Previous Recipients - Shannon Hatmaker

When I was in elementary school, I fell in love with the history, culture, and wildlife of Africa. I decided then that I would spend my life educating others about the natural history of this amazing, and seemingly distant, continent. As a child, I truly listened when Jane Goodall said, “You can change the world.” I aspired to do just that, to dedicate my life to promoting understanding and appreciation of all aspects of nature and societies. As a Master’s student in an Environmental Science program, I have been fortunate in gaining the necessary knowledge base that will allow me to become a more productive global citizen and an effective contributor in the conservation field. However, I still enjoy a desire to learn more about environmental issues in Africa, with the hopes of turning my passion into a career working for a non-profit organization that addresses international issues.

In the fall of 2007, thanks to the financial support of the InterExchange Foundation’s Christianson Grant, I was able to live in East Africa doing exactly what I had dreamed: I was accepted to be an international volunteer in Tanzania with the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots program for four months. Roots & Shoots is a global environmental program for youth, with about 8,000 groups worldwide in 100 countries. Youth who belong to a Roots & Shoots group share a concern for the environment, animals, and the human community, and are able to be directly involved in solving problems facing these issues by working at the local level. The projects conducted by most groups are service oriented, hands-on, and provide youth a great way to network with others like them all over the world.