Tell us a bit about yourself.
Having grown up in the Midwest, my childhood was characterized by a certain love for the outdoors and the nature that included. In elementary school, I found that I loved to walk around barefoot by the stream near my school instead of coming directly home; this was when I knew I loved the environment. Later on, I discovered a love for music and language as well as a highly inquisitive disposition. These parallel interests persist now in my two majors (French and Environmental Studies) and are driving me toward a future that I await with excitement! Back in Kansas, I worked for several years at a greenhouse/nursery where I found that my favorite part of the environment, the part that makes me the most excited, is the sheer variety of roles played by the plants in each system. I hope to pursue further education in the fields of plant science, environmental horticulture, plant pathology, etc., but for now, I will continue getting the big picture. I’d love to do more work in the field. I’m simply excited to be someone who has the privilege and drive to make a difference for the better. You can usually find me in a park, sitting with a good view of a tree, trying to see it not as an organism, but an entire system of them.
What initially attracted you to NYU’s Environmental Studies? Why did you decide to pursue this degree?
To be honest, I sort of fell into Environmental Studies by accident. I came to NYU thinking I would study romance language. I believed (and still believe) that many of our problems could be easily solved with proper and efficient communication, and I wanted to make a difference by serving as a bridge between languages, between cultures. Only after a two-year period did I realize that I missed nature. I missed the environment. I missed study. That was when I truly decided I wanted to study the environment. I was so so pleasantly surprised to be welcomed so warmly into this family.
What do you love most about being in the major or minor?
The best part about this major is by far the sense of camaraderie I feel with my peers and professors. “The Environment” is a HUGE thing to be interested in, so everyone is here for a slightly different reason, trying to learn what we can in order to address a unique part of the problem. Some of us are fighting for animals, some of us are learning about waste, and some are learning about invertebrates, but we’re all tied together by our love for our planet. Nobody is here to judge anyone else for not being interested in their specific “slice” of the environment, we’re all excited for each other. You just can’t beat that.
What do you hope to accomplish with your major or minor?
Thinking way forward, I’d love to be one of those experts that the government calls when they need hyper-specific information on plants and/or sustainability. In terms of THIS specific major and minor, I hope to bring a certain level of communication prowess to the realm of scientific research.
What is next for you? What do you plan to do after graduation?
I hope to pursue higher education somewhere in the realm of plant science. I may, however, need to move a bit closer to some nature. The city is an incredibly interesting place to study the environment in, but it doesn’t fuel my soul the way a forest would.
What advice do you have for prospective students?
My advice is to proceed with an open heart. The people in this department are amazing and will help you every step of the way if you just let them!