This summer, I spent three months in Zambia as a Dornsife Global Development Scholar, conducting field-based research on child-centered WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) education and environmental stewardship. Partnering with World Vision Zambia, I piloted environmental lessons in schools to integrate sustainability concepts into existing WASH UP! Initiatives, linking water conservation and sanitation to broader environmental stewardship.  

Working directly with students, teachers, and parents in rural schools, my research explored how children can act as agents of change in advancing regreening, conservation, and long-term water system sustainability. I collected and analyzed field data through surveys, interviews, and observations, with findings presented to World Vision Zambia’s national WASH and Environmental Sustainability teams to inform policy and program design. 

At Drexel, I am an environmental studies and sustainability major with minors in public health and Spanish. This fall I’ve officially begun my accelerated MS in environmental policy with the Department of Politics, alongside my senior year in environmental studies and sustainability.  

My experience in Zambia advanced my academic path in environmental policy while contributing policy-relevant insights for World Vision’s national WASH and Environmental Sustainability teams, reflecting Drexel’s strength in experiential learning and global impact. I have been able to integrate this fieldwork experience into my co-op and accelerated master’s studies, bridging classroom learning with global development practice.