CLAIRE SANDERS
Eckerd College, B.A., Biology and Environmental Studies

While at Eckerd College, Claire focused her studies on climate change and its impacts on coastal ecosystems. After finishing her undergraduate studies, she traveled to Sulawesi, Indonesia, on a research grant, which analyzed structure and diversity within natural and restored mangrove forests. Following her research in Indonesia, Claire traveled and ate her way through Southeast Asia before landing in New Zealand. Over the course of a year there, Claire aimed her travels around food studies and food production, working at an apple orchard, dairy farm, and Maori sustainable living farm centered on organic gardening and permaculture. Claire now lives in the United Arab Emirates working as an environmental outdoor instructor, helping to teach students about local ecosystems, sustainability, and conservation. This fall, Claire will return to the UAE and lead students from the Middle East on culture, science, and service trips to Nepal, Georgia, and Malaysia.

CLAY SPRINGMEYER
University of Montana, B.A., Creative Writing, Wilderness Studies

While at The University of Montana, Clay studied the intersections of wilderness and civilization as part of an interdisciplinary program that encompassed conservation policy, field studies, and ecological perspectives of Native Americans. During college, he worked as a ski instructor, backpacking guide, and whitewater rafting guide in Glacier National Park. He also worked with homeless children at a nonprofit summer camp, where he taught principles of camping, horseback riding, and rock climbing. After graduation, Clay worked as Outdoor Recreation and Ecotourism Program Director at the Kalu Yala Institute in the Panamanian jungle, where he and his students focused on jaguar conservation and the construction of hiking trails. During his time there, Clay volunteered with Peace Corps workers to help start a sustainably sourced marketplace in Panama City that offers its producers a fair price and living wage for their products. He also worked for a fly fishing outfitter on the Smith River in Montana, where he and his guests spent week-long float trips through one of the most scenic river canyons in the Big Sky State. Clay now works as an adventure specialist for Chrysalis, a therapeutic boarding school for teenage girls in crisis. Clay is an Eagle Scout, Advanced Life Support Wilderness First Responder, and internationally certified Swiftwater Rescue Technician. He is proficient in Spanish. This fall, he will continue to work for Chrysalis, where he will take his students rock climbing, backpacking, rafting, mountain biking, and skiing.