As a university student, I am still trying to get more experience under my belt in the field of ecology and academia as a whole. I am passionate about the world we live in and I am determined to develop a greater understanding of it in hopes of conducting research to mitigate human impacts and preserve our world for generations to come. I have held two part-time jobs since I was a freshman in high school and I find both of them extremely rewarding. I am not just selling merchandise to concert-goers or game-goers, I am creating connections between myself and customers and I am able to have genuine and productive conversations while I work. I also get to improve my communication and leadership skills on a daily basis because I have to problem solve in the quickest and most efficient way while managing a stand of coworkers.