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Student Member Spotlight
Sara Morris

Sara Morris is a Survey Technician with CNY Land Surveying
where she has been working since 2024. Currently Sara is
pursuing a Surveying degree at East Tennessee State
University, an ABET accredited online program. I recently
had the chance to ask her a few questions.
What got you into land surveying?
Extreme burnout after having a second baby and 15 years
of owning a retail/restaurant business with my husband
and over 30 employees. We downsized and closed half of
our business, and I decided to step away from the day-to-
day. I went to school for Industrial Design and have my
bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University, so I tried out
project management in the millwork industry, and I loved
the work, but the company was not a good fit. As I was on is probably the best part of the job. Some sites are not my
the job hunt, I considered land surveying because it favorite, especially if they go on for days, but the variety of
seemed like a good mix of the technical CAD/drafting types of sites we get to work on keeps it interesting. Lastly,
aspects of the job that I liked, but also the problem solving, I think drafting is pretty fun, especially when technology
and field work aspects that I enjoy. I reached out to several works right, and having a final product to deliver (with a
surveyors in my area, had several interviews and even did pretty bow on top) is quite satisfying.
a job shadow, but ultimately decided to take a more clerical Where do you see your future in land
job at an architecture/engineering/construction/development surveying going?
firm due to the much higher salary and benefits they offered. I will be pursuing licensure with the goal of owning my

I then learned pretty quickly that I hated office life, and it own (woman-owned) business. I like the idea of the
was squashing my entrepreneurial spirit. I had had almost business being one that I could keep small (myself plus 1
a year of trying to like the job while also taking math and or 2 employees) or scale if I really wanted to. As someone
physics pre-requisite courses at my local community who has experience putting in countless hours in business-
college to think about what type of surveyor/office and ownership, and is now prioritizing work-life balance, I see
types of projects I’d like to work on, when I reached back the surveying workload as something I can manage to
out to Doug Reith of CNY Land Surveying and started prioritize that. From my limited experience in the industry,
working for him! it seems that huge strides in technology have been made in
terms of efficiency of gathering data, but a lot of surveying
What is your favorite part of surveying? offices get bogged down with basic business efficiency and
I wore many hats running my business, and I enjoyed project management. Additionally, if one of my three kids
using those different parts of my brain. With surveying, I is interested in getting into surveying, working in my
really enjoy the research aspects and history and sometimes future business would provide them with plenty of life
going down rabbit holes. I enjoy communicating and skills, if not a legacy I could pass down.
talking with clients/customers—it’s a very different
relationship and volume than you get in retail or You will be able to hear more about Sara in the Young
restaurants—and it’s interesting to hear about different Professionals upcoming video series.
projects and be at the forefront of many projects that are Submitted by Thomas Vona
just starting. Also, for my mental health, being able to be Member, NYSAPLS Young Professionals Committee
outside, doing something physical (but not too strenuous)

20 EMPIRE STATE SURVEYOR / VOL. 62 • NO 3 / 2026 • MAY/JUNE