Hey! I’m Grace Budd, an alumna of WRFI’s 2019 Conservation Across Boundaries course. I am currently in my senior year at the University of Vermont studying Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, with minors in Environmental Studies and Forestry. I’m originally from Charlottesville, Virginia, but lived most of my life in Fairfield, Connecticut.

My experience with WRFI was extremely formative for me. After my course, I became absolutely fascinated with birds, and have become an avid birder with hopes of working with raptors in the future. The most influential part of my WRFI course was the opportunity to be surrounded by the material I was studying. For example: listening to wolves howl outside my tent, headlamp strapped to my head, reading about the ecological importance of wolves in the Yellowstone ecosystem.

This was an incredible way to learn, and I can confidently say that it was the best part of my educational career so far. Not only did this experience help me figure out what I wanted to study in school, but it also gave me a passion for social and environmental justice and examining how the two intertwine. This has become a big part of my personal life as I participate in activism and social movements towards improving human relationships with each other and nature.

Aside from all of this, I am a big fan of anything to do with the outdoors in my free time. I love to hike, climb, bike, and swim…and nothing beats a good hammock nap. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions about WRFI, or life in general. I would love to have a conversation with you!