Hi! Thanks for viewing my FundmyTravel page. Ever since I came home from my two-week trip to South Africa and Zimbabwe, I knew fate had a scheme to send me back to Africa. Now, two years later, I am trying to make the dream become reality. I have found a four-week study abroad program with the School for Field Studies in Tanzania, where I will study wildlife management and conduct field research (new and exciting territory for me!) for credit that will be applied toward a minor in wildlife ecology and conservation. I also am deciding to add on two credits of independent study through my major's department, journalism, to interview locals and report in real-time to produce a feature article detailing locals' efforts towards more sustainable practices and conservation efforts; I will then work with environmental journalism professor Cynthia Barnett on editing and publishing it in a news outlet. In preparation for this endeavor, I am collecting research on women's role in marine conservation in coastal communities in Tanzania through a class taught by 1992 Pulitzer Prize winner John Kaplan. I have never been so excited to carry through with a research project and pursue what I love: writing, reporting and exploring international and environmental issues through detailed research. I believe this one experience alone can open doors for me I never anticipated, but regardless of what opportunities follow, I hope first and foremost to make a big impact from a small start: The ripple effect is the goal. With this one feature article about locals' conservation and sustainability efforts that would otherwise go unnoticed, I hope to see other articles follow about other international communities -- and this is my first step in my contributions to helping the planet at large through my craft.