Inspired by my high school AP Environmental Science teacher, I went into college knowing that I wanted to pursue a degree in Environmental Science. I became aware of the ways in which society inefficiently allocates and over-exploits natural resources, but I also learned about the ways in which humans are continually improving their approach to the environment. Although future environmental projections can be bleak, I was encouraged by the stories of communities coming together to protect the environment and found that I was excited to join a field with such a positive message.

​

​

My interest in International Studies was far more nebulously sourced. Growing up in a diverse city like Jacksonville, Florida, I had a diverse group of friends who inadvertently made sure I was always aware of other countries and cultures. This kept me open to the international affairs, but my interests still did not have a concrete direction. In my freshman year of university I took the course “Honors Global Environmental Issues” for my Environmental Science major requirements, and from that point on I was hooked on international affairs. My professor demonstrated how interconnected countries are with shared commons, how trade on one side of the globe can affect the forests on another, providing tangible case studies to demonstrate these concepts. Realizing this connection between environmental science and international affairs, I began to explore other avenues for my future career. The following spring, I enrolled in both a Japanese Film class and an International Relations class, which solidified my commitment to studying environmental issues on an international scale, and the rest is history!

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

From this point I continued taking courses that broadened my worldview one semester at a time. Regarding my degree’s language requirements, after the friends I'd made and the courses I'd taken, there was never any question in my mind about focusing my degree on the Asian region. I could continued studying Chinese, as I had enjoyed learning it for three years in high school, but in the end I chose to study Japanese. I'd wanted to explore other languages relevant to my global area of study, and I found that I genuinely enjoyed learning and speaking Japanese – more so than any other language I had studied (e.g. Spanish, French, and Chinese). Speaking came naturally to me, even if the grammar took some getting used to.

​

​

As my college career progressed, I started taking more policy-oriented classes, coming to channel my interest in international environmental science into international environmental relations, policies, and cooperation. I strongly believe that the future of sustainability will entail mass cooperation to mediate environmental threats and imbalances, reducing the inequalities which influence environmental abuse. My coursework has only substantiated this belief.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

 

My campus involvement revolved around environmental sustainability. Once I progressed far enough in my dual degree track, I realized that I was missing out on what campus life is all about - extracurriculars!

 

Upon the recommendation of my academic adviser and several friends, I joined the School of Natural Resources and Environment Student Council. Joining this club as an officer, I was able to mentor underclassmen through group activities, informative presentations, and group volunteering and trips. I found myself loving my fellow officers and club members, and greatly enjoyed collaborating on projects with them. In my time with the SNRE SC I wore many hats: Volunteer Chair, Secretary, and Social Media Coordinator. I wanted a variety of experiences, and this club was the perfect place to gain them. This involvement facilitated a greater understanding of the small-scale impacts of sustainability initiatives, enabling me to better understand how grassroots operations work. Today, I am grateful to these people who gave me such a confidence-boosting, informative, collaborative experience.

​

​

After solidifying my passion for international environmental relations, I decided that participating in a sustainability-related study abroad program should be my next step in gaining career-building experience. While I applied for the U.F. In Europe Program thinking that it would be amazing to travel between four different countries and learn about their sustainability initiatives, I was wholly unprepared for how much it would change me. It was after navigating French public transportation by myself to buy a nice dress to visit the U.N. Strasbourg headquarters that I realized I was changing as a person. I overcame many small personal obstacles, but also had my worldview drastically expanded. I was better able to see the ways in which the world is connected through sustainability politics, and felt confident that my journey towards international environmental relations was perfect for me. This experience would go on to inspire me to live abroad after graduation in a non-Western country.

​

With the confidence instilled in me by my study abroad program, I applied for and successfully obtained an Internship with U.F.’s Athletics Association's Sustainability Department. My role involved program evaluation, volunteer management, and fan interactions at university-sponsored sporting events. Although unrelated to international affairs, gaining this professional and analytical experience made me more comfortable as a leader, more sure of my decisions and judgment. I honed my ability to assess problems and find quick, practical solutions. I also did a lot of walking around the football stadium! This internship renewed my desire to maintain an environmental focus, to research opportunities that would take me abroad and which would also prioritize environmental sustainability.

​

As a member of the first general body of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Philanthropy Council, I helped facilitate campus outreach through volunteer event, social media awareness campaigns, and professional event planning. I was the lead coordinator for the “Faces of Philanthropy” event, connecting alumni donors with the students they support. My involvement with this council was motivated by needing more professional experience with public speaking and event planning, skills which would be invaluable to me in the world of international policy and the working world in general.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

It was at this time that I decided to pursue a minor in International Development and Humanitarian Assistance. Many international organizations deal with the environment in a way that focuses on sustainable development, so I knew that I would need a stronger foundation on the fundamentals of humanitarian and developmental aid. Developmental work deals with the long-term stability of a community or country, oftentimes focusing on economic development, resource security, and environmental sustainability. Although I am currently unsure of whether or not my future path will bend towards humanitarian work in the long-run, my coursework for this minor has inspired me to one day volunteer abroad, working perhaps for a U.N. humanitarian organization such as the World Food Programme in order to gain a vital understanding of the functions and responsibilities of developmental aid.

 

My final life-altering decision came when I decided to apply for the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. Through this program one lives in Japan, teaches English at local schools, and acts as a representative of their country and culture. I applied, interviewed, and was accepted, and am now editing this from my apartment desk in Sado-shi, Niigata-ken, Japan. Without my past activities and experiences, I never would have had enough confidence and sufficiency to apply, let alone thrive as an Assistant Language Teacher in a foreign country. From this place, I am grateful to the people I've known and collaborated with, the teachers who only ever inspired me to do better, and the university which allowed this all to happen in the first place.

​

In the summer after graduation I held a brief but informative internship with the Jacksonville branch of Congressman Rutherford's Office. Working for my congressional representative and helping constituents with complex issues, I obtained a greater appreciation for public service and hope to be further involved with it one day, be it in a career or volunteer capacity.

​

​

​

​

Reflecting back on my time in undergrad, I know I made the choices that were right for me. I gained surety in my passion for international environmental policy, a field which is somehow both broad and niche, every new detail I learned rewiring my understanding of the interconnectedness of our modern world. By forging that connection between Environmental Science and International Studies, I paved a path for myself that had not existed yet at my university. From the position of a graduate, I reflect back on my choices and experience and am enthusiastically satisfied with how I've grown. Unwilling to compromise my loves of environmental sustainability and international studies, I looked toward a career goal and moved forward.

​

I go into more detail across the rest of my ePortfolio, and I invite you to dive deeper into the things that shaped me into the person I am today! Thank you for reading about my story, it was a pleasure to write and I can only hope it's similarly a pleasure to read. I hope my story makes you even the slightest bit more considerate of the outside forces and personal drive which has brought you to whatever point you're at today.