ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Olivia Walton ’19 M.S.

By Elizabeth Rodgers
Photo by Robert Rattner

"After a field trip, one student told me that although touching a starfish was something he’d been very afraid to do, it was also his favorite memory. He was so proud of himself for conquering his fear. Getting kids outside and comfortable with exploring nature is a huge part of why I do this. Kids who grow up loving nature become adults who will fight to protect our environment."Olivia Walton ’19 M.S.

Olivia Walton ’19 M.S., who earned a bachelor’s degree in natural resources from Cornell University, currently teaches as an adjunct faculty at the University of New Haven while completing her master’s degree in environmental science. Walton is the first University student to earn a Switzer Environmental Fellowship from the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation, a research award granted to only 20 emerging environmental leaders in the nation. The grant enabled Walton, a native of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, to expand her thesis research on developing and assessing conservation education approaches for primary school children living on Bahamian and other Caribbean islands.



Celebrating What it Takes to be a Charger

The spotlights featured in this special campaign edition of the University of New Haven Alumni Magazine showcase something fundamental that our students, faculty, alumni, and friends have in common: selflessness and a desire to give back to the world for the opportunities given to them. The Charger Challenge was inspired by individuals like these who have committed themselves to continuing an incredible momentum into a future that beckons with possibility and the promise of imagination, innovation, and impact.

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