Lynnea Colbert

What are your majors? Conservation biology and zoology, with a certificate in environmental studies

Expected graduation: May 2025

What inspired your interest in the environment and/or community? While my coursework in college thus far has played a large role in inspiring my interests, I have also grown up with lots of love for nature and the outdoors, and have always known the importance of treating the natural world around me with respect and kindness. The environment is more than just a place we inhabit, and is to be enjoyed and taken care of for the many generations to come.

As I find myself engaging with both the environment and the communities I belong to, I remind myself that, “We are showered every day with gifts, but they are not meant for us to keep. Their life is in their movement, the inhale and exhale of our shared breath. Our work and our joy is to pass along the gift and to trust that what we put out into the universe will always come back.” — Robin Wall Kimmerer

What would you say to other students who ask about CESP or the Nelson Institute? I started my college journey pretty clueless, and I was “undeclared” in terms of majors up until junior year. I eventually discovered conservation biology, which seemed to perfectly blend my interests in the biological sciences with environmental conservation and ecological disciplines, and from there found zoology, which exposed me to research opportunities and furthered my scientific knowledge.

Environmental studies was the perfect addition to the two and introduced me to classes that would ultimately inform me about the existing disparities within and connections between both community and environment. I joined CESP very shortly after declaring my majors, and it has been such a rewarding experience.

I would tell anyone interested in CESP or the Nelson Institute that regardless of your background or college goals, CESP is such an incredible and rewarding community to be a part of. This welcoming learning environment holds so many diverse perspectives and is a program that is focused on inviting students to reflect and grow while centering on community engagement and the world around us.

Something few people know about you: I am a first-generation college student!