*The following is a message from Savanna Deger, recipient of the Mark B. Rhea Natural Resources Interpretation Scholarship.

This is my senior year at HSU, where I have spent the past four years studying environmental management with an emphasis in education and interpretation.  I have received the Mark B. Rhea Natural Resources Interpretation Scholarship and I really have enjoyed it because it’s given me opportunities to do more and reach out within the community. This year I have taken on running the Redwood Chapter of Environmental Education and Interpreters, RCEEI, as community engagement and as part of the scholarship.The RCEEI is giving me so many opportunities to work within our community, with children, and gives me the ability to help other people in my major to do volunteering and obtain internships.

My favorite academic opportunity has been a trip I went on to Crater Lake with my cohort/graduating class, we went there for three days on an interpretation field trip, where we bonded as a team but also got to learn and see each other in a hands on location doing activities pertinent to our specific major. This also leads to more time with my professors and really getting to see these ideas in the field. Following graduation, I want to work for the parks service in some regard, having a major of environmental management and my strong resume will hopefully set me up with a plethora of open opportunities. I am grateful for the scholarship because it has led me to these ideas and endeavors, and I want others to get involved in programs like the RCEEI, and academic groups that people care about in efforts to support yourself and others who want to learn.