The highlight of my ENR experience was without a doubt the people I’ve met along the way. Our scholars group is fortunate enough to be filled with many like-minded people who all happen to get along well. I’ve been able to develop relationships with people vertically and horizontally, which is something I really value. Being a member of this group, I’ve learned the many aspects of what it means to be sustainable. Being mindful of this is important and it is something that everyone should consider looking into.

My spring of 2017 project was again the Fawcett center. This semester, I was able to do much more in the Fawcett center to improve the area. I participated in invasive species removal (mainly Callery Pear and Honeysuckle) as well a tree planting session which opens the area up to more native species, ideally returning it to a more natural state. From this project, I learned that making a big impact on an ecosystem is both much harder and much easier than you would expect. Damaging an area can be done with a small amount of careless acts, and making it right again can be very difficult.

For those who will be new to the ENR program, my advice would be to get out of your comfort zone and try new things. It can be difficult at first, but learning and experiencing new things is what produces real growth. In this case, the benefits of your experience in ENR far outweigh the nervousness and risk you might perceive.

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