Nyagam Wal

What is your major? Conservation biology

Expected graduation: May 2026

What inspired your interest in the environment and/or community? I grew up surrounded by nature and green spaces, but never had the opportunity to participate in these spaces, thus, I spent most of my time growing up learning about what was accessible to me: people and a growing community.

Then, when I came into college, I was exposed to many opportunities in which I could explore something unknown to me for all my life, and I found out that I really like learning about the environment, taking care of it, bettering it, etc.

This, combined with my well-established interest in community, led me to seek out opportunities in which I could do both, and CESP was the perfect outlet for my interests.

What would you say to other students who ask about CESP or the Nelson Institute? CESP is an amazing program for being able to connect with local environmental leaders as well as with peers from different backgrounds with similar interests. The instructors are extremely supportive and want to see you succeed, and Nelson has many resources for post-grad opportunities.

Something few people know about you: CESP is an amazing program for being able to connect with local environmental leaders as well as with peers from different backgrounds with similar interests. The instructors are extremely supportive and want to see you succeed, and Nelson has many resources for post-grad opportunities.

Anything else? I love summer field work, specifically in prairies.