Save the Date - Commonwealth Convention - June 14-16, 2023 - Dodge City, KS - Click Here to Register

intRODUCTION

10152613_2651861505670_3976733687686237189_n969149_538063526306014_1683370833513898989_n

I apologize for the delay of my first blog post. I first created this weeks ago, but when putting in my time sheet today I noticed that it in fact did not exist. So, here it is.

I am 22 years old and soon to be graduate form Texas Tech University with two Bachelor’s degrees in August. I will be obtaining degrees in Environment and the Humanities from the Honors College, and a degree in French Language. One interesting fact about myself is that I am a plant nerd. After being asked to join the Plant Identification Team at Texas Tech, I was voted to be captain of the team for a year. I bet you never though anything like that existed, I didn’t either until I joined. In my free time I enjoy going to the park and playing with my dog, especially in this wonder Lubbock summer weather, which is very unusual. I am originally from inner city Houston, Texas, so I am a long way form home. Everyone always finds it so interesting that I got into this field of environmental work because I am from a “big city” and I always have a hard time understanding why. Every year I was in elementary school we celebrated Earth Day and would learn all about renewable energy, or conservation, recycling ect. I think this is what really started my interest. When I was in the second grade I came home from Earth Day at school and told my father that we needed to start recycling. My father being the trail lawyer that he is asked me “Why?” After my persuasive argument at the age of 7, my father started one of the first neighborhood recycling programs in the city of Houston.  What changed my future education plans was when I took an AP Environmental Science class in high school , which changed my plans from going to business school for accounting to conservation biology. I then traveled to Lubbock Texas to receive my college education to then change my degree of Conservation Biology after two years to Environment and the Humanities. The reason why I changed was because my first degree didn’t have variety, it was only science. The degree I have and love focuses on four fields: environmental science, English, philosophy, and art, and the ability to connect them all together.

My internship with Ogallala Commons is that I am helping with an initiative that Darryl and Kade are trying to start called the Ogallala Aquifer Initiative. What I do is research and note taking, basically studying, which is what I do best. The focus on my research is to find information about the Ogallala Aquifer to then be able to send out into the deep infinity called the internet. The information is to sent out to inform the people living on or off of the resources of the Ogallala Aquifer about what exactly it is, the problems it is being faced with, as well as solutions like DIY projects that individuals and communities can develop to help fight against the problems the aquifer is facing. This information will help form a larger sense of community between people that live on all eight states that form the Ogallala Aquifer. (Very brief summary).

I am really excited about my research and have found a lot of interesting information about the Ogallala Aquifer as well as policy that affects the aquifer. My next post will include a few of these interesting facts, so get ready!

Images above: (1) Is a Magnolia Tree in France – the magnolia flower and tree is my favorite plant. (2) Is a picture of myself with my boyfriend Wyatt at his graduation form St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas.