STEPHENVILLE — Four Tarleton State University students will travel to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska this summer as part of an advanced leadership experience program.
Aukira Burks, Mercedez Concepcion, Joshua Smith and Ladavon Springs-Hargrove will embark June 18 to explore the Arctic Village, Atigun Pass and Galbraith Lake on a 10-day excursion, the result of a partnership between Tarleton State’s Lozano Long Division of Global, Community and First-gen Initiatives and Love is King’s Operation ROAM (Rapid Ongoing Advance Missions).
The expedition promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the heart of the Alaskan Arctic, where participants will be invited guests of the local Chief, said Dr. Dana Fitzpatrick, Director for Civic and Community Connections for the Division of Global, Community and First-gen Initiatives.
“Our world is so interconnected, and it’s important to learn how about the contributions of wildlife to food, medicine and other resources,” Dr Fitzpatrick said. “It’s our responsibility to safeguard these spaces for ourselves and future generations.
“We believe that giving our students this opportunity could start a spark that can help grow advocates for our outdoor spaces by engaging and building skills and voices that create leaders in environmental advocacy for our public lands and wildlife.”
Burks, a junior majoring in animal science with a pre-veterinary concentration, said it has always been her dream to make a difference and to travel beyond the limits of her imagination.
“I am looking forward to seeing the wildlife and the beautiful sites that I don’t normally get to see where I am from,” she said. “I hope to learn more about rich history and cultural perspectives.”
Concepcion, a sophomore majoring in wildlife sustainability and ecosystem sciences with a concentration in natural resource ecology, said Alaska has long been on her bucket list.
“I am super stoked and I’m so grateful to be on this expedition,” she said. “I hope to speak to a Gwich’in elder and learn firsthand from their experience and hear their stories.”
“I also hope to gain life skills like communication with people from different backgrounds and apply that to other areas of my life! I also hope to make friends among the village and be able to connect in that way.”
Springs-Hargrove, a junior majoring in political science, is looking forward to experiencing the expansive landscape of Alaska.
“Alaska seems way different than other places I’ve visited,” he said. “I want to gain more knowledge about the land and the cultures surrounding it.”
Smith, a freshman double-majoring in psychology and sociology, said he looks forward to traveling to Alaska to gain a better understanding of how to make an environmental difference while learning about new cultures.
“I am beyond thrilled to be able to immerse myself in the culture, to live with a native tribe, learn about their way of life, eat the food and get a deeper understanding of a lifestyle different from my own,” Smith said. “I hope this experience allows me to expand my leaderships skills in order for me to take a proactive stance versus a supportive role in protecting.”
To learn more about the Lozano Long Division of Global, Community and First-gen Initiatives, go to https://catalog.tarleton.edu/globalcommunityconnections/. To find out more about Operation ROAM, visit https://www.loveisking.org/.
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