Mallory

Vanier

Honours Bachelor of Environmental Management (Specialization in Wildlife Coservation & Management)
Cambridge, ON

I went to a small high school and loved the rapport between students and staff, and was happy to find the same atmosphere at Lakehead. Most of my classes over the past four years have had less than 30 students, with many courses having only 10-15 students. This really allows for a connection to develop between professor and student, and makes learning opportunities, such as field trips, more possible. 

 I had a strong interest in environmental studies coming out of high school, and loved that Lakehead offered a range of environmental programs with lots of hands on opportunities. One of my favourite opportunities I've had as part of the NRM faculty at Lakehead was the opportunity to travel to Finland for Field School. For three weeks, a small group of students travelled around the country studying forests, forest management techniques and how Finland is dealing with a changing climate. Through this trip I was able to experience new cultures, food, traditions and landscapes that I would never have an opportunity to see on my own. It really helped broaden my knowledge and shed light on how other countries are tackling similar issues to those here in Canada.

Now that I have graduated, I hope to pursue a career in outdoor education and interpretation. My studies at Lakehead have given me great perspective on the need for community involvement in environmental issues. Lakehead's location in Northern Ontario also showed me how important community and First Nations consultation is in order to balance the needs of the public, industry, and the environment. In the future, I know that all of the knowledge and skills I've gained at Lakehead will aid me in communicating environmental concepts to all ages and skillsets.