2025
I spent this past semester studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, through the Danish Institute for International Study Abroad. There, my studies focused primarily on sustainable food production, while also taking classes in topics specific to Scandinavia, such as Arctic Geopolitics and Nordic Mythologies. I flourished in the program, as most of the work was hands-on rather than through sitting and listening to lectures. My class and I traveled to Sweden to visit both small-scale self-sustaining farms, as well as massive corporations such as Oatly, learning about the challenges of ensuring production is sustainable and the rewards of sharing local harvest with your community. I was so nervous to leave our little island community in the summer, and was homesick for quite a few weeks. However, my time abroad instilled a newfound sense of confidence in me as I traveled alone throughout neighboring countries and began to immerse myself in a new language and culture. While abroad, I applied for and was awarded a Brown Undergraduate Teaching and Research Award (UTRA) to work with the Environmental Science Department (ENVS) and New England-based non-profit 3CRS, to engage in community-driven coastal climate research on how climate change is affecting the economies and livelihoods of these areas. Upon my return to Brown for my second semester of junior year, I am excited to continue my membership in the Brown Market Shares club, a student-run food distribution club, as well as have my first radio show on the Brown Student Radio. I'm equally excited to continue engaging with the amazing professors in the ENVS department and to spend time with my friends whom I haven't seen in months. I'm eternally grateful for the continuous support and generosity of MVYouth, as without them, I wouldn't be where I am today.
2024
After my third semester at Brown, I have really come into my own. I decided on my major at the end of my second semester, landing on a degree in environmental science and studies. This fall, I took Diversity of Life, Humans, Nature, and the Environment: Addressing Environmental Change in the 21st Century, Eating and the Politics of Wellness, and Local Food Systems and Urban Agriculture. I have found a passion for engaged scholarship classes where I can work with the broader Providence community. Two of these classes allowed me to create my own projects with community partners to apply what I have learned in class. I collaborated with a local community garden to create workshops on teaching community members about herbalism and worked with New Shoreham Waste Water Management to reduce the amount of grease ending up in wastewater systems. I am still an active member of the Brown Climbing Club and have found rock climbing to be a source of wonderful community and a way to destress with my strenuous workload.The friends I have met at school have become like family to me, and we spent many weekends of the semester exploring New England with trips to New Hampshire to hike the White Mountains, swimming at Walden Pond and visiting the Vineyard! I continue to be very fond of Brown’s open curriculum, as I do have many requirements to fulfill for my major, however, I can still take class in any discipline where I have room. I have taken courses in urban studies, religious studies and science, technology, and society (STS). Additionally, I am currently in the process of applying to study abroad in Copenhagen to study the production and consumption of sustainable food. I am so thankful and filled with gratitude for MVYouth’s continued support and I’m looking forward to my fourth semester this spring!
2023
I recently completed my first semester at Brown University and could not be happier with my choice. I found my adjustment to Providence very smooth, coming from the ruralness of the Vineyard. I love to explore each part of the city and become acquainted with my home for the next four years. I explored multiple academic disciplines this semester, including environmental science, dance studies, and religious studies. The academic freedom Brown fosters made me realize I want to pursue a major in environmental studies, as I thoroughly enjoyed my class that connected sustainable agriculture and global hunger. I had a unique opportunity in my Introduction to Critical Dance Studies, where I was the only student. There, I had the opportunity to engage deeply with each of my readings and have exceptional one-on-one discussions with my professor. Considering I had immense authority over my learning, I thoroughly enjoyed my reading and writing assignments. Outside of academics, I’ve been an active member of the Women’s Health Advocacy Group and Brown’s chapter of Sunrise, a national environmental justice group. Next semester, I’m hoping to venture more into the broader Providence community to engage in volunteering opportunities. I’ve realized the importance of time management and finding ways to de-stress and rest my mind from the strenuous workload. I’ve joined the Brown Outing Club and Brown Rock Climbing Club and found that exercise in college has been a great way to do this. I remain immensely grateful for MVYouth’s generosity and support. It has provided me with amazing and unique experiences at a school I am already falling in love with.