Inaugural Chrysalis Scholarship Winners

I am first and foremost someone who is passionate about wildlife and conservation. My whole life revolves around my passion for wildlife, my love for science, and my energy for bringing the community together around those two things. I grew up around the arts and literature and enjoy writing in my free time, something that helps connect me to the natural world through different lenses. As a former youth advisor for Conservation Nation and active participant in their mission, I have seen the good their message of diversity brings. Next semester I will be studying abroad in Costa Rica to study Biology at Universidad Veritas in San Jose, and the scholarship will be put towards funding my tuition there. I am dedicated to continuing my involvement with Conservation Nation and this scholarship will allow me to increase my knowledge of conservation science through an international lens.

I am a Freshman at the University of Maryland College Park in the Environmental Science & Policy major, planning to concentrate in Wildlife Ecology & Management. I love working out in the field and observing how the natural world operates because there’s something new to learn every day. Meeting the natural world and seeing how it is connected to people inspires me to make lifelong relationships with others to serve a purpose that is greater than myself, for conservation. By learning how to characterize and measure the fertility of soils, the basics of native plant landscaping projects and how to protect our Chesapeake Bay watershed, the different ways to eliminate waste, and how environmental injustice occurs in different communities, I am better recognizing the world around me day by day. The Chrysalis Scholarship will help me continue my studies and achieve my goal of becoming a wildlife biologist working out in the field to conserve habitats and ecosystems for wildlife. I want to give back the knowledge I receive, to leave the earth better than the way I found it.

“An Environmental Scientist is Praised for Her Research” – the titles of articles about me 30 years from now because I want to be remembered as someone who brought in new ideas and information to existing problems, especially those associated with suitability and the environment. As a Hispanic woman who wants to pursue a career in the STEM field, I know that my road will be filled with challenges due to how environmental scientists are viewed in our modern age, however, I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. Thinking about saving a plant species or discovering another way to create a carbon-free energy source fuels my motivation. I want to accomplish big things by working alongside community leaders to advocate for sustainability. A Chrysalis Scholarship will have a positive impact on my education as I will be able to learn about what I am interested in without the anxiety of paying for my schooling. As it may, I cannot achieve my goals without financial help and by being included in the Chrysalis Scholarship, I can move one step closer to making the world a better place.

I am a recent graduate of Freedom High School in Woodbridge, VA. As a 2022 Conservation Nation NxtGen Conservation Microgrant winner, I created a native plant garden at my high school. I enjoy learning about the environment around me and science. I volunteer at various parks in Prince William County. In some of my free time, I build model kits, surf the web, and learn various details about life science. I’m going to Northern Virginia Community College and after receiving my Associate’s degree in science, I will attend George Mason University to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science. As a Chrysalis Scholar, I will get the chance to explore more in the fields of conservation and environmental science, something that allows my passion to flow forward.