I have been a lover of the outdoors and all things nature for my entire life. The fact that I now have the opportunity to study the environment and work to protect it from the worst effects of climate change. Since beginning my college education I have been on the president's list every semester. I am a member of the Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Xi Sigma honor societies, and I have received several academic merit scholarships. I was a pre-k teacher for 4.5 years and I found it to be very rewarding. I gained invaluable experience in effective communication, problem-solving, conflict resolution, planning, and scheduling.