Natural Resources Recreation Major
Virginia
Tech: the school spirit, the sense of community, the fear that leaving
school for a weekend means missing out on something. A nurturing environment
where professors go out of their way to make sure students understand
the information covered in lecture, where debates are encouraged and
thinking stimulated. I belong...Tech is home, not because of the town
of Blacksburg not the distinguishing hokie stone. Instead, self expression
liberates itself from awkwardness. Without glares or snide remarks,
I may speak my thoughts aloud. Individuals may be rewarded for being
honest with themselves and true to their nature.
The majority of my time is spent with children. For the past two years,
I have planned weekly recreational activities for at risk youth. In
addition, I have been planning and leading seasonal environmental education
programs and backpacking trips for the Giles County 4-H Club. With both
of these programs, I have the privilege of sharing in the maturation
process of some pretty incredible teenagers. Using my certifications
in Project Wet, Project Wild, and Project Underground, I recently developed
and implemented Wet and Wild, a weekly after-school environmental education
program for Christiansburg Middle School. With relentless energies,
my Wet and Wild "kids" have brought bellyaching laughter even
on the most dreary Monday afternoons.
My current academic program provides a broad foundation in natural resource
management so that I may learn the history, current public policy, and
the need for change. Internships with Fairfax County Park Authority
and the College of Natural Resources have granted unparalleled opportunities
to extend the scope of knowledge far beyond the realm of institutional
learning. These experiences have presented the chance to contemplate
the meaning of life within a universal view, while providing a compass
for personal growth. Above all, my university experience has stimulated
my desire for physical and moral development, urged a quest for adventure,
and inspired a passion to leave footprints in the world.