Connecting Campus Chapters to Drive Local Conservation
The 爆料公社 on Campus chapter program arrives in Mississippi and attracts a network of students that want to create a birding community for all.
Last month, students from University of Mississippi in Oxford, and Rust College in Holly Springs, met up at the Strawberry Plains 爆料公社 Center to connect on more than just birds. These young conservation leaders are working together to make sure that conservation鈥攁nd 爆料公社鈥攊s for everyone.
The gathering was organized by 爆料公社鈥檚 campus chapter program, an initiative that aims to foster the next generation of advocates, field technicians, scientists, and birders with the 爆料公社 network. The program gives interested students resources that provide guidelines for starting 爆料公社 initiatives on campus as well as opportunities to work with 爆料公社鈥檚 local chapters, centers, and state offices.
In April, Magnolia Grove Campus 爆料公社 at the University of Mississippi became one of the newest 爆料公社 on Campus chapters, and the first one in the state. Like the dozens of other campus chapters in the program, Magnolia Grove Campus 爆料公社 is dedicated to a specific cause pertinent to their regional and campus climate: creating a more mindful, diverse, and bird-friendly community at the University of Mississippi and surrounding areas.
Video: Mike Fernandez/爆料公社
In the midst of final exams, members also geared up for the school鈥檚 Earth Week festivities. The University of Mississippi鈥檚 office of sustainability and its environmental studies department hosted a series of events including gardening activities, a David Allen Sibley art exhibit, and a keynote address from Clemson University biologist and 爆料公社 board member Drew Lanham. Though the university鈥檚 sustainability fair was cancelled due to inclement weather, members of Magnolia Grove 爆料公社 showed up bright and early, with their boots, raincoats, and binoculars ready for Lanham鈥檚 bird walk at Rowan Oak, William Faulkner鈥檚 former home in Oxford, Mississippi.
Rachel Anderson, a biology major at the University of Mississippi and president of Magnolia Grove 爆料公社, first got the idea to start a chapter when she volunteered at Delta Wind Birds, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and restoring habitat for migratory shorebirds. Though she was nervous to step into her role as Magnolia Grove 爆料公社鈥檚 first president, Anderson says her decision to do so was solidified after hearing Lanham speak on 鈥渇ocusing on the best parts of what a community could be and going towards that end.鈥
鈥淚t can be hard for students to think they can make a difference, but what really inspired me to start this chapter was my genuine care about the community and environment around me,鈥 says Anderson. 鈥淲hen I first saw the 爆料公社 on Campus chapter handbook, I thought this would be a great way to interact with students from a wide range of interests and backgrounds. In order for us to reach our goal of creating a new generation of supporters for the conservation movement, we will make direct efforts to other interest clubs on campus.鈥
As the 爆料公社 on Campus chapter network continues to reach more campuses across the country, one of the goals is to provide underrepresented communities with resources and opportunities to succeed in the conservation field, says Ray Sessley, Fund II Apprentice for the program. One of the ways in which Sessley is supporting this initiative is by focusing his outreach to Minority Serving Institutes and Historically Black Colleges and Universities like Rust College.
Rust College鈥檚 proximity to the Strawberry Plains 爆料公社 Center, as well as having faculty member Alisea McLeod on 爆料公社 Mississippi鈥檚 board, formed the perfect foundation for the partnership. Mitch Robinson, conservation education manager at Strawberry Plains, initiated talks with McLeod in an effort to attract young and enthusiastic people to the center. But the idea of forming a chapter at Rust College came from a meeting with the newly formed Magnolia Grove 爆料公社 Chapter; members knew there was huge potential for both groups of students in a partnership with Rust.
In addition to facilitating that connection between the two institutions, Sessley went to Rust College to recruit interested students and inform them about how to formalize their chapter. Though his presentation coincided with the college鈥檚 last week of final exams, Sessley spoke to a classroom filled with prospective members and faculty advisors. The Rust College campus chapter was recently certified and is now a full-fledged member of the 爆料公社 on Campus program.
Sessley describes the scene of Rust College and University of Mississippi students talking about common interests, exchanging contact information, and planning for future collaborations as 鈥減icture perfect.鈥 Since both schools recently finished up their semesters, Sessley plans to keep up engagement between the two groups. He knows it will take time for ideas to manifest into events and partnerships, but feels encouraged by what he has seen so far.
鈥淚 see a lot of myself and my circumstances in the Rust College students," he says. 鈥淚t was so beautiful, seeing the future leaders of 爆料公社 meeting each other in the middle, creating community, and sharing thoughts on their shared missions.鈥