Project Dragonfly Students Awarded Scholarships

Twelve Miami University graduate students in Project Dragonfly’s Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) and Global Field Program (GFP) were recently awarded scholarships totaling $7,700.

About Our 2025 Scholarship Winners

2025 Incoming First-Year Dragonfly Award

GFP graduate students Kayle Anderson of Cookeville, Tennessee, and Paul Ankenman of Chicago, Illinois, and AIP graduate student Amanda Garcia of Temecula, California, are the recipients of the 2025 Incoming First-Year Dragonfly Award. The award was available to newly accepted Dragonfly master's students who started the AIP or the GFP in 2025.

Kaylee (she/her) will study golden lion tamarins in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest in summer 2025. “I currently work in research and design at Mack's MRO (a macroinvertebrate laboratory),” she said. “My idea for my Master Plan includes creating and spreading awareness of the needs of local endangered species, through education and involvement (especially in children).” 

“I am very excited to be a graduate student in Project Dragonfly and to participate in conservation work with the GFP, “ said Kaylee. 

In her free time, Kaylee enjoys wildlife photography and visiting new places, especially state and national parks. 

Paul (he/him) is a biology teacher at East Chicago Central High School. In summer 2025 Paul will explore marine and desert ecosystems in Baja while learning ecological field methods and contributing to ongoing conservation projects. “I feel so excited and honored to have the opportunity to travel to Baja California this summer,” said Paul. “I can’t think of a better way to spend part of our summer together, which is why I felt passionately about applying to the Global Field Program, and why I immediately committed to this program after my acceptance.”

In his free time, Paul is usually gardening with the East Chicago Gardening Club, running, playing soccer, or reading a book.

Amanda (she/her) works as a teacher in Temecula, California. As a first-year AIP student, Amanda is participating in unique learning experiences on the grounds of San Diego Zoo and in natural settings around southern California. Amanda’s foundational master’s course will focus on inquiry not only as a tool for integrated learning but as a powerful agent for student achievement, public engagement in science, and ecological stewardship; it will also cover pre-inquiry assessment, development of critical-thinking skills and reflection, collaborative approaches, and the implementation of individual inquiry investigations. 

For her master’s research, Amanda is considering encompassing all the things she's passionate about, like the ocean, research, and learning and is looking for a research path that gives her the freedom to grow as both a learner and an educator. By joining AIP, she's fulfilling a dream she's had since she was seven: to work on projects that educate the public while prioritizing animal welfare. It's exactly the kind of impact she's always wanted to make.

In her free time, Amanda enjoys early morning San Diego visits to explore bookstores, coffee shops, coastal drives, and good overall sunny San Diego. We can officially add Zoo visits to the list now. 

Rosie Bloom Scholarship

GFP graduate students Cosette De Ferrari of Mishawaka, Indiana, Emma Karle of Cinincinnati, Ohio, and Sarah Vinings of Delaware, Ohio, are the recipients of the Rosie Bloom Scholarship. The scholarship, named for local Audubon Society charter member and nature advocate Rosie Bloom, helps support Earth Expeditions (EE) students who live or work in the Audubon Miami Valley membership area.

Cosette (she/her) is a youth programs coordinator at the Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend, Indiana. Since joining the GFP in 2024, Cosette has explored marine and desert ecosystems in Baja, Mexico, while learning ecological field methods and contributing to ongoing conservation projects. In summer 2025 Cosette will travel to the Galápagos Islands to study the forces of evolutionary, geologic, and social change through work with ECOS, a newly established local Galápagos organization grounded by its start as a program of Ecology Project International. "The knowledge and experience I gain from the Galápagos course will directly enhance my ability to educate others on global and local conservation issues, making me a more effective advocate for wildlife preservation,” said Cosette. 

Through her Master Plan (a kind of personal mission statement for what she wants to accomplish in the program), Cosette is exploring how participatory education and public awareness can inspire informed, conservation-minded action both in and beyond the zoo setting and hopes to shape conservation behavior through psychology and education. She works towards this goal through her work in facilitating meaningful connections between audiences and the ambassador animals she works with. She also engages her local community on issues, such as native plant advocacy, cat-wildlife conflicts, and watershed health. 

In her free time, she enjoys transforming her yard into a wildlife-friendly space and takes joy in observing the biodiversity that follows, from birds at the feeder to beneficial insects in the garden. She also enjoys visiting AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, and finds inspiration in the natural world through hiking, birding, kayaking, and ongoing efforts with her husband to visit all of the U.S. National Parks.

Emma (she/her) is a model and freelance artist living and working in Cincinnati, Ohio. She graduated from Miami University in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Zoology, a co-major in Environmental Science, and a minor in Fine Art. After graduating she worked on wildlife rehabilitation teams at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center with AmeriCorps and the Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Illinois.

Since joining the GFP in 2023, Emma has participated in web courses through Miami University, studied the Golden Lion Tamarins of Brazil, and explored nature through Buddhist philosophy in Thailand. She also received the Charley Harper Scholarship in 2024 from Miami University’s Biology Department for her efforts and skills in both the arts and sciences fields. In summer 2025 Emma will travel to Townsville, Australia, to study the Great Barrier Reef and the conservation efforts of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Emma has centered her graduate studies around art as a tool to increase nature connectedness and inspire conservation action. In her free time she enjoys painting, hiking, and reading. 

Sarah (she/her) is a seasonal naturalist with Preservation Parks of Delaware County in Delaware, Ohio. She also currently works seasonally with the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Her career focus has been with ambassador animal keeping and training, and has worked as a trainer full time at multiple zoological facilities. This has given her the opportunity to work with a variety of mammals including kangaroos and lemurs, reptiles, and her favorite birds, such as macaws, raptors, and toucans. She has had the honor of doing a live presentation with Jungle Jack Hanna. 

Since joining the GFP in 2024, Sarah has studied community-based conservation and environmental stewardship in Belize. In summer 2025 Sarah will travel to the Amazon to study avian and tropical ecology. "Working with ambassador animals ... and doing animal shows and presentations has given me the opportunity to showcase to others just how amazing wildlife is, and this has shaped my current master’s plan,” said Sarah. “This scholarship will help me head to the Amazon rainforest in Peru to learn more about avian ecology and … see conservation work firsthand … educate others about it.”

In her free time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband Casey and dog Piper, going to farmer's markets, crocheting, and taking care of her plants.

Dragonfly’s Inquiry, Community, Voice Scholarship

AIP graduate student Allison Burnam of Cincinnati, Ohio, and GFP graduate students Kristopher "Kekai" Mar of Honolulu, Hawai'i, and Noemi "Mimi" Salvador Lucero of Chicago, Illinois, are the recipients of Dragonfly’s Inquiry, Community, Voice Scholarship. Created in 2021, the Dragonfly scholarship supports Dragonfly students who are committed to celebrating voice and community in conservation.

Allison (she/her) works as the Director of Training and Clinical Services for Kids Thrive, a pediatric behavioral health agency in Cincinnati. Since joining the AIP in 2023, she has taken Miami University courses online while also participating in unique experiential learning opportunities at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and in natural settings throughout Ohio.

In summer 2025, Allison will continue bridging environmental education and mental health through her participation in a field-based conservation course in the Pacific Northwest. The course combines zoo-based and field-based experiences to explore pressing wildlife conservation issues across diverse ecoregions, including temperate forests, wetlands, and coastal areas. Through hands-on investigations and community engagement, participants will examine how human and ecological systems interact, and how threatened species are impacted by challenges like habitat degradation, climate change, and invasive species. The course also highlights recovery efforts and the role of zoos, aquaria, and reserves in promoting sustainable population health and ecosystem restoration.

“My work bridges the fields of mental health and environmental conservation, recognizing that true sustainability must honor both the land and the people who depend on it,” she said. “Through nature-based interventions, I create spaces where individuals—especially those from underrepresented backgrounds—can connect with nature in meaningful ways, reclaiming their voices in conservation.”

In her free time, Allison enjoys dancing, hiking, kayaking, and reading. She is passionate about making environmental education more inclusive and believes that everyone deserves access to the healing power of nature.

Kekai (he/him) is a park interpretive program specialist with the Hawai'i State Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of State Parks. Since joining the GFP in 2023, Kekai has studied community-based conservation in Belize and avian and tropical ecology in the Amazon. In summer 2025 Kekai will travel to Thailand to investigate the country’s astonishing Old World rain forests and diverse cultural environments and gain an understanding of nature through Buddhist philosophy. 

"As a native Hawaiian serving ... Hawaiʻi State Department of Land and Natural Resources, I see conservation not just as preservation, but as a revitalization of our ancestral connection to ʻāina (land),” said Kekai. "My work planning, developing, and implementing interpretive programs and volunteer curatorship programs with native Hawaiian organizations is more than a job; it's a kuleana (responsibility) to amplify indigenous voices in the stewardship of our islands. … As a Native Hawaiian, I am doing this work for my ancestors and for the generations to come. 

Kekaiʻs Master Plan focuses on harnessing multimedia storytelling to amplify Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge and biocultural resource management as effective methods in community-based conservation. Traveling with EE provides Kekai with opportunities to connect with indigenous and local communities, researching their engagement in restoration, stewardship, and other conservation efforts that preserve the biocultural balance of their native ecosystems and cultural resources.

Born and raised an islander, Kekai can be found chasing waves and exploring trails with his pup Ghost, but he'll often trade in muddy boots and sandy toes for a passport full of stamps.

Mimi (she/her) Mimi is an Indigenous (Kichwa) seed keeper from Tena and San Cristóbal, Galápagos, Ecuador, who collaborates on seed house protocols, blending Western and Traditional training to refine ancestral strategies for improved conservation outcomes within cultural contexts. Her professional career includes work as a programs officer for Partners for Andean Community Health (PACH), a non-profit organization that serves Indigenous communities in rural territories of Ecuador and as an consultant with Inside The Husk Food | Indigenous Innovation for Seed sovereignty & Ecosystem Stewardship (a practice she helped cofound). It centers on the revitalization of ancestral foodways and the health of Indigenous territories, bridging traditional knowledge with innovative research practices. 

Mimi is finalizing a master's in biology and is expected to graduate in December 2025. Her current collaborative research centers on seed bank staff interactions with seed collections, cultural stewardship, and community-plant dynamics. She is exploring how these connections shape vegetation patterns, seed collection/conservation ethics, and responses to plant invasions, both in the Galápagos and across seed keeping communities in South and North America. 

A master’s class on biology and technology “sparked a journey that led me to interview elders in San Cristobal, Galápagos, focusing on the seed memory of the island's ecology,” said Mimi. “We’ve carried our understanding of seeds with us, allowing for dialogue that is central to the interpretation of invasive species management and potential future introductions.” Additionally, Mimi’s master’s research on integrating bio-cultural knowledge in invasive species management—conducted through an ethnobotanical framework—has earned global recognition from the International Society for Ethnobiology (ISE) as well as invitations from the ISE and the Society for Ecological Restoration to present her findings at their international conferences.

In her free time, Mimi enjoys physical movement, often leading her on camping journeys where she can connect with the land. She loves cooking, diving into a good book, and is always eager to learn a new skill.  

JPWT Global Conservation and Field Scholarship

GFP graduate students Lisa Feng (she/her) of Brooklyn, New York, and Chanté Lively (she/her) of Snellville, Georgia, are the recipients of the José Pareja-Wendy Tori (JPWT) Global Conservation and Field Scholarship. José I. and Wendy, who are natives of Peru, were a part of the Dragonfly team at its inception in 2008, and they are currently both faculty members at Earlham College.​​

Lisa (she/her) works as a pharmacy technician at a medical center in New York. Since joining the GFP in 2023, Lisa has studied community-based conservation and environmental stewardship in Belize and traveled to Australia to study the Great Barrier Reef and the conservation efforts of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. In summer 2025 she will travel to Borneo, where she’ll study primate denizens, including the orangutan and develop new ways to engage communities worldwide in primate conservation.

"Growing up in a bustling city like New York left me feeling disconnected from the ocean. However, through my EEs, I found relief as I floated with the waves and was amazed by the stories shared by our representatives," she said. "My Master Plan focuses on using storytelling, empathetic communication to make marine conservation relatable and actionable for people who may feel removed from ocean issues. I’m most proud of my first Inquiry Action Project (IAP) work with the California sea lions at the NY Aquarium." (The IAP is the major project in all EE courses and is composed of interrelated inquiry and action elements.)

Aside from her academics and occupation, Lisa enjoys exploring various forms of art in her free time, including crocheting, painting with acrylics or watercolor, photography, and dancing in the air on the Lyra, also known as the aerial hoop. Although she may not be a professional in all of these hobbies, she plans to incorporate art into her master’s plan when the opportunity arises, perhaps during her upcoming inquiry action project, as she views it as a powerful form of communication open to countless interpretations.

Chanté (she/her) works as a marine and environmental educator in Atlanta, Georgia. Since joining the GFP in 2024, Chanté has explored marine and desert ecosystems in Baja while learning ecological field methods and contributing to ongoing conservation projects. In summer 2025 she will travel to India, where she’ll journey through the stunning ecological, cultural, and spiritual landscapes of the Western Ghats, and explore sacred groves and forest temples.

"As I enter my second year as a GFP student and am introduced to new connections through my courses, I am called to examine how interactions in nature can be life-changing, specifically with literacy skills,” she said. "My Master Plan focuses on the literacy deficit in my communities and how nature can provide a safe space for adults and youth to gain confidence and interest in sharing what they learned and experienced. … I envision my upcoming trip to the Western Ghats of India will showcase unique collaborative efforts to connect the public to their local ecology as centers for community life. I look forward to all the lessons I will learn and the ways I will grow."

Chanté spends most of her free time exploring new nature spots in Atlanta, rollerblading and going to concerts with her friends.

Carrie R. Wilson Memorial Scholarship

GFP graduate student Sanjana Ramesh of Washington, D.C., is the recipient of the Carrie R. Wilson Memorial Scholarship. Pelecanus Inc., a non-profit organization co-founded by AIP graduate Austin Parker and his brother Taylor, created this scholarship in 2021 in memory of Carrie Wilson, who served as Dean of Students at the University of San Diego Law School and believed in community inspiration through direct and intentional action.

Sanjana (she/her) works as a program operations associate specialist for the World Wildlife Fund in Washington, D.C. Since joining the GFP in 2023, Sanjana has studied golden lion tamarins in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest and explored sacred groves and forest temples in the  Western Ghats of India. In summer 2025 she will travel to the Galápagos Islands to study the forces of evolutionary, geologic, and social change through work with ECOS, a newly established local Galápagos organization grounded by its start as a program of Ecology Project International. Her master’s research focuses on promoting wildlife education among women and children in rural villages near wildlife reserves in Karnataka, India, her birthplace. 

Sanjana’s master plan focuses on increasing awareness about South Asian women working in conservation to inspire greater interest and representation for the next generation. As she shares, “throughout my academic and professional journey, I have recognized the lack of representation and mentorship for women who look like me in my field. My work, both personal and academic, is centered around creating spaces where these voices are celebrated and amplified.”

In her free time, Sanjana enjoys exploring Washington, D.C.'s museums and cultural sites, going to the movies, spending time with her dogs, and discovering new environmental spaces with the South Asian environmental group she founded in D.C.

Since 2009, Dragonfly graduate students have received more than $81,000 in scholarship funds. If you are interested in learning more about these scholarship opportunities, please visit the Dragonfly Scholarships webpage. If you are interested in becoming a scholarship donor, please contact Jill Korach at korachjk@miamioh.edu or contribute to our ongoing Dragonfly scholarship here.