Students 2024

As a first year in college student, I am excited to be pursuing my bachelor’s degree in social work. During this academic year I am focused on taking pre-requisite courses for my major. As for the summer I will be back in my home state of Minnesota participating in a community-based social work internship. In the summer I will also be continuing my sixth year of working in agriculture. Looking forward in my career, I hope to impact micro level societal reform as I start my career in Social Work.

During my junior year, I got the opportunity to gain research experience through the Undergraduate Biomedical Research Internship (U-BRI) and was exposed to a variety of molecular techniques as well as the planning of a research project. While many of my interests lie in research and patient care, I’m also interested in the integration of the environment and how we impact it as well as how it can impact our health. I hope to accomplish this through the Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) and make connections with community members along the way.

I am a Hicks Honors College student and decided to join the Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) because I am passionate about taking positive action for environmental health and gaining awareness of current environmental concerns. I am excited to grow my networking and leadership skills throughout the year. In working with a community partner and completing a project, I hope to encourage others to also gain a passion for making a positive impact on the environment.

Hi! I am Reagan Elia, and I’m majoring in biochemistry and am part of the Hick’s Honors College. I have always had a passion for the environment, especially native plant conservation and sustainable agriculture. I grew up on a small landscape plant farm and am thankful for all of the hands-on experiences I have gained from that. I was also involved in Florida 4-H, which has definitely helped me learn more about agricultural practices and leadership. Outside of school I love riding horses, lifting weights, hiking, and spending time out on the water. I am looking forward to a great year developing leadership skills and learning more about environmental conservation in the Environmental Leadership Program!

In the fall semester of my Junior year, Mr. Dan Koo, Chair of CCEC; recommended that I apply for the Environmental Leadership Program. I was immediately attracted to this offer. I have been told since my youth, to never trash the environment, it came naturally to me. Growing up with a family that kept that as a priority, I thought that I played my part in helping maintain a clean environment. But I never actively participated in any sort of Program that’s sole purpose was focused on our environment. I believe that the ELP is an opportunity to deepen my understanding of how to take care of the place we spend all our life, lead others to do the same, and connect with my peers and leaders. The ELP will have a positive impact in my life, and I am glad to have the opportunity to be part of this program.

As a current sophomore projected to graduate in 2026 during the Spring semester, I plan on majoring in accounting and finance with minors in leadership and Spanish while in the Hicks Honors College. The Environmental Leadership program will help me improve my leadership and networking skills while focusing on helping the environment. Born in Philadelphia, I spent most of my life there before moving to Green Cove Springs, Florida in 2015. Outside of academics, I like to wrestle, spend time with friends, and relax by enjoying the outdoor scenery.

As a student-athlete, it can be difficult to get involved in other organizations on campus with so much of my time being spent at practice, competing for UNF or working in the classroom. This semester, I wanted to get involved with ELP because I know that it can help me in my future endeavors and career. Although my schedule is busy, college athletics is not forever, and I need to start focusing on my future career goals. I’m excited to gain new leadership and communication skills, as well as networking opportunities through ELP while finishing up my last semester of undergrad. My plans after graduating this fall are to start my Master of Science in coastal and marine biology this January while completing the last of my NCAA eligibility as a cross country and track runner.

I’m a freshman this year, and am a Hicks Honors College student. I’m also in the Environmental Sustainability LLC, and during our LLC retreat, I was introduced to the Environmental Leadership program (ELP). This program piqued my interest because, put simply, it focuses on two aspects that I want to get more involved in: the environment and leadership. Academically, I want to further explore my interest in the environment. Personally, I hope to learn new ways that I can serve the environment and my community so that I can work to improve the mindfulness and sustainability of my own life and other people’s lives. Professionally, I aim to gain more confidence in my professional skills, and challenge and push myself to step outside of my comfort zone. Ultimately, I believe that the ELP will put me on the right path to achieving my dream of pursuing a career in Biology that makes me happy, and that allows me to make a positive difference in the world.

I am so excited to be a part of the Environmental Leadership Program for the 2023-2024 school year. Throughout my degree I have studied the natural world from the perspectives of various disciplines, and I am grateful for the opportunity to apply what I have learned to benefit my community. I also have a background in music, technology, and education, which I hope may give me a unique perspective and skills to solve problems creatively. I enjoy playing the double bass in UNF’s orchestra and being in leadership for UNF’s Osprey Robotics club and VR club.

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Florida. I was grateful to experience a diverse culture that allowed me to understand the world more. I joined the Environmental Leadership Program because of the environment’s impact on politics and vice versa. Experiencing firsthand the crises of climate change has impacted me to learn about our environmental crisis and how the policymaking process affects how the environment is treated and protected. Joining ELP would ensure that my leadership and networking skills would develop into the demands of the environmental workforce, ensuring I’m prepared to tackle the crisis.

I am currently a freshman majoring in Biology as well as part of the Hicks Honors College. I wanted to join the Environmental Leadership Program as it provides me with the opportunity to learn and grow in the field, I am interested in. My Main goal is to become an environmental scientist. I want to help improve our planet as well as improve the relationship between people and the environment.

In my first year at UNF I joined the Environmental Sustainability Living Learning Community, during the orientation for the LLC I was introduced to IERE and the ELP. I was very excited to apply for IERE as a way to network with like minded people as well as a way to work on different projects and such. I have plenty of experience with environmental projects both on the labor and management side, I spent 12 years in Scouts BSA and continue to be a part of the organization after I earned Eagle Scout and turned 18. I am very excited to start my journey with ELP and IERE as a way for me to carry my love for the environment into my professional career.

My name is Zora Khalili, and I am a junior at UNF, majoring in Health Science. I am originally from London, England, but have lived in Jacksonville for a long time. I have a strong passion for community health and research. In the future, I aspire to become an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, with the intentions of creating a hands-on community health program targeted at providing refugees and individuals in low-income areas with access to medical and dental care. I am excited to be a part of the environmental leadership program and take part in bettering the community of Jacksonville.

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, moving to Jacksonville in late 2019. I found out about the Environmental Leadership Program this summer, and I’m excited to participate in a cause that benefits people, the environment, and everything in between. Although I graduate in less than a year, I’m keen on providing as much value as possible to our community and partners.

I am a junior at the University of North Florida excited to be a part of the Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) once again. I’ve became more interested and intrigued about my community and human interactions in our environment based off my experience with IERE. I can’t wait to see what this year has in store for myself, potential community partners, and my peers.

Ever since I was young, I always knew that I wanted to go into Zoology. I grew up on National Geographic with 2 parents in the field of biology, so I have been waiting to study biology in college for a long time. The ELP will allow me to do this and more. Not only will I get more hands on work in my chosen field, but I will also get to learn more about what it means be a leader and network with others, areas I am eager to improve in.

I am a Junior at UNF pursuing a major in Political Science and a minor in International Studies. I am from Omaha, Nebraska, but I moved to Jacksonville from Washington, D.C. where I was studying at American University. I will be graduating from UNF in the Spring of 2025. During my Freshman and Sophomore years at AU, I participated in a leadership program for the School of Public Affairs and I worked in the Environmental and Sustainability Issue Group. Through this program, I worked with my issue group to conduct several social action projects, including a series of seminars with local leaders on sustainability.

I recently transferred from a community college to the University of North Florida and have always been passionate about sustainability, the incorporation of public health, and volunteering. I wanted to get more experience in a leadership environment which led me to the Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) that would allow me to get sustainability training while also expanding my network with community leaders. The ELP is a stellar program that will help expand my knowledge on real-life experience and create an environmentally focused project. Some facts about me are that I am one of the founders of the Vietnamese Student Association, am heavily involved in the small business community of Jacksonville, and I am left-handed.

I graduated from Miami Norland Senior High School in the Spring of 2023, and I enjoy being educated on ways to live sustainably. I want to participate in the Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) because I want to further assess how my way of living impacts the environment. I want to contribute something positive to our environment and be educated on ways I can connect with nature. In addition, this program will help me polish my networking skills, professional skills, and meet new people with differentiating perspectives on how to better our environment. I am thrilled to be a member of the Environmental Leadership program and look forward to upcoming events and activities.

I joined the IERE Environmental Leadership Program in Fall 2023 in the effort to gain more experience and hopefully in the process help the Jacksonville community; I’ve been living here for over thirteen years, so this place is home to me, and I wanted to help it how I could. The ELP’s networking and organization will help me towards both my career goals, such as getting a lasting job in my major of Information Technology, as well as my volunteer goals of helping the Jacksonville community. Fun facts about me: I was born in Cork, Ireland, I lived in Shanghai, China for five years, and after I graduate, I plan to return to university to get a Bachelor’s or Master’s of Fine Arts to fulfill my dream of becoming the creative director of my own animated series. My major is Information Technology, my minor is Creative Writing, I live in Jacksonville, FL, but I was born in Cork, Ireland, and I expect to graduate in Spring 2024.

I am a senior at UNF studying as a pre-veterinary student so that I can continue my father’s veterinary family business. Whether from working as a manager at Chick-Fil-A, starting my own real estate marketing company in Brazil, or backpacking Europe solo I have a diverse portfolio of experiences to bring to the table. If we don’t meet right away don’t worry, I am very active on campus in Student Government, multiple clubs, and undergraduate research. I am very interested in the brain and how our environment alongside everything else impacts our brains. My expected graduation date is Fall of 2024. One day I aspire, in addition to inheriting my fathers family veterinary business, to work at Mayo Clinic studying the brains of animals.

Shawn is currently enrolled at UNF as a junior and is expecting to graduate in the Spring of 2025. He has been passionate about history his entire life and loves the pursuit of knowledge because he enjoys learning new things. Shawn is also very eager to use his abilities and strengths to serve his community and have a positive impact on the environment. Shawn is a major animal lover, which drives him towards projects that preserve wildlife. Shawn has lived in Florida his whole life and is passionate about preserving the natural beauty that Florida has.

I have a strong interest in social justice, and I work to utilize my photography to raise awareness for various causes. As a kid, I was extremely interested in marine biology, and I am currently working with the Marine Science Center in Port Orange, FL for my Honors and Environmental Studies Capstones. I hope to take photographs to promote environmental awareness, and to complete my environmental studies major to ensure I am spreading accurate information. I hope to graduate in Summer 2025.

Hello everybody! My name is Michele and I’m a first-year student at UNF coming in from another College as a transfer. I’m currently a Psychology major but, I’m planning to double major in data science. Fun fact, I’m also a Jacksonville native and was born and raised here. In a bit under 2 years, I plan to graduate with my bachelors, then after I would like to attend graduate school. Lastly, I am so excited working with you all and cannot wait to see what this program entails!

Over the summer semester of my freshman year, I was accepted into the Osprey First Summer Pathway Program and, subsequently, became acquainted with the campus and the coursework. Within my writing class, there was an overarching theme of the Sustainable Development Goals, Global Issues, and UNF. These topics helped spark my passion and fanned the flame of interest toward the Institute of Environmental Research and Education. Having now been accepted into the Environmental Leadership Program, I am more than excited to become an environmental scholar, positively impact the community, and write a real UNF Policy Change Proposal (as I had written a faux proposal in my writing class). Before attending UNF, I was already attentive to the environment, as I would participate in voluntary beach clean-ups with my high school. I have always known I wanted to be a biologist (specifically a marine biologist), so I have a deep appreciation for the ocean, the environment, and animals. When I am not doing homework or studying, I am with my camera. I love photography (I also deeply appreciate this) and occasionally get a chance to help a real estate agent shoot videos for his company.

Hello, my name is Hadley, and I am a sophomore here at UNF studying communications. Growing up, my parents would often take me camping, hiking, and kayaking, which allowed me to fall in love with the wonderful wildlife of Florida. I am so excited to be involved in this program that will allow me to serve this planet and my community!

My name is Uendi Xhani, as you can already tell by my name, I’m an international student from Albania. I’m 21 years old, I transferred to UNF after doing 1 year of Law at my home country. Here I’m majoring in Finance and I’m excited for this change in my life and can’t wait to see how it goes. I consider myself to be athletic, I love playing sports (my personal favorite is basketball), I love hiking, reading, traveling, learning new languages, and I’m very passionate when it comes to international relations. In my home country I was a Young European Ambassador for Albania, I used to take part in trainings and volunteer work in the Balkan and countries of the EU which I miss since coming to US. I love volunteering on my free time and I’m really grateful for this opportunity as it allows me to dedicate my time to something I love doing, grow my network and develop new skills!