiate athlete, and everything in between, being on or near the water just feels right.

The water has opened endless opportunities, including competing in varsity athletics and her Iacocca Internship - which has led to her passion for Molecular Biology.

"I love biology, boats, the ocean and fish," said Granquist. "I used to think the only paths for a biology major were medical school or working in a 'boring' lab. But I discovered this summer that there are exciting careers which are not boring and will satisfy all my interests and passions. It opened a lot of doors for me."

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Completed Event: Women's Rowing versus Patriot League Championships on May 15, 2026 , , 8th of 9

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