Upon graduation from high school I was admitted to the Richard Stockton College of NJ. Being unsure of what direction to take with regard to my studies, I immersed myself in a wide variety of classes. Upon taking my first Introductory Political Science class, I knew that I had stumbled upon something I could sink my teeth into. At the end of that semester I decided to declare a major in Political Science. The following semester I was introduced to the challenges surrounding environmental policy, energy, and sustainable development. This very quickly became an area of special interest and over the next few years I took as many classes pertaining to environmental issues as my degree would allow. I began to work with my academic advisor on extracurricular projects building towers and recording wind data for small scale wind turbines for various sites across southern New Jersey. Additionally, I became a skilled backpacker and undertook a Wilderness Survival Skills course to develop my backcountry knowledge further. I was also able to spend several weeks in Yellowstone National Park over During Summer 2010 meeting with park officials and locals alike to discuss the challenges of managing natural resources. In my studies and extracurricular opportunities I found a deep seeded love for the environment and a devotion to expanding my understanding of modern issues.
These experiences throughout my education have honed my passion for environmental issues and provided me a thorough foundation of understanding regarding the challenges facing our generation. As graduation from the college drew closer, I knew that I wanted to gain hands on experience within the environmental sector. As I began applying for positions I was introduced to the SCA and the many opportunities for experience they had to offer. The more I read about these opportunities, the more excited I grew about the chance to get my hands dirty. I look forward to traveling to other regions of the US, gaining hands on experience, and exploring different environments through my experiences with the SCA :).
