Future coastal Leaders projects
Spring 2020
Isabel Becdach
Loyola University
I chose my creative project because I think people should consider the benefits of having native plants in their gardens, and to acknowledge that many common plants we see are from other places in the world. It is important to raise awareness of environmental issues and how we can protect native pollinators and insects that are in or migrate to one’s garden.
Anna Sitzman
Loyola University
As an Environmental Studies student with a concentration in Social Sciences at Loyola University New Orleans, I greatly enjoyed the well-rounded educational aspect of the CRCL Ambassador Program. I attended many lectures that applied what I was learning in the classroom to real-world initiatives that are saving Louisiana’s coast.
Ariel Alonso
University of New Orleans
Hi, my name is Ariel Alonso. I am a recent graduate from University of New Orleans with a major in Biological Sciences. I currently attend graduate school at Tulane University in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department. I chose to be in CRCL’s ambassador program because I want to make a change in the future of Louisiana’s coast and I know it all starts with taking the first step. I enjoyed CRCL’s Student Ambassador program as it has taught me many life long lessons that I will continue to use in my future career.
Elena Dilworth
Delgado Community College.
Currently, I am a biology student at Delgado Community College. I plan to transfer to Louisiana State University and get a biological sciences major with concentration in marine biology. Since I am interested in marine life, being part of CRCL’s student ambassador program this semester gave me the opportunity to learn more about the ecosystems in Louisiana and how important it is to wildlife. In – person events were affected by the pandemic, but we found ways to work by taking all necessary measures and social distancing. I look forward to everything returning to normal so we can have more volunteer activities.
Elsa Gutierrez
Louisiana State University
As a Student Ambassador for the coalition to restore coastal Louisiana I learned so much about the coastal crisis of Louisiana. As a resident of Texas/ Mexico board, I thought it was extremely interesting and impactful to see and understand what is happening to Louisiana’s coast. I had the opportunity to attend and listen to multiple webinars about people testimonies with climate change, how to combat climate change, how to capture people’s attention with art about the importance of climate change, and how it affects biodiversity. It was an honor to be part of this group and volunteer/ attend the virtual events (few in person) to do my part in helping restore Louisiana.
Gabrielle Bass
Tulane University
I am a second-year student at Tulane University studying Environmental Biology. As a student ambassador with CRCL, I learned so much about the Gulf Coast and how human activities impact it. I attended webinars, educational field trips, and hands-on community service events. I also learned about ways to get involved with large scale conservation projects, like commenting on the Mid-Barataria sediment diversion project. Through this program, I met both students and professionals in my areas of interest.
Leah Ellender
Louisiana State University
Hi! My name’s is Leah Ellender. I transferred to LSU from McNeese State University to pursue my passion of environmental science. With CRCL, I completed a creative project that focused on using aquaponics to slow coastal erosion. Being a CRCL member this year has been amazing, and I cannot wait for what else this organization has in store!
Rebekah Lepretre
McNeese State University
My name is Rebekah Lepretre. I am originally from Gueydan, LA and am currently a sophomore at McNeese State University studying Natural Resource Conservation and Management. I plan on graduating and then getting my master’s in environmental science with a concentration in Integrative Biology. Being a member of CRCL’s Student Ambassador program has allowed me to learn information which coincided with my degree plan. Throughout the semester I completed 41 and a half service hours. I’m so grateful that I was given this opportunity and can’t thank the organization or Ms. Isabella Donnell enough.
Seija Meaux
Louisiana State University
I’m from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada and am a Geology and Climatology major at Louisiana State University. I’m interested in the natural world and consider myself an environmentalist. I was eager to learn more about the landscape of Louisiana and the coastal challenges that this region faces. My involvement with CRCL’s Student Ambassador program has allowed me to meet likeminded people in my community and has inspired me to continue to spread information and advocate for coastal restoration. For my creative project, I researched the role that blue carbon and coastal wetland plants have in reducing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Temitope Dauda
Southern University
I am currently pursuing a Doctoral degree in Urban forestry at the Department of Forestry, Southern University and A&M college. I’m originally from West Africa where I obtained my first and second degree in Forestry. Volunteering for CRCL has given me a deeper understanding of my current research. My creative project motivated me to study more and understand coastal wetland vegetative community and how they are being affected by climate change and anthropogenic factors.
Trap Puckette
Tulane University
My name is Trap Puckette and I am a Junior at Tulane pursuing a major in Geology and minor in Mathematics. Growing up in the South Carolina Lowcountry, I have always loved spending time outdoors and on the water, and I have become passionate about coastal restoration through going to school in New Orleans. In my free time, I enjoy fishing and playing soccer
*The Future Coastal Leaders college track was formerly known as Student Ambassadors program.