My name is Ella Mighell and I was a student on the Spring 2017 Colorado Plateau course. My upbringing was rooted in the redwood forests and oak valleys of northern California, but much of my self-discovery and land connection has taken place in the canyons of the Colorado Plateau and the alpine ridges of the Rocky Mountains, where I interned this past summer for the Colorado Outward Bound School. I am currently a senior at the University of Vermont with a self-designed major focusing on Community Development and Environmental Justice. In life there are pivotal moments that connect you to meaning and passion. WRFI introduced me to place-based education and transdisciplinary issues in practice, both fields that I hope to continue following as an aspiring outdoor educator and community member. The Wild Rockies Field Institute pushed my boundaries and opened my eyes in one of the most beautiful and challenging two month periods of my life. Please email me with any questions you might have about WRFI.