“The movers and shakers on our planet, aren’t the billionaires and generals, they are the incredible numbers of people around the world filled with love for neighbor and for the earth who are resisting, remaking, restoring, renewing and revitalizing.” – Bill McKibben
Major: Global Studies with an emphasis in Global Public Health and regional focus on Latin America, minor in Environmental Science & Policy
Future Plans:
Next fall Nick will be joining Saint Louis University’s School of Public Health & Social Justice for their two-year Master of Public Health Program. He will be completing a combination of foundational courses combined with both Environmental Health and Global Public Health. Nick hopes to do field research on the intersection between Latin American developing countries and anthropogenic climate change as it relates to infectious diseases and community welfare. It is his goal to eventually work at a domestic or international NGO that serves these very communities.
Current Internship:
Over the past two years, Nick has been an intern here at Wild Basin. While his official title is an Environmental Management Intern, he has contributed to many different ongoing projects including but not limited to wildlife cameras, invasive species management, volunteer coordination, and graduate research projects.
Other internships/experience:
In the past four years of his undergraduate experience, Nick has enjoyed internships and jobs in many different sectors of the greater environmental community. His environmental experience started as a Freshman as an environmental advocacy intern for Environment Texas, successfully collecting hundreds of signatures in support of the Clean Power Plan. Soon after, Nick worked with American YouthWorks/Texas Conservation Corps and led groups of at-risk youth in conservation projects throughout the greater Central Texas Area. He continued with his academic experience by completing a semester abroad at James Cook University in Australia, which was recently ranked as the world’s #1 Marine Biology and #2 Conservation Biology Program. In the May previous to his study abroad, Nick travelled with fifteen other students to Costa Rica as part of St. Edward’s Eco-Leadership program.
Capstone Research
During his final semester of undergraduate semester, Nick is researching the stakeholders and potential consequences of a proposed pipeline in the Oriente region of Ecuador. The research focuses on the potential impact to the country’s economy and the Indigenous people of the Ecuadorean Amazon. He will complete his research, field experience, and service learning while in Ecuador at the end of May under the direction and guidance of Santiago Toledo, PhD, and Tricia D. Shepherd, Ph.D.
Acknowledgements
Nick would also like to personally thank all of the professors and mentors he has had over the past four years at St. Edward’s. To Liza Manjarrez, your leadership in Campus Ministry and commitment to the core principles of this Holy Cross institution inspire me to continue to seek justice and serve those most vulnerable in this world. To Kim Johnson, Barbara Dugelby, Ph.D., and Amy Belaire, Ph.D., thank you for always creating a welcoming environment conducive for student learning and innovation at Wild Basin. Finally, Dr. Wasserman thank you for first introducing me to the field of my further studies and for being the most memorable teacher of my undergraduate experience. You were always there for personal guidance on my professional and academic pursuits.